Leon Franklin enters the Transfer Portal
Great team guy. He showed promise, but on a team like this would probably never get many more opportunities. Best of luck to him.
December 20th, 2023 at 7:50 PM ^
Got his degree and more run than your average PWO. Best of luck to him at his next destination, may be become the destroyer of worlds in the MAC, ACC, MWC or wherever he lands.
December 21st, 2023 at 7:33 AM ^
Beginning to look like anOsu can use him.
December 20th, 2023 at 7:54 PM ^
Good for him. This is the type of situation the portal is designed for
December 20th, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^
Exactly!
December 20th, 2023 at 8:01 PM ^
Should go to EMU. He’ll get plenty of run there on a well coached team.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:01 PM ^
Best of luck to him...I second the EMU idea, he'd be a monster in the MAC.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:02 PM ^
He played a big part in the 2022 win over Illinois! Hope he takes that memory with him and parlays it into a great run somewhere next season. He just wasn't going to crack the 6-deep here...
December 21st, 2023 at 1:30 AM ^
I realize the smug comments and backhanded compliments are what we do at MGoBlog, but that wasn't Leon Franklin against Illinois.
I don't even think Franklin played in that game. He definitely didn't carry the ball or catch a pass.
December 21st, 2023 at 2:40 AM ^
He didn't. Typical conformity to shameful, thoughtless upvotes.
It's disappointing we can't even appropriately offer a good send off to our well-deserving student athlete. Sorry Leon, best of luck.
December 21st, 2023 at 7:34 AM ^
I think we're actually referring to Gash.
December 21st, 2023 at 7:48 AM ^
I legit thought that was Leon - my bad! I negged myself for the trouble, thank you for the correction.
December 21st, 2023 at 7:59 AM ^
Was that not Isaiah Gash? Franklin still the man tho for his post game locker interviews!
December 21st, 2023 at 9:01 AM ^
Setting aside the mistake… I just told my wife how great this blog is because of this particular OP and the follow up comments. Where else would a little know PWO get this much attention and well wishes? Hat tip to all of you that make this sit wonderful.
Best wishes Leon!
December 20th, 2023 at 8:03 PM ^
Here’s hoping he transfers somewhere where he gets another chance to whoop OSU ass. My favorite walk-on ever.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:19 PM ^
Leon was one of my favorites because he seemed like a real team-first guy, and when we saw him at Kids' Club events, it was clear that his teammates really liked him a lot.
He has a receiving touchdown AND a rushing touchdown, which is pretty cool. I will be rooting for him wherever he lands.
My one question is, he is a three-year letter winner (2021, 2022, 2023) and he did not appear in any games in 2020, so how does he have two years of eligibility left? His COVID shirt is also his redshirt?
December 20th, 2023 at 8:23 PM ^
How did I miss these Kids Club events with actual players at them? What are these?
December 20th, 2023 at 9:15 PM ^
Did he appeared in more than 4 games in any of those seasons. From the very limited information about the COVID year of eligibility I could find. It did not change the redshirt rules, so if a player did not appear in more than 4 games they can take a redshirt for that year even if it was in 2020.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:22 PM ^
His MGoBlue profile lists him as a sophomore in 2020.
https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/leon-franklin/24344
Admittedly, I have no idea how it works for walk-ons, but presumably if he enrolled in 2019 and didn't play, that could be his "redshirt" year. 2020 is the covid year, and then he played '21, '22, '23
So he has 2 years left?
Either way, best of luck to the guy.
Gets to walk away with a degree and three B1G championship rings...not too shabby
December 20th, 2023 at 9:43 PM ^
if he enrolled in 2019 and didn't play, that could be his "redshirt" year. 2020 is the covid year, and then he played '21, '22, '23
So he has 2 years left?
That would still be 1 year.
true freshman in 2019 and 2020 doesn’t count
redshirt freshman in 2021, redshirt sophomore in 2022, redshirt junior this year. He’d be a redshirt senior next season
December 20th, 2023 at 10:11 PM ^
If everyone gets an extra year of eligibility from the covid year, and he has 2019 as a redshirt year
Wouldn't that give him his redshirt senior + covid year left to play?
2019 - redshirt
2020 - covid
2021 - redshirt fresh
2022 - redshirt soph
2023 - redshirt junior
2024 - redshirt senior
2025 - eligible because of covid year
I could be way off, but the post I replied to had a question as to how/why Leon has (per his announcement) 2 years of eligibility remaining...this is the way that makes sense to me.
December 21st, 2023 at 6:29 AM ^
If he indeed redshirted in 2019, then 2024 should be his last season. (Without Covid, 2023 would have been his last season.) His U-M profile doesn't say anything about 2019, though.
The exception would be if he missed two seasons due to injury, in which case he would also be eligible in 2025.
December 21st, 2023 at 6:41 PM ^
You don’t get an “extra year” from Covid year. Covid year just doesn’t count against your eligibility, which is why he redshirted in 2019, and would be considered a redshirt freshman in both 2020 and 2021.
2020 not counting against you IS your “extra year.” You’re giving him ANOTHER extra year.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:33 PM ^
Best of luck to a great teammate!
December 20th, 2023 at 8:46 PM ^
I didn’t know you played
December 20th, 2023 at 9:02 PM ^
Wish him luck, but not a total surprise. Hopefully he gets a ring before he leaves.
December 21st, 2023 at 7:25 AM ^
He has three.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:03 PM ^
Good luck to him.
[A brief scan of the title made me wonder if JAMES Franklin was transferring.]
December 21st, 2023 at 3:46 AM ^
Where ever he goes he'll definitely be "whoopin that a**"
December 21st, 2023 at 4:14 AM ^
Leon Franklin is going to kick some ass wherever he lands. Wolverine forever.