Smotrycz to Maryland
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanCBS
Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz (@_ev23) told CBSSports that he will transfer to Maryland after taking visit to College Park this weekend.
Sad to see him go as I thought he would be an intricate part of the offense this season. Wish him the best at Maryland.
Good for him, hope it works out for him there
Evan, you brought us wonderful memories. You are and will forever remain, a Michigan Man. Good Luck with the rest of your career and life.
best of luck to him. won't be too far from home. still can't believe we ran him off.
You really think that's what happened? I sure don't.
his displeasure with being constantly booed and criticized is well known.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^
It might have been a factor, but I don't think you can say having fans boo/criticize him was the only reason, otherwise he should just stop playing sports, cause it'll happen everywhere.
And if being criticized was a huge factor, then why go to Maryland? It's not an elite basketball school, but it's more of a basketball school than Michigan
April 16th, 2012 at 10:12 AM ^
While it's true that Michigan fans are less than charatible toward players, particularly qbs, that, through no fault of their own, are forced into playing time before they're ready (see Navarre-Sheridan-Threet) I can't imagine that the criticism that any basketball faces rises anywhere near the level of football players. Add in that Maryland is well known for having the worst fans in the ACC, and I think we can discount fan criticism as a major factor in the transfer. I think it's likely that Smot either didn't like the coach, didn't like his teammates, or didn't like the school. It happens. Best of luck.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:14 AM ^
If criticism really was a factor, Maryland would not be the place to go. Colorado would have been better since it is not a basketball school, has positive media and it relaxing. But Maryland would be bad if it was criticism that got him to leave just because they may not be an elite program, but their fans sure as hell think they are... I hope he chose Maryland because he was homesick and it is closer to home for him.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:19 AM ^
i didn't say that it was the only factor and i understand that maryland comes with the same pressure. but the fact is that we fans are not infallible, and that smot left - in large part - because he felt uncomfortable with how he was perceived and treated.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:34 AM ^
Please elaborate on how he was "perceived and treated." Nobody criticized Smot more than we criticized anybody else. He left because he felt he should play a more integral role in the offense rather than just a supporting role. He knew that going into his junior and senior year he'd likely be competing with Mitch McGary for a starting spot.
April 16th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
Re: perceived and treated...
Nick Fairley was known to be "Poking Smot in Al"
He's certainly free of that now.
April 16th, 2012 at 11:14 AM ^
The word on campus is there were some academic issues, also.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:10 AM ^
Wahh wahh gimme a freakin' break.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:18 AM ^
I don't accept your premise.
And even if he were "constantly" booed and criticized, boo-freaking-hoo. He's an athlete at a major college program - who publicly made some mistakes. It comes with the territory.
Look at Hardaway's reaction to his critics. He stayed late and practiced more. He acknowledged flaws in his game and worked to erase them. THAT is how you handle your critics. We drove him away? No. If that's the real reason he left (which I still don't believe it is - he won't fare much better at Maryland), he needs to grow up in a hurry or he won't succeed anywhere. I think that's all moot, though, because I think he left for different reasons.
April 16th, 2012 at 11:02 AM ^
how well known are we talking? i don't remember any in particular and i watched a lot of M basketball these past two seasons. i'll grant a decent amount was in a bar setting without sound access, but it's not like the M fanbase is big on booing.
April 16th, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
his displeasure with being constantly booed and criticized is well known.
What? When did this booing take place? It wasn't at any of the several games I attended. And as for criticism, maybe I'm wrong but other than in the immediate aftermath of the NCAA tournament, I don't remember all that much. Over the course of the season, Hardaway probably took a lot more flack.
April 16th, 2012 at 12:34 PM ^
good luck at Maryland, where they are really passionate about basketball.
Look what they did to Boozer's mom.
http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/shocked-terp-fans-pelt-boozers-mom
Where exactly do you get the idea that we "ran" him off?
Was Evan Smotrycz the source that Goodman used for his "Burke going to the NBA" story? Because Goodman has had the scoop on Smotrycz's transfer process the whole way through.
