My take on potential incoming football transfers

Submitted by Magnus on December 23rd, 2019 at 11:30 PM

Considering the proliferation of the transfer portal, I think stories like these are going to continue to be a big deal in college football. Michigan has been rumored to be interested in or open to several football transfers. I took a look at several of those potential players and ranked them by how well they fit into Michigan's plans, at least according to my opinion/evaluation.

If you're interested, here's the link: LINK.

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Kevin13

December 24th, 2019 at 9:29 AM ^

Nothing to get too excited about. Maybe bring in a DT to add to the rotation as we could use some help there. Think Costello would be a waste to bring in as a backup to Dylan. Think Milton can fill that position and get a little experience in garbage time.  Only want to take a transfer if they can provide significant help next season 

Joined: 01/26/2016

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MaizeBlueA2

December 24th, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^

That's IF Milton is on the team at that point. Which...to your point, he should be even if he doesn't win the starting job for the reason you mentioned above.

So I would agree.

The guy who I think needs to get as ready as he can be is McNamara. Still concerns me that we didn't get him any time this year when last year we played Patterson, McCaffrey, Milton and even Brandon Peters. Not to mention a walk-on snap or two.

Brandon Wimbush is the first touted guy that I remember who transferred and didn't start (he ended up 3rd string). I don't know of anyone who's coming to ride the bench. Costello would be learning the offense for the first time...and is probably not a huge step above McCaffrey today, let alone McCaffrey with an entire spring as the #1A QB.

I think we just have to roll with what we have.

Unfortunately this is going to give Gattis more incentive to run that stupid as fuck Wildcat formation when he doesn't want to subject his starter to a hit on 3rd and short. Put that fucking thing in the bottom of Lake Superior and leave it there.

Joined: 11/06/2018

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ThadMattasagoblin

December 24th, 2019 at 12:07 AM ^

I'd take some DTs because we can't just not take someone at that position. We don't know how good Hinton and Smith will be yet and Kemp got eviscerated by Wisconsin and Ohio State. Dwumfour got eviscerated by Ohio State. Not sure about QB. We haven't seen much of McCaffrey or Milton and you would have thought they would have been playing more this year with Patterson's struggles if they were lighting the world on fire.

Joined: 08/24/2011

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stephenrjking

December 24th, 2019 at 12:29 AM ^

I think it's worth being measured on how we criticize Kemp, because I suspect that we're playing him out of position. If we got good DT play, I think he'd be a terrific rotation player in the right context. The problem is that there wasn't any such person this season. Perhaps Hinton and Smith are those guys next year, but at this point we're putting a lot of eggs into that basket.

With that in mind, even if they are just rotation pieces, DT transfers seem like a good idea. 

I think you have to roll with McCaffrey. Costello wasn't exactly electric with Stanford, either, and he's transferring because he wouldn't get the job back. Yet another transfer QB, a guy who isn't a potential superstar, seems like a serious step back. 

And with regard to your point about seeing McCaffrey more... well, we did start to see him more. He got put into the Wisconsin game pretty early, got his clock cleaned, and wound up concussed so badly that he was inactive for weeks when Shea was struggling the most. By the time McCaffrey was back, Shea was making strides. I felt that McCaffrey was given an opportunity to win the starting job in the second half at Wisconsin, but that obviously did not work out. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

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scanner blue

December 24th, 2019 at 8:54 AM ^

I want to nip this ND rain narrative in the proverbial bud. I rode my bike to rob f’s tailgate in a light rain. I was in the Stadium 2.5 hrs before kickoff standing in a steady rain. When kickoff approached it might have intensified some. At times in the first half I might describe it as a hard rain bordering a driving rain. The second half brought us drizzle followed by a period of no rain. Do not go hyperbolic and call it a “hurricane”. There was never any wind involved and if you dressed appropriately you’re underbritches might have gotten a little moist. Have a nice holiday. 

Joined: 07/14/2014

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pinkfloyd2000

December 24th, 2019 at 9:56 AM ^

Yup.

