Tarik Black in the Transfer Portal
December 13th, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
Fuck. Thought there was a chance of him playing another year of college ball, but assumed that would be for the good guys
December 13th, 2019 at 12:24 PM ^
He's not in the portal per 247 sports.
https://247sports.com/college/michigan/Season/2020-Football/TransferPortal/
December 13th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
247 Sports Transfer Portal Tracker =/= The Transfer Portal.
December 13th, 2019 at 1:22 PM ^
Plus, he is also listed on the tracker, so double wrong.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:39 AM ^
Can't say I'm surprised. He seemed checked out most of the year with multiple instances of either not fighting for extra yards or not knowing where the sticks were.
All the best Tarik! We could really use at least DPJ coming back next year. But even if he leaves with Nico, I'm still confident in Bell, Sainristil, and Johnson.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^
Said I felt like this would happen weeks ago and got roasted for it. Just felt like a guy looking for a fresh start. Similar to Solomon.
Was the top WR his freshman year, had injuries he had to battle through the first two years, dropped to 3rd or 4th on the pecking order behind Nico, DPJ, and Bell this season...just felt like a guy who would rather play his final year elsewhere.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:54 AM ^
Except it still doesn't really make sense to me in a strict football sense. Michigan will lose 1-2 WR and Black was in line to be the #1 or #2 guy. Offense looks like it will offer increased chances going forward. Could be for other reasons I guess. Too bad. I really wanted to see him succeed at Michigan after facing those injuries.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:56 AM ^
Well, he knows Collins & DPJ better than we do, so maybe they're planning on returning for the senior years, which wouldn't leave much PT for Tarik.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:02 PM ^
Not saying this is the case, but this saying is always spot on:
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
December 13th, 2019 at 9:15 PM ^
Right on. Sometimes you can smell the mental weakness.
December 13th, 2019 at 10:45 PM ^
Mental weakness? The dude broke both his feet and came back. Have a major injury, rehab and come, then the next year do it all again.
I'll give the dude benefit of a doubt.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
Except Tarik COULD get a lot of playing time if the dumb ass coaches would use these great WRs more. There is no reason to not (most of the time) run a three-WR set when those guys can play.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:37 PM ^
He fell behind Nico Collins, Peoples-Jones, and Ronnie Bell on the depth chart. Who are you playing him above this year?
December 13th, 2019 at 12:38 PM ^
Pretending Ronnie Bell doesn't exist when he was our leading receiver in yards and catches is quite something.
That being said, we were 4 WRs shy of Sam Webb's hope that we would be Alabama 2018 v2.0. An elite passing offense spreads the ball around quite a bit more. That '18 Bama squad had 5 WRs over 40 receptions. We had one. But our offense was pretty bad for 2/3s of the year. Hopefully Gattis year two is a big step forward.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
I did not forget about Ronnie.
December 13th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
Which reinforces your previous post about not using 3WR sets to undoubtedly one of the worst blowhard thoughts I've ever seen here!
75% of every offensive snap this year had at least three WRs on the field. Did you even watch the games?
December 13th, 2019 at 2:49 PM ^
I'm telling you guys... The troll cave add-on is a must
December 13th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
Idiot
December 13th, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
They're dumb. "UM Fan from Sydney" is so much smarter.
December 13th, 2019 at 10:25 PM ^
How bout you go cuddle a roo, eh?
December 13th, 2019 at 2:15 PM ^
This was my thought...could be that same crew is coming back next year? That would be nice
December 13th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
or we, you know, utilize receivers more on offense so the top 4 all are getting the opportunity for productivity. I know of a team we are playing in a few weeks that has 4 legit WR all with productivity.
He may not have helped his own cause, but we may not have either.
December 13th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
You mean that team that has a 1st round pick at QB prior to his injury? Yeah, that and offensive continuity really help make your 3 1st pick receivers look really good.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:00 PM ^
#2 at best with Ronnie Bell's emergence. If DPJ and Collins are gone, there are still a lot of targets there... but honestly the Tarik Black we saw on the field this year, as opposed to the glimpses we saw previously and the practice hype, was a guy that could get passed if another receiver emerges on the roster.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
Call me crazy, but I think Cornelius Johnson could be a similar type of player that Nico was, and could easily become the #2 target across from Ronnie Bell. And I'm not convinced that DPJ is a lock to leave.
For all we know, this news could mean that DPJ or Nico have decided to come back (or both? Pretty please).
December 13th, 2019 at 12:20 PM ^
Or it could mean the opposite...All 3 of these guys are pretty tight. So it wouldn’t shock me if he’s heading out because the guys he’s closest on the team with are heading out as well.
December 13th, 2019 at 10:18 PM ^
Yeah, but not all transfers happen for football reasons. Sometimes you're just tired and annoyed of a place and would rather be elsewhere. He has enough reasons that could have left a bad taste in his mouth he'd rather just be elsewhere next season.
If anything, I feel like this is actually a stronger case that indicates DPJ and Nico are gone. If your first three years at a place have been mostly bad, and now two of your closest friends are leaving...why stay?
December 13th, 2019 at 12:00 PM ^
Same. I couldn't put a finger on why, necessarily, but it just seemed likely that it was coming. Such a bummer given that at least one of not two of the other classmates are likely to go pro and that opened up so many more possibilities. I hope the tea leaves here indicate that DPJ is sticking around, but I won't get my hopes up.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
Being able to point back a few weeks doesn't make it right. For every time someone speculates that a player transfers and they do, there is another case where the rumor mill spits out a lie and a players dad has to come out and deny it.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
I agree with this. I did notice on his twitter though he retweeted a couple different things from former M guys that retweeted, including St Juste's comment on a player that entered the portal earlier this season. It was just one of those things where you can't say it's foretelling, but it's something that kinda sticks out. Even if they were "friends" it's still an odd thing to highlight someone talking about "needing a fresh start somewhere else" Still hate to see him go.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:20 PM ^
Didn't he catch the first two TDs in the Florida game in Jerrworld to start the 2017. So much upside. Best wishes to him and loved the tweets after he got injured. Quite a fighter. Do not give up, Tarik! (he can totally hear me, right?)
