Isaiah Bell Leaves Program
not with a bang
Mike Rothstein is reporting that LB/DE Isaiah Bell has left the program:
Michigan redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Bell is no longer with the football team, a Michigan spokesperson confirmed Sunday evening.
Bell never saw a snap at Michigan. Now that he's departed I can tell you that while he was still on the team this fall he was actually left out of fall camp because there's a roster limit there and Michigan thought it was better to spend that time on various walk-ons. He wasn't part of the plans going forward.
While his departure does technically open up another scholarship for Brady Hoke's monster 2013 class, he was one of the guys I was assuming would not return for a fifth year. It was already built into 20 that is the no-attrition baseline. So this is a non-event: a guy who wasn't going to play or take up space next year not being around is just like him being around.
Sail on, Isaiah. We'll always have your ludicrous ESPN scouting report.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:11 PM ^
The list of players previously profiled in that recruiting review is really depressing. Emilien, Turner, and Witty? Attrition like no other.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:15 PM ^
was about to make the same comment. That was really a star crossed defensive recruiting class.
March 12th, 2012 at 11:15 AM ^
A Masterful post.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:13 PM ^
I wonder if this means we are still full at LB? Does this mean we take 3 this year or keep it at 2?
March 11th, 2012 at 11:19 PM ^
While his departure does technically open up another scholarship for Brady Hoke's monster 2013 class, he was one of the guys I was assuming would not return for a fifth year. It was already built into 20 that is the no-attrition baseline.
It was already assumed he was out when Brian made his projections. No, they'll still take two and leave a spot open for Levenberry.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:44 PM ^
I figured. Plus I like the idea of spreading out the recruitment of LBs and having depth every year rather than load up in just 2.
How does one assume that a RS Junior will be left off the roster? Bell is currently listed as a RS Soph. Unless I'm missing something (certainly posible at 5am), next year would have been his 4th year, not his 5th.
I know it's a moot point now, but if he hadn't quit, I don't see how the coaches were going to kick him off the team.
we're in 2013 recruiting
No one is talking about the coaches "kicking him off the team" this coming 2012-2013 year i.e. has nothing to do with him not getting his 4th year this fall as a redshirt junior.
The point Brian made was that come 2 falls from now, 2013-2014, he likely wouldn't have been offered a fifth redshirt senior year. Since he's now gone, it's a wash. We gain nothing, hence the "already accounted for", and the reason it's being discussed relative to the 2013 class - again NOT this fall.
I think you're also confusing the "left off roster thing" with the idea of him losing a scholly. Fall camp has a roster limit, and if he was buried/underperforming significantly, such that he didn't go to fall camp, the writing was on the wall. He still had his scholly, and could have continued at UM. I doubt the coaches would have "yanked it", even though as we all know via Saban/Miles schollies are currently 1 year at a time...
If the young man wanted to still try and play, he likely made his decision to move on.
The thing I was missing was the fact that we're talking about 2013 recruiting. So it makes no difference that he's gone before the season, as he was going to move on after the season. Thus already counted. Got it!
March 11th, 2012 at 11:22 PM ^
Bell was one of the kids from the 2009 class that I thought would outplay his recruiting ranking, especially when we needed safeties/LBs as badly as we did. Disappointed that never materialized.
I was excited about him too as a very athletic LB since he came in as a safety. It was very strange seeing him moved from safety to LB then to possibly playing on the line.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:31 PM ^
"Projection: Redshirt, ,and then think he's the most likely of the OLB recruits to win a job early. High ceiling."
Too bad you weren't right. FWIW, he's pretty good in EA Sports NCAA 12!
March 11th, 2012 at 11:35 PM ^
Did anyone else see this picture on the front page with the heading "Isa..." and think it was a Hello: Ty ISAac post? Maybe it was just me, maybe I'm just too obsessed...
