January 14th, 2022 at 9:53 AM ^
It is clear that Mel Tucker and MSU is going to target the transfer portal heavily to shore up their roster each year. With a team as strong as Michigan, why aren't we seeing more of this? If memory serves there are only two transfer candidates right now, the C from Virginia has signed, and a DL from Tulane.
January 14th, 2022 at 10:31 AM ^
Getting 100% of your credits to transfer to Michigan are notoriously difficult (for students across the U, not just athletes) unless you’re transferring from Stanford, Northwestern, etc. It’s an elitist, money-grabbing tactic on Michigan’s part that inconveniences tons of kids who go to community colleges or local schools like Wayne St or Oakland before transferring to U-M. Those kids have to end up repeating a lot of the exact same courses again once they get to AA. I want the transfer policy changed more so because of the difficulties those kids face than anything to do with football or athletics.
From a football perspective, this means you’re generally targeting grad transfers or kids who have zero desire to get their degree (which usually isn’t the case with players interested in Michigan) and don’t mind losing a year or two of credits putting you at jeopardy of graduating in just the 2 or 3 years you’ll be at Michigan. You can’t sell kids on a Michigan education/degree if they’re potentially at risk of getting it.
January 14th, 2022 at 10:47 AM ^
A follow-up question I have is whether it's just a matter of desire for a degree. There are NCAA rules regarding maintaining progress towards a degree (in terms of eligibility and in terms of program APR). Do those rules come into play with transfers credits? If a player doesn't transfer enough credits, does that mean Michigan's APR is affected and that the player may not be eligible until they catch up?
January 14th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
As a follow-follow up - aren't there guys out there who just don't care about school and want to get to the league? Why do they care if they lose some credits if they can come here, play and get paid. In most cases, players are welcome back to the Univ to finish degrees, arent they??
January 14th, 2022 at 12:43 PM ^
There are players who do just want a shot at the NFL and have no interest in "playing school". Very few players have so much talent that they can safely assume they have a guaranteed spot in the NFL. Given their immense skills, players on that tier are less likely to transfer, since most of them are already starting and getting the playing time they want. But if you are looking for playing time and visibility, you probably have some awareness that the NFL might not happen and that you should have some sort of back up plan. Transferring to a school that forces you to start over academically does not make sense. And given how much of Michigan's recruiting pitch turns on the value of a Michigan degree, it has little traction with players that have no interest in "playing school".
January 14th, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^
Michigan is ridiculous when it comes to transferring credits. My middle daughter was accepted quickly by U-M out of HS in 2009. She decided to attend Dickinson College in Carlisle PA. She wanted to go somewhere out of state, loved the small college & was on the tennis team. After one semester, she came home over Christmas break and told us she wanted to transfer. The college and city were just too small.
She reapplied to U-M, was accepted again but they wouldn’t allow all of her credits to transfer, which was totally unreasonable. She took a standard freshman liberal arts curriculum. There was a matching course at U-M for every Dickinson course. And Dickinson is a good school. My thought was U-M did it because they could. She ended up going to school in the summer to graduate in four years. No big deal, but totally unnecessary.
I love U-M. I’m a 1976 graduate. My daughter was a 2013 graduate. My youngest daughter got her masters from U-M in 2019 and it was a life changer for her. But their transfer policies for all students are unreasonable, in my opinion.
MSU is going to let Tucker bring anyone in he wants, as will most of the B1G. It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out over the next few years.
January 14th, 2022 at 2:16 PM ^
Everyone always bitches about transfers to UM and not accepting all credits. I’ll let everyone in on something all schools do this. When my daughter was being recruited to play softball we were visiting various schools and was fortunate that a coach and school counselor were very honest about this very subject. They told us look where ever she decides make sure it’s the right choice. Because bottom line schools want to make money and if you transfer all your credits will never transfer because your new school wants you there as long as possible to make money. Well guess what two years and she decided to transfer and they were right. She too did an extra summer and took a heavy load one year and finished in four years but that is just the nature of the beast
January 15th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
Yep, and this is why colleges are struggling. Before the internet they had a monopoly on a certain level of information and instruction. Now, online, you can literally experience almost any class from high quality teachers, and in many cases audit or even take the class. The only reason to attend a university is for higher level technical training, research, or other supervised graduate work. I received a B.S. Chemistry, and other than the labs, there is no course I took that I couldn't find fully online for free these days.
