Najee Harris Contemplated Transfer -- Yahoo Sports/SF Chronicle

Submitted by mjv on

Harris contemplated transferring following the title game.  If he had followed through, he would have been the second consecutive #1 RB recruit to leave Alabama after his freshman year, following the pattern of BJ Emmons the year prior.

https://sports.yahoo.com/rb-najee-harris-reportedly-contemplated-transferring-alabama-2017-230953332.html

Ghost of Fritz…

July 5th, 2018 at 10:28 PM ^

On the one hand:  Soooo many players contemplate transfers when they don't get the playing time they were hoping for in their first two years.  Most end up sticking.  A few transfer.  It usually just remains a private rumination.  In this case it went public. 

On the other hand:  Soooo many accurately predicted that if Harris chose Alabama his chance of being the feature back early were much slimmer than at Michigan.  So....   Life is full of choices.  Choose wisely.

njvictor

July 5th, 2018 at 10:29 PM ^

So Tua and Najee both thought about transferring? Lemme guess, they were told they'd get significant playing time as freshmen and were lied to by Saban? Then a money bag convinced them otherwise

Iredditonline

July 5th, 2018 at 10:30 PM ^

He’ll probably leave after next season. He had enough opportunity last season to show why he was the number one high school player, and he came up short—in garbage time against FCS opponents. The Deep South is also vastly different from California. Not to mention, Alabama gets high four- and five-star players regularly, so there’s no special treatment (not that Najee needs it, but it’s gotta be tough going from Mr. #1 to Mr. Pine Rider with zero fucks given by the staff). 

Quailman

July 5th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^

Wait, what?

He came up short? He averaged 6 yards per carry on the year with three TD and was big in the title game.

In garbage time against FCS teams? 

1. Bama played 1 FCS team
2. 10-70 vs VAndy, 7-43, TD vs Ole Miss, 5-33, TD vs Arkansas, 7-50 against Tennessee, and 6-64 against Georgia in the National Championship.

 

Don't be salty man. Its a bummer he didn't come to UM and we want to make it seem like he made a bad decision, but he was a freshman who was behind some really good talent and he still came in and did a good job 

Ghost of Fritz…

July 5th, 2018 at 10:51 PM ^

That last sentence is why he should have chosen Michigan.  Not saying he would have received special treatment, but he would have had a serious chance to be THE GUY from day 1.  

The way he played out his final choice leading up to signing day could reasonably have been interpreted as trolling Michigan. 

I can't say for sure that it was.  But if a guy wanted to do a troll job then playing it out like Harris did  would be the way to do it.  All reports were that Harris told the Michigan staff he was blue, and then he just showed up in Tuscaloosa. 

Doesn't matter.  The RB position group at Michigan this year is not going to the the difference between 9-3 or 11-1.  RB group is strong.  The offensive line (really the OTs) and the two safety positions, plus whether Patterson can really run Harbaugh's (revamped?) offense, will determine whether it is 9-3 or Big Ten Champs.   

 

 

schizontastic

July 5th, 2018 at 10:59 PM ^

(Next to UM of course) I'd love to see what a #1 RB recruit would do at Wisconsin.

During years we don't play them.

Gordon was #18 RB (4star), Ball was #40 RB (3star).   

OwenGoBlue

July 5th, 2018 at 11:19 PM ^

A ton of guys think about transferring at some point in their careers and this is a NorCal kid going to school in Alabama.

I support the alternate dimension where Najee chose Michigan but this doesn’t mean that he’s miserable there and made the wrong choice or whatever. 

Hotel Putingrad

July 6th, 2018 at 12:10 AM ^

I thought about transferring after my freshman year as well. Many have similar thoughts. But sticking it out is usually the best decision in the long run, and I'm sure Najee will have all the more phenomenal a year having confronted and overcome his own self doubt. I wish him great success (well, except for in the CFP semifinal against Michigan).

Caesar

July 6th, 2018 at 4:19 AM ^

Assuming his views during recruitment didn't change (he wanted to prove himself against the best), he thinks he was better than the guys he played behind. If 'Bama isn't running a true meritocracy, I think that's fair grounds to transfer. 

Salinger

July 6th, 2018 at 8:03 AM ^

Hard to say with that squad though, right? I mean in limited duty, Najee was fantastic. But at Alabama, unless you're a QB, it's almost always a wait your turn kind of thing. At least if you want to be the #1 guy. 

The benefits of more depth than one knows what to do with it.

Caesar

July 6th, 2018 at 9:50 AM ^

Oh, I'm totally with you. As a fan, I think it's pretty clear-cut that 'Bama would need an injury situation similar to what they had at linebacker for him to play. I'm just saying from his perspective, he thought he outperformed the other guys, and while that's debatable, especially given the sample size, this would give him a good reason to bail. 

Catchafire

July 6th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^

Without Najee, Alabama does not win that championship game.  Bama did what was good for Bama.  If Najee left for the draft he is going in the 1st round easily.

 

Now, had be come here how would he have helped us last season? I would not play Najee over Karan or Evans last season.  This year, behind an improved line and improved passing attack you will see just how good Evans, Harris, and Samuels are.

bronxblue

July 6th, 2018 at 2:18 PM ^

I'm sure he was bummed about not getting as many carries as a true freshman, but that's to be expected.  I do wonder if the culture shift was tough, as going from the SF Bay area to what is basically the middle of Alabama must have been jarring.

Still, he'll play more this year and will enter the draft when eligible and be fine.

UofM626

July 7th, 2018 at 5:09 PM ^

This one still bugs me, between Harris and Hand I’m still bitter. Both could of came here and been monsters on the field. Hand from day 1 instead of waiting until his senior year to even get 1/2 the reps. 

Harris really seemed to want to come to Michigan but I think he was listening to everyone else instead of listening to his heart. Won’t surprise me if he ends up at Cal or Washington in the future. 

You have to remember that Bama brings in 1-2 5* RB a yr so he playing and starting from day one would be very very rare. 

I really wanted Harris and Hand but the other one no one talks about is Minkah Fitzpatrick who was real high on Michigan as well.