I was there, too. And yeah -- it was wet, and that's an understatement. What remains of my ticket stub tells that story fairly well. But it was certainly falling down, and not sideways. I've been in sideways-rain games (I believe that both games vs. Northwestern, 2006 and 2008, fit that bill -- with the latter being the more miserable, because we managed to lose, too). 

But yeah. Here? Not so much, and OP nailed it with the second half summation. Of course, we also started letting up in the second half, too, and some of the crowd around me was chanting for the rain to come back! 

Joined: 01/27/2009

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outsidethebox

December 24th, 2019 at 9:46 AM ^

I am pretty sure Jim Harbaugh had the only vote here. Otherwise, I do not fault Coach...because, sadly, this team had no group of MVP candidates to deliberate over. I have no idea who I would choose.

I believe Michigan should be a very minor player in the transfer portal-certainly not at the QB position. Here, the psychological downside/fallout far outweighs any benefits. 

Joined: 01/23/2017

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outsidethebox

December 24th, 2019 at 7:59 PM ^

I've played, coached and officiated enough in my lifetime that I can make up my own mind. No /s here and I did not read Brian's UFRs. I am really curious who this group of MVP contenders might be. From the outside looking in there are zero people in this "group". Patterson, Hudson and Hill-and maybe Metellus  may form a homer's group but their performances were quite uneven and their mistakes so numbingly colossal at times...

Truthfully, I believe from a team and coaching perspective it was an all around bad idea to give it to Patterson. Give it to Uche or someone who played at a high level-even if they did not receive much notoriety.

Joined: 01/23/2017

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Jordan2323

December 24th, 2019 at 12:16 AM ^

I'm all for some transfer DT's. You know what you need against teams like Wisconsin, you're matching brute strength with brute strength. Ohio St, that's gonna take a total team effort there, transfer DT's will help, but that's only part of the issue. 

Joined: 11/09/2013

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Ezekiels Creatures

December 24th, 2019 at 12:31 AM ^

If they can get Michael Thompson--DO IT! I don't know what he's like after the knee injury. Is he fully recovered? I hope he is.

I love guys like him, that when the trench is in full chaos, and the bullets are flying, he has his eye on the ball, and he wants to lay his body weight hard into a hit on the ball carrier or QB. He's certainly not afraid of contact.

He's got that big gut, but man is he quick. 336? Come on to Michigan!

 

The guy from Stanford, Jovan Swann  --he already knows how to get tackles for loss and sacks. Get him here. The D Line is thin in depth. It can't hurt to have him.

Joined: 03/14/2019

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ERdocLSA2004

December 24th, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^

Interesting.  Lots of interest in Stanford transfers I see.  If the coaching staff were to pursue Costello then that should probably be taken as a huge red flag that neither McCaffrey nor Milton are decent college prospects.  This would be a very bad sign. 

Joined: 01/08/2011

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M-GO-Beek

December 24th, 2019 at 9:56 AM ^

I think the days of simply grooming and developing your own quarterback are over.  Whether we like it or not, if kids aren't playing early, very few are going to stick it out to wait their "turn."  Similarly, if there is a 4-5 star itching to go elsewhere and its an upgrade over what UM has, then UM has to consider it.  It is just the nature of the position.  I guess in this world the ideal is that a freshman comes in, blows people away and takes over the job.  That seems to be the only way to get any continuity in today's college game.  I'm not sure Costello is an upgrade or not, the coaches get paid a lot more money than me to make those decisions, but I don't think the "no transfer QBs" is a winning strategy either. Just look at this year's playoff-3/4 QBs are transfers.

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Ezekiels Creatures

December 24th, 2019 at 12:44 AM ^

K.J. Costello..... His numbers were much better in 2018 when he completed 65% of his passes for 3500 yards, 27 TD, and 11 INT.

sounds like he'd start next year.

Joined: 03/14/2019

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B3renb@UM

December 24th, 2019 at 3:25 AM ^

We need to be in on Justin Shorter (Penn St. WR) Gattis was his primary recruiter and he's five star talent that would be a good presence in the room if DPJ and Nico are gone. 

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