Universities have lost so much control over avenues of learning that they, especially in highly populated majors like psychology, biology, business, education, offer nothing that isn't at a learner's fingertips from home. The only control they have is accreditation and diplomas, so they leverage this to the hilt. I remember having to pay for math courses I tested out of when I arrived at college, the same amount as the courses cost. I was thrilled to not have to take the courses. My parents were furious, and I didn't understand why, since I wasn't personally paying a college for work my high school had already done. I'm looking to send my kids to college in Europe. Half the cost, and most degrees are 3 years, as they skip the freshman 101 garbage.
January 15th, 2022 at 3:03 PM ^
With all of the MOOCs, education prices should be dropping like a rock. There is an issue with validating that people actually know the material, but tests like the bar exam and CPE have been around for years. The big reason universities haven't collapsed is that they are a pretty good classist signaling device. You have the money and/or connections to go to a school of X caliber.
I don't know if it is capitalism or feudalism, but the administrators have no incentive for making school less expensive or more accessible. They've built up their fiefdoms and don't want to give them up.
January 14th, 2022 at 8:26 PM ^
All elite academic schools do this. That's what keeps them elite. I don't think money is the primary issue.
January 15th, 2022 at 10:04 AM ^
Definitely not short term. If you look at the long term effect of high academic standards, and what they do for the reputation of the school - how it can set tuition rates, etc. - money is in fact a consideration. And I'm not arguing with them about it.
January 15th, 2022 at 1:18 AM ^
I know nothing of these issues so I don't understand how schools make more money by refusing to accept credit transfers. A school like Michigan has far more qualified applicants for freshman admission and transfers than they have capacity. They must set a capacity limit and then accept applicants until they reach that capacity.
January 14th, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
The transfer credit issue has come up repeatedly. So if one goes to the UM site it is possible to see in many (but not all cases) what credits are transferrable.
https://transfercredit.ugadmiss.umich.edu/
As an experiment, I typed in Washtenaw Community College, the local community college near Ann Arbor to see what courses would transfer into the LSA college.
As one would expect vocational courses like "ABR 111: intro. to auto body repair" and "ACS 100: academic skills" are listed as non transferable.
But courses like "ACC 111: principles of accounting" are transferrable. Intro courses like "ANT 205: introduction to archeology" are also transferrable. It seems the notion that the UM turns up its nose at all intro courses maybe misguided.
What about the sciences? "BIO 111: Ant/Phys - norm struc & func" is transferrable but "BIO 110:intro to exercise science" is not. "CEM 111: General Chemistry 1" is transferrable. "CPS 272: Data Structures in C++" is transferrable but only the in-person version not the online one and the person will need to have a Matlab tutorial or have Matlab knowledge. "ENG 111: Composition 1" is transferrable and listed as being equivalent of LSA English 125.
A lot of math courses don't transfer but "MTH 191: Calculus I" transfers as being equivalent to Math 115. And in fact a good number of early calculus courses are all transferrable. Maybe this relates to the topic - teaching calculus at the intro level is something that has been actually worked on for a while.
The credits that usually don't move are vocational courses or courses frankly designed to help better prepare students for college/university level work (eg. ENG 090: Writing Fundamentals 1 does not transfer).
So for some of the FB players, if they just loaded up on a mix very low intro courses, vocational courses and academic prep courses, no, they wouldn't transfer easily. But there are a lot that do.
Always worth looking at the primary sources and see.
Go Blue!
January 14th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
IIRC, there have been postings here that have talked about local community colleges aligning their courses more closely with Michigan than is done by schools farther away.
I'm not trying to refute your post - you may be on to something. But WCC *may* be a special case.
January 14th, 2022 at 1:40 PM ^
Not just WCC - basically all Michigan Community Colleges intentionally align their courses with U of M to make transferring easier.
January 14th, 2022 at 2:57 PM ^
Yeah community colleges are a special case, because they exist to send their grads to a four year program as seamlessly as possible. 4 year universities are the opposite, bc they want to maximize revenue out of each student, which is to get 3-4 years worth of tuition out of everyone. Hence why when they accept transfers, the transfer student almost always needs to spend either a fifth year on campus or at least a spring term.
January 14th, 2022 at 5:22 PM ^
This is a great answer here. The CC websites have all the info you need to transfer. It is a great way to get the prerequisites out of the way and save a lot of money. You do miss out on some of the experience but the fiscal advantages are immense.
And yes, auto shop is not transferable.
January 14th, 2022 at 11:58 AM ^
I'm not so sure most portal prospects are going to want to transfer in to Michigan. Michigan has more team talent than most schools. Most portal prospects are in the portal because they want immediate playing time.
There's a few players in the portal that could probably start at Michigan, but it's not a lot. MSU is a different situation.
January 14th, 2022 at 12:10 PM ^
Bama gets a few starters every year from the portal. There have been like 5 Heisman winners that transferred.
