Lalota to transfer; why God why ???

be THAT bad. Our rating will suck, but, you don't automatically incur penalties (you have time to pull it up), plus I don't think anybody has left over academics, so you might be able to persuade the NCAA into some leniency on that.

I'm sure Brian or someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that if the transferring player is in good academic standing, it does not hurt the APR.  If Lalota's and Emilien's grades were ok, then it won't matter.

Jibreel Black is. He has been getting some playing time the last two games. Not sure about Lalota though. I don't remember seeing him out there at all.

Van Bergen, then Jibreel Black and Steve Watson.

Been thinking about this theory. I think you have a point. Guys want instant gratification, and maybe some thought of Michigan as their chance for that. When they find themselves lower on the depth chart on a defensively thin team then they get impatient and bolt for a shot at easy playing time somewhere else.

I had that same question you raise about what seems to be a lot of recent transfer requests.  I've been a fan for years and have never known there to be so many transfers.  That said, I wonder if I know more about recruiting and transfers simply by being a regular MGoBlog reader.  I think my general knowledge about the team has deepened so greatly that its impossible for me to compare historically.  That said, all of these recent commits and the Forcier rumor make me uncomfortable.

than a certain kind of mobility and awareness? Most of these kids have already worked VERY hard for years to get here. I think that some of them just really want a chance, and will go somewhere they can play. I don't really hold it against them, but it IS a new wrinkle in the way that the game is played. From the viewpoint of admissions and academics, I'm sure it's lamented, but they helped create the monster. . . 

To me it looks like the last two guys are upset/transferring because they are getting passed by underclassmen. I'm not justifying it just saying this might be part of the reason. If upperclassmen are ahead of them like on offense for the most part, most people don't mind waiting their turn. JMO

Dbl post sorry

In a few years he could've been Greg Banks, or Sagasse, or Huyge, getting that chance to contribute. Maybe it's a reflection on how good Jibreel Black is rather than an indictment of the kid, but I'm getting pretty sick of second year guys bailing out. Maybe he's homesick or just sick of football. Next man up, I guess.

We live in an entitlement society now.  People expect to have things handed to them without hard work.  I just hope we can have a team that is the exception to the rule. 

Unless you know something.  Let's not jump on the coaches for every transfer.  Last week, we were talking about Gibson.

How do you know they are not long term good players?  One is a RS Freshman and the other was a Sophomore.  What happened to guys staying and developing and waiting their turn?  Pretty strange.

This is why I wish it was still a "student-athlete" rather than an "athlete-student", but alas. It is a shame to see someone pass up a great opportunity at an education at one of the greatest academic universities in the world.

Now, that being said, I hope Anthony finds what he's looking for in football, and gets a good education in the process wherever he ends up.

Maybe he's looking at Duke or Vandy where he can get a worthwhile education and playing time.

Well, that may be too negative a read on it.  Didn't Vladimir Emilien have UVA on his short list?  That's not a bad place to have a degree from.

Regardless, we know a U-M degree is a lot of work.  Especially in light of the time investment athletes have to make for practice and training and everything else.  If you're a football player, you're at study table a lot of nights, too, right?  You can't even choose to blow off your academics.

I can see why it might be hard to give up so much time to both school and your sport while fearing that you're never going to get to do what you've dreamed of doing: which is actually play college ball.  And that could make it more appealing to go to a place that might give you some field time -- AND, possibly, even be a little easier on you academically.  Obviously we're thankful that so many of the guys on the roster have done the math and concluded that the U-M degree (and everything else) is worth it even if they never play a down.  But some kids are going to figure differently, and I think it's understandable.

but it's easier to have instant success in basketball than football.  football is much more physical than skill compared to basketball.  an extra couples years is a bigger advantage in football than basketball.

how else could steve watson, a converted tight end, be ahead on the depth chart.  a couple extra years of adding size and strength and system is valuable.

patience is truly a virtue.

it's obvious that kids today don't bleed the school colors (in general) like they used to from day 1.

I don't think this board's in meltdown, just shocked (yet by now unsurprised) that yet another very young backup is leaving immediately after a big win.  Vlad leaving seemed completely playing time-related (any by playing time, I mean playing time "right now", not in a year or two) and if this is the same, the generational comments are fair.

Your points about elite programs may be valid, but I don't know.  I'm not on any msg boards for those teams, so I have no idea how many kids are transferring.  Florida, from what little I've picked up, has had plenty of transfers.  Do we have any stats on this?  Plus, I would expect our turnover to be a bit higher, based on our recent poor record, likely sanctions, and relatively recent head coaching change.

All that said, another transfer is frustrating, It won't affect this season as Lalota wasn't going to play, but from an APR perspective, it's worrisome.

Are you really arguing that Alabama has limited attrition?  They have been begging guys to transfer.  USC is down under 80 scholarship players and has a long history of guys leaving for more playing time even before the sanctions (Emmanuel Moody, Broderick Green, Aaron Corp, etc.). 

This is not new or unique to Michigan.  The coaching staff isn't doing anything to make guys like Vlad and Lalota (who were behind true freshmen and walk-ons in addition to the guys at the top of the depth chart) realize they probably have a limited chance of seeing the field at Michigan.  3rd and 4th string guys transferring (especially when those guys feel they are as good as their 4-star reputations) happens everywhere and is not a big deal at all.