December 13th, 2019 at 11:50 AM ^
Nice things, we cannot have
December 13th, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
This is not remotely a criticism of Tarik, but losing him is not a huge blow. He showed great promise as a freshman, but due to injuries or something else (personality did not fit well with coaches, effort, other injuries, who knows) he never really became much of a contributor. Also, re return Ronnie and a number of young receivers who showed a ton of promise (and possibly one or both of DPJ and Nico).
December 13th, 2019 at 12:47 PM ^
This tells me that DPJ is headed to the draft. From what I can tell, he and Tarik are really good friends, and if DPJ is leaving, he has nothing else keeping him there. Or it could mean that DPJ is staying and Tarik is less likely to get targets.
Conclusion: I know nothing.
December 13th, 2019 at 1:11 PM ^
The "Tarik and DPJ are friends, therefore..." argument is always specious. It was specious when people suggested that it would keep DPJ from going pro because he didn't want to leave his buddy, and it's specious now.
Players have friends on teams. Sometimes good ones. But those friendships don't preclude making decisions based upon careers and futures. How many of you have left really good friends to go to college, left other really good college friends to get a job, etc? Not all, maybe, but many of us have.
There is no evidence that DPJ and/or Tarik have or will use their friendship, which we don't actually know much about, to guide their decisions with regard to their football careers. It's just feelingsball.
December 13th, 2019 at 1:28 PM ^
I think DPJ should come back--he's a great athlete but I think he'll get dinged for lack of production (even if that was partly an offensive scheme issue). Only 404 yards receiving in the regular season doesn't exactly scream "NFL early entry." Also, throw in the multitude of drops he had in the OSU game too. Hard to see him going in the first 3 rounds with that working against him.
Bell and DPJ as the 1-2 with Sainristil and Johnson getting some regular touches would be a good opportunity to showcase him more and would still be a good WR corps.
December 15th, 2019 at 9:05 AM ^
Why does everyone like Sainristril over Giles Jackson? Sorry, all the damn hype Sainristril got before the season and then he didn't do anything. Jackson is going to be the better player he was also the more highly rated. Also, not sure if you watched Michigan football this year, but DPJ missed pretty much most of the offseason with a hip issue that lingered into the season until around PSU. Watch him return punts, or after the catch in any of those games, he has none of the explosion he had his first 2 seasons. He looked healthy after PSU, still doesn't excuse the drops.
December 13th, 2019 at 3:35 PM ^
Why is everyone so convinced Nico and/or DPJ are leaving? Good players but baring a combine blow up they’re both day 3 picks in this draft
December 13th, 2019 at 11:39 AM ^
Well I guess that means he isn't going pro. Best of luck to Tarik. Does this mean DPJ and Nico are coming back?
December 13th, 2019 at 11:51 AM ^
Why would they come back? They've shown they are NFL talents.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
They could come back to improve their draft prospects. The difference between first round and third round money is huge. Imagine if the offense clicks for a whole season like it did in the second half of the season.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:58 AM ^
Sort of, but I wonder how much of a slam dunk they are. They'd get drafted, but they won't be at the top of the board. DPJ's workout would be a huge factor in his future; if he can run a 4.3, he'll be rich. If he runs a 4.6 ("no way we saw his recruiting numbers" one might say, but I can tell you, the numbers we hear about in recruiting have little bearing on what a guy runs at the combine) he's a day 3 selection.
I think they'll both probably go, but there's still room to grow if they return.
December 13th, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
DPJ is not running a 4.6 ore even a 4.5
December 13th, 2019 at 3:12 PM ^
4.5<4.6
December 13th, 2019 at 4:24 PM ^
Probably can’t even run a 4.4.
December 13th, 2019 at 11:58 AM ^
double post
December 13th, 2019 at 1:04 PM ^
I'm not sure if either of them are sure fire 1st or 2nd day NFL Draft picks. Nico is probably a day 2 draft pick, DPJ day 3, but I'm not really sure where exactly their stock is at. I could see them both returning, but Nico might go pro.
December 13th, 2019 at 2:20 PM ^
Yeah, there are too many wr's that are also physically gifted with better stats. Sad to say DPJ probably isn't a take over guys like Shenault or Ruggs or Jeudy or Lamb or Bateman. There's 27 guys that had over 1000 yards receiving this year. He should come back and hope for a huge year.
December 13th, 2019 at 12:00 PM ^
Hopefully. Unless he just really hates the staff, it'd be weird to leave if DPJ and Nico are leaving. I still would guess Nico is gone though. Black would easily be the #1 receiver on the outside then. Wasn't he the one who gave the impassioned plea after Army and said something like "Just wait til this offense gets going"?
December 13th, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
Would he be #1? I don't think so... If both Nico and DPJ go, Bell will move outside and immediately be #1. That leaves a fight for #2 with Cornelius Johnson that I'm not sure Black can win. If he doesn't win, he cannot move inside because he's not a fit for slotbug, at all. CJ is viable in the slot, and both Sainristil and Jackson are viable outside guys. Tarik saw the field this year when DPJ sat out a play, or moved inside when Bell sat out. He is the only one-trick in the WR group (the only guy parked in one spot). I'm not sure he'd get a lot of play when everyone else can be moved all over with motion.