January 14th, 2022 at 12:31 PM ^
saban just got done speaking at our coaches conference and he had a few things to say about the transfer portal. first, he said the portal doesn't hurt bama, 'our best players won't leave'. he thought the portal might be a fad to some degree, and that it will calm down. he used the analogy of buying a convertible - a car you thought you had to have, but in reality you end up rarely putting the top down and it's a pain in the winter.
he said that he thought '80% in the portal are not having a positive experience'. used his dad's old saying, the grass is always greenest over the septic tank (i like this saying, will have to use it). he said there are 'consequences' to using the portal and that not all of them are good or will solve the transferring players problem. the desire for playing time, alone, is many times not going to be satisfied and its not worth pursuing in many cases given the upset to all the other parts of life that can go with it, implying such things as academic pursuits and friendships.
January 14th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
I live in Nashville and am surrounded by tons of 20somethings who moved from Chicago, NYC, LA, Michigan, Ohio etc etc and to a man they all say "I wanted a fresh start/change of scenery" etc and it always makes me chuckle, because the follow up question I have (usually internally) is "are you actually changing the factors that created the problem or are you just changing the address of your problem" which is a line I heard Lou Holtz say about transfers on whatever late night college football show he had with Mark May and Rece Davis on ESPN like 15 years ago.
January 14th, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
Well kinda. Many people are moving due to problems that are out of their control. I'll use Chicago as an example.
How's the crime in Nashville? Definitely better than Chicago
How's the weather in Nashville? Definitely better in the winter compared to Chicago
How are the taxes in Nashville? Definitely better than Chicago
How are the job opportunities in Nashville? Probably better in Chicago, but WFH efforts probably make this a wash
How is the cost of living in Nashville? Definitely better than Chicago
My wife made me move out of Chicago last year due primarily to the crime that has gotten out of control in the city limits.
January 14th, 2022 at 1:24 PM ^
another college buddy, michigan grad with all of us, is leaving chicago metro area on monday to move up to northern michigan. lots of reasons,..
January 14th, 2022 at 6:51 PM ^
Is it because life is better in almost every conceivable way?
January 14th, 2022 at 8:11 PM ^
he's a great guy and farmed a little bit when he was young. he was telling some of my sons that he's going to hire them to work his farm, not ours. but he also was asking me what type of pick up he should buy, having very little clue about what he'd need for the farm. bottom line: he has a lot to learn and it'll be a while before he gets up to speed, but i'm very happy for him getting out of the city. yech.
January 15th, 2022 at 1:05 AM ^
Yikes! It sounds like he hasn't any actual farming experience. I wish him luck and admire him for trying to provide his kids a better environment but farming is HARD work and full of opportunities for disaster.
January 15th, 2022 at 7:34 AM ^
he worked on a dairy farm when he was a kid, but has done none of that since then ('70's). his kids are college aged or beyond, so he's not doing it for his own kids, but so he and his wife escape the city.
January 15th, 2022 at 12:20 PM ^
That sounds much more promising!
January 14th, 2022 at 6:08 PM ^
Idk man - Chicago and obviously Nashville are both cities I'd consider living in
Crime - Volume wise I would've guessed Nashville was less (but this says Nashville is actually higher per capita that's the first google result so YMMV)
Weather - Nashville better
Taxes - Nashville better but sales tax is outrageous
Job Opportunities - Chicago
Cost of Living - I know it feels like Nashville should be better (and 10 years ago it was way better) but now it's about the same tbh. Just have a look at Zillow in the area.
Regardless, my point was mainly about the younger crowd who might only care about weather and money out of above, who come to Nashville and live life exactly as they would elsewhere and are shook when they get the same results lol.
January 15th, 2022 at 12:10 AM ^
Honestly, I think you're stretching considerably to try to fit your point.
Crime - It's laughable to compare a per capita crime statistic of Chicago to Nashville. Where are you going in Nashville that you would even feel a little bit at risk like Chicago's south side? I'm serious. I've lived in the middle of this city for 25 years and the "bad" parts aren't "bad". They're just not.
Weather - Obvious.
Taxes - No state income tax. It's better. Although yeah, bummer I paid .25 on that gallon of milk I bought the other day, but not a bummer like say... paying state income tax.
Job Opportunties - Unemployment Nashville 2.6 Unemployment Chicago 4.5 Almost double.
Cost of Living - Yes it's gone up, but it's a market correction for being WAY too cheap for way too long.
There's a reason why it's a top 10 growing market, and it's not because kids in LA are running away from their problems. It's still cheap. It's not as cheap as it used to be. But neither is literally anything else. Amazon, Oracle, Mitsubishi, Alliance Bernstein, all here within the last few years or moving here. It's not an accident.