Best of luck to Evan at Maryland.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:45 AM ^
Goodman has been absolutely lights out in breaking transfers and NBA draft entrants this season. He has been ahead of everyone regardless of what school. Guy is at the top of the game.
April 16th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
He was definitely ahead of everyone on Burke.
April 16th, 2012 at 11:17 AM ^
I would guess his main contacts are similar to Ken Rosenthal's i.e. agents.
Wonder if we will be playing Maryland in the B1G-ACC basketball challenge series while Smotrycz is still there?
April 16th, 2012 at 10:22 AM ^
Turgeon is one of the bluntest coaches I have ever heard.
April 16th, 2012 at 12:53 PM ^
If he couldn't play well enough in the Big Ten to be a star, I hardly think the ACC is where he should be going. If he can't take booing and criticism, the ACC isn't the right place for him. If a coach like Beilein is "too tough," it isn't going to get much better at any major program.
This move probably isn't a great one for Smot in a basketball sense. He should have gone to a mid-major school, where he could have been one of the better players on the floor more nights than not. Unless he thinks JB's system isn't right for him, and that he would be a star in a more conventional one, there really isn't much of a reason for him to transfer to another major college.
Good luck to Smot anyway, because he has been (so far) classy on the way out the door, but I just wish he had thought things through better and gone to a place where he could get what he is looking for.
Bottom line: it's a lot easier to average 20 points in the MVC or the A-10 than it is in the ACC.
Best of luck to him in MD!
Hard to see him go- would have been huge to have him for what is looking like a fantastic year coming up.
But for the students its best to be where you are happy- and I hope he has found that.
Does anyone know what went on with Evan.. He played a lot and left for no apparent reason. Competition for a spot in rotation should only make you better. Lost on this one.
I think it came down to him just not feeling at home here at Michigan. Judging from the comments he has made since he left something about Michigan just wasn't working out for him.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:20 AM ^
he thought he would be a bigger part of the offense at Michigan and really didn't like how Coach B was "coaching him".
There were comments from coach like: " I love coaching Evan, not sure he loves the coaching I am giving him" .
If he thought the pressure here was tough, it won't get much better in College Park.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^
Well at least now we know where to mail the Lobster costumes
April 16th, 2012 at 10:14 AM ^
Smotrycz Crabcakesrycz
Maryland is always a program I like to see do well, and I hope to see Smotrycz help them get back to the tourney next season
April 16th, 2012 at 10:00 AM ^
Fire Harbaugh?
April 16th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^
What's interesting is that I heard he was struggling with the pressure of a big-time athletic and academic program.....so Maryland seems an odd fit. I was expecting him to select more of a mid-major or a lesser established major program.
April 16th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
the enforced redshirt year will be just what he needs.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:12 AM ^
This tool box dribbled the last gm out ( nice crossover) then 2 days later transferred... He needs to be in MAC if he want to be THE man.. 6ft 9in and no post game... WEAK. Same goes to Brundidge
April 16th, 2012 at 10:29 AM ^
is it wrong to hope he doesnt succeed? dont get me wrong, i dont want him injured, i just hope he never starts and hates it. i hope he succeeds about as much as i hope ohio state players succeed. its not like he chose a different team during the recruiting process, he willingly left the team when we needed him, i hope he never starts or makes the tournament .
April 16th, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^
April 16th, 2012 at 11:00 AM ^
is it wrong to hope he doesnt succeed?
Yes.
I hope you never succeed for posting that comment. In fact, I hope you never start for a D-1 basketball team or make an NCAA tournament.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:33 AM ^
I bet he never made it off campus. No one who has actually visited the city of College Park would want to spend time there.
April 16th, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
Sounds like he really likes Maryland and the ACC because they have a history of teams that like to run and score in transition....compared to the B1G (his words, not mine)
April 16th, 2012 at 10:40 AM ^
April 16th, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^
it's "vaya."
April 16th, 2012 at 12:27 PM ^
Does anybody else find it funny that the guy correcting the Texas guy's spanish calls himself Oriental Andrew? Anybody? No, well carry on then.