March 11th, 2012 at 11:35 PM ^
March 11th, 2012 at 11:40 PM ^
I'm sure I'll feel dumb for asking this, but under the "Position" column, what does the portion in parentheses mean (e.g. QB 3 + 0 or RB 7 - 1)?
March 12th, 2012 at 12:06 AM ^
I think it gives a reference to the number of scholarships that would typically be used up for each position. So QB 3 + 0 means we have 3 scholarship QBs, and we would like 3 scholarship QBs. RB 7 - 1 means we have 7 scholarship RBs, but we would normally have 8 for depth. And at the bottom, the total is 83 - 2, meaning that we have 85 scholarships available, but are only using 83 (a + greater than 0 would indicate we're using more scholarships than is typical at that position).
March 12th, 2012 at 12:53 AM ^
It doesn't mean that really though...it means the number of players you're gaining or losing with each incoming recruiting class and outgoing recruiting class. The 7-1 RB means that we are losing one more running back than we are gaining. We have seven scholarship RB's now and next year we'll have six.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:45 PM ^
"..Can change direction without loss of speed or balance.."
March 11th, 2012 at 11:47 PM ^
March 11th, 2012 at 11:59 PM ^
March 11th, 2012 at 11:56 PM ^
What does Brian mean when he says there's a roster limit there? The coaches want to maintain a certain coach to player ratio? It's certainly not NCAA or B1G mandated.
There is a NCAA mandated limit of kids you can have in fall camp, which happens to be 105.
March 11th, 2012 at 11:57 PM ^
Best wishes to him; you recruit 25 players a year not every one is going to be a star on the field. Hopefully he has success in the future.
March 12th, 2012 at 12:33 AM ^
every single player you recruit should see at least special teams at some point in his career.
This was a whiff of major proportions.
Levenberry should just commit already...I mean seriously whats the point in waiting. He likes Michigan, we like him, we have a sweet class, and hes gonna be good. I dont get it.
Who are the other redshirt juniors that might not get asked back for a fifth year?
Mike Jones is the only other redshirt junior who hasn't played significantly.
The other redshirt juniors are Toussaint, Gallon, Schofield, Lewan, Washington, Cam Gordon, Thomas Gordon, and Brendan Gibbons.
Dude just daydreams about chicks all day.
Brunette girls.
I actually think that raises a potentially interesting question: If Wile replaces Gibbons (and that's a big if) as the regular place-kicker, is there any chance that Gibbons doesn't get his 5th year? One might think that being the starter for 2+ years gets him the 5th year just out of loyalty, but if he's not going to play, how much pressure would there be to free up the spot? While I'm OK with the idea of not giving 5th years in general, I don't know how I'd feel in this particular case.
Is it common to leave guys out of fall camp? The roster limit is 105, right? So if you're one of the 85 scholarship players, I guess it's a really bad sign to get left off. But what's the difference between doing this and St. Sabaning them? Is he at risk of losing his scholarship earlier than 4 years if he's not making fall camp rosters? Does he have to sit out a year if he transfers? I'm really curious.
what exactly did it mean to get left off the fall roster? did it just mean he was transferring, or did it mean something like "you suck at football and should be marked as a practice teamer"?
It just means that he wasn't one of the 105 best players. He wasn't transferring at the time (nor is he transferring now, as far as we know).
Mr Bell and we hope you land somewhere. You will always be a part of our family.
we hardly knew ye.
While this doesn't do anything to change the 2013 recruiting class numbers, I assume that this does open up a scholly to give to a walk-on next year, right? That means we have 3 open scholarships for next season: I assume Brink gets one, but what happens to the other 2?
All 85 scholarships must be used. I would imagine Brink would get one, and you might look at long snappers for the other scholarships (Jareth Glanda, perhaps) or a coverage guy like Floyd Simmons.
Best wishes Isiah Bell where ever you end up. Thanks for never developing into a solid player for Michigan. So much was expected from you, but you brought nothing to the table. The writing was on the wall you were out the door when you were moved to WDE after the Sugar Bowl. Hope all goes well for you in life. "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions!"
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