Things that Chicago has that Nashville doesn't... lake effect snow, a 5 month winter, Portillo's and Lou Malnati's.
January 15th, 2022 at 12:10 AM ^
Double
January 15th, 2022 at 11:28 AM ^
Certainly UofM is going to find less opportunity to find impact players compared to MSU because of roster talent.
Also heavily weighted use of the portal could easily have a negative effect on the culture of your team.
It seems to me you scout a few key guys for talent and fit go after them but you don’t build a roster that way. It’s more miss than hit.
January 14th, 2022 at 8:27 PM ^
MSU won the Transfer Portal game, beat Michigan... If Michigan isn't taking transfers seriously, then don't expect to be a serious college football contender.
We would be lucky to beat OSU once a decade.
January 14th, 2022 at 9:58 AM ^
Who's taking the first snap at QB next year and will the loser of the starter sweepstakes stay on the team?
January 14th, 2022 at 10:34 AM ^
Same question I have. I would have to say no, unless Cade is able to snag some serious NIL money
January 14th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
Considering he's signed on with Tom Brady's clothing brand I think he's going to be getting some pretty good NIL money. That's just an assumption on my part, however.
I wonder if Tom would keep him on if he transfers?
January 14th, 2022 at 10:57 AM ^
Michael Barrett.
January 14th, 2022 at 11:08 AM ^
If he's not in the booth helping Gattis choose the plays.
January 14th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
Pff. We're talking about Michael freaking Barrett. He can handle both.
January 14th, 2022 at 12:57 PM ^
And at the same time, no less.
Michael Barrett exists in quantum superposition.
January 17th, 2022 at 4:23 PM ^
"You know, Michael Barrett is seven feet tall. He gains yards by the hundreds. And, if he we the starting quarterback, he'd destroy the opposition with fireballs from his eyes... and bolts of lightning from his ass."
January 15th, 2022 at 9:25 AM ^
I could be wrong on Cade's NFL potential or how much he likes UM, but I don't see NFL potential for him and I think he likes UM. I see him as a guy who works in football after his college playing days are over as a coach or commentator. If that's the case I don't see the motivation to leave unless he just wants a few more years to ball. McCarthy on the other hand does have NFL potential and if not the starter by years end is more likely a transfer candidate.
January 15th, 2022 at 12:28 PM ^
January 15th, 2022 at 12:41 PM ^
My optimistic view is the QB contest is a competition that both get an equal chance to win that runs through the fall. At that stage it would make sense for QB 2 to stay especially if you have a similar rotation as this year where both play.
Then QB2 moves on with two years eligibility and we hopefully have a new 5 star backup.
We desperately need both to stay next year. Being an injury away from a .500 season not pleasant.
Cade > Griese at this stage in their careers. Griese had a 10 year NFL career but would never had made it leaving early. Don’t underestimate long term potential.
They both seam to really love Michigan.
January 14th, 2022 at 9:58 AM ^
How different was the defense schematically compared to what you predicted in the off-season based on studying the Ravens? I suspect we saw more 4 man lines instead of 5 man lines to leverage Hutchinson being able to accomplish difficult things on his own. Do you see us moving to more 5 man lines with more average EDGE players next year?
January 14th, 2022 at 9:58 AM ^
In the profile on Semaj Morgan, there was talk about his 40 speed being a possible concern. Ideally we'd get 4.3 speedsters at every position, but that may be dreaming.
Question: If the opposing team has speed and Michigan is lacking that in spots, what can be done to scheme / plan around that to neutralize the other team's speed.
January 14th, 2022 at 10:03 AM ^
Not having enough speed on defense is a bigger problem than on offense. Haskins was not that fast, neither was Hart. They could make it work because they could use their strength, power and balance.
On defense, a lack of speed kills you, the offense gets to set the terms of engagement, you can put more DBs on the field to get faster against lighter personnel, but if they have TEs and RBs faster than your Strong Safeties and LBs, you’re in trouble. If they have WRs faster than your DBs, you’re in trouble. Playing zone helps a little bit.
January 15th, 2022 at 9:29 AM ^
JMFR was not that fast, but had elite instincts. Motor control aka instincts is always more important than speed. It's the transmission to the horsepower...without it HP/speed is not able to be utilized. Guys with both have long NFL careers.
January 15th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^
How bout smack them in the mouth at the point of attack before they even get moving.
January 14th, 2022 at 10:00 AM ^
When do you plan on starting a fund we can all give money to so we can pay players? Also, can we start by just going after whoever MSU’s best recruit is every year?