Exit James Hudson
Well, this makes no sense:
247Sports was able to confirm on Monday evening that second-year offensive lineman James Hudson asked for and was granted his release from the program. Michigan spokesman Dave Ablauf confirmed the report, stemming from a Facebook post written by Hudson's mother on Monday evening.
Hudson is not apparently in any trouble and had been heavily hyped as a major talent at tackle. Until about two seconds ago he was regarded as the favorite to replace Juwann Bushell-Beatty next year. So this is a bizarre one.
Andrew Stueber and Jalen Mayfield now step into the on-deck circle at tackle. This probably won't be a problem—hail Warinner—but losing a talented redshirt freshman at a spot where you want to have all the lottery tickets you can gather is a blow.
October 22nd, 2018 at 11:57 PM ^
I believe there's a new NCAA rule that allows you to leave midway through the year and not have to sit out the following year. So he's not getting reps at Michigan, and this way won't have to sit out next year.
October 22nd, 2018 at 10:48 PM ^
Or he doesn’t mesh with warinner, who wasn’t a coach that recruited him or even on the staff and thinks his best options are elsewhere regardless of whether he’s next man up.
People are so fucking shitty to these kids, implying they aren’t working hard enough, don’t want to fight for a spot etc. this is a guy who got recruited to the defense, accepted a position switch because of terrible depth (which is still a huge problem at tackle, lol at people writing that off because we aren’t giving up sacks to defenses ranked in the 50s) and suddenly he’s getting it implied he has an attitude problem. This is a bad blow for the next couple of years but best luck to Hudson wherever he goes.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:42 PM ^
Are these all hypothetical or do you have some inside information?
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:16 PM ^
Jeez, that seems rash.
October 22nd, 2018 at 9:15 PM ^
Let's be real here, if your not good to start on our oline....which was really bad last year and to start this year. You aren't reaching your personal goals on the offensive side of the ball. My guess is he wants to play defense.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:28 PM ^
unexpected
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:30 PM ^
When JBB got injured he didn't go in. Probably a knee-jerk reaction. Hope the thought it through!
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^
That crossed my mind but rather rash. Time to pull out "those who stay will be champions."
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:41 PM ^
Or maybe this was already in the works which is why Steuber went in instead.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:21 PM ^
Surprised this isn't getting more play. Everyone is assuming the opposite. But isn't this more logical?
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:22 PM ^
I thought one of the reasons Steuber was not mentioned in the tackle discussion during fall camp was due to some type of injury or illness. Maybe he just got better (in more ways than one).
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
So far, Michigan has lost the following players from the top-10 classes of 2016 & 17 (stars):
Devin Asiasi (4)
Kareem Walker (4)
Kekoa Crawford (4)
Eddie McDoom (3)
Elysee Mbem-Bosse (3)
Nate Johnson (3)
Kingston Davis (3)
Drew Singleton (4)
James Hudson (4)
Deron Irving-Bey (4)
Corey Malone-Hatcher (4)
JaRaymond Hall (4)
What is strange is that all the players left after 2 seasons or less. Is this normal? It would seem like losing 8 four star players set to enter their 3rd and 4th years would be a big deal for next year, but I don't have a baseline.
We know that some players Asiasi and CMH left for reasons outside of football, but a lot of these guys just seem to have given up before really giving things a thorough chance. This is maybe the most bizarre as there is a spot for the taking next year.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:40 PM ^
All those guys (except for Asiasi) had been passed by guys in their class or younger. When you take back to back giant rebuilding classes, some guys will lose out and won't end up getting much opportunity here. It just is what it is.
Nate Johnson (who was not high on the depth chart anyways) also left for non-football reasons. EBM's reasons may have been mixed too.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:52 PM ^
I suppose you could make the case for the 2016 WRs and EBM along with who I mentioned, but the 2017 guys? How passed could you be at this point?
For instance, JaRaymond Hall and Deron Irving-Bey...I mean sure they might be behind at the moment, but that's what the off-season is for. Same with Singleton and Hudson.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:33 PM ^
also need to watch where they end up - guys dont often transfer laterally to similar programs, like from michigan to psu, fsu, lsu, etc. it happens but usually guys transfer up or down.
not commenting on any specific cases but decent # of transfers realize after a year or 2 theyre unlikely to succeed at that particular level of play. its a huge time commitment and daily grind and can be a bitch even when youre all in...if youre not 100% invested or cant envision becoming 100% invested (for whatever reason), good luck
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:14 PM ^
Corey Malone Hatcher medically retired because of an Achilles injury.
October 22nd, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^
Yeah, the majority of the transfers have clearly been depth chart related. In other words, they shouldn't affect the team's performance in any way.
Hudson feels like something in the middle. We all expected him to be a big part of this team, but like Singleton, he's a face in a big crowd where we expected some attrition anyway. What I'm sad about is the fact that it feels like he could have been an impact player on the defensive line and right now that is possibly our biggest weakness on the team.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:42 PM ^
Welcome to big boy football. Such is life at a program like Michigan. Big time kids come and go and some go sooner rather than later. Surprised and disappointed to see Hudson go but whatever, next man up.
October 23rd, 2018 at 8:02 AM ^
cue the hawk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S3RbRifTSk
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
Walker was generally not football reasons, he had a lot of academic stuff going on. Elysse Mbem-Bosse could be classified as non football reasons (threatening your head coach seems to be beyond football). Johnson was dismissed, so non football.
Crawford and McDoom were football reasons, but it was that they were bad even though they were getting plenty of playing time so they were given a chance.
Losing this many guys only hurts if you don't have the depth to replace them. Look through the positions where guys left. Do we seem strikingly thin anywhere? WR was this year, but next year we bring 3 new players while only losing 1 so depth there will be fine. DL and OL maybe a little, but we have established starters and backups for next year, the only issue is when we start to get down to 3rd stringers which you can find issues on any team. I'm not overly concerned.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
I hope you are correct.
Edit: I think my issue is more with the guys from the 2017 class. It just doesn't seem like they gave the program much of a chance before bouncing.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^
They are still kids. That's the way I look at it.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:01 PM ^
Yeah, that's largely been my read as well. EBM and Johnson were the two guys who left on bad terms (Johnson with the DV, EBM because...whatever); the rest of the guys were the usual mix of playing time or academics. It sucks to see it not work out for those guys, but everyone seems to have made peace with it I assume the same will come out with Hudson.
October 22nd, 2018 at 9:43 PM ^
Let’s not forget also that those two classes were huge, like 60 players overall. 20% is not out of the ordinary. And, look up and down the two-deep and it’s dominated by those two classes. So, I would say not a failure to retain.
October 22nd, 2018 at 10:55 PM ^
Probably better to look at it percentage wise. Those were very big classes so that breeds attrition. If you aren't the best at your position in your own class it's going to be hard to play. Also transfer rates are up across the country. It sucks cause when these guys commit and are at signing of the stars getting a lot of hype you want to see them contribute in some way. But it's just the way things are now.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^
Very odd ...
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^
These things can happen for all kinds of reasons. Would be curious what the impetus was here. Definitely sucks to lose a talented tackle. Need to get a couple more big names at OT the next two recruiting cycles. Wish the kid well.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:35 PM ^
Those Who Stay Will Be Champions means, well, exactly that, I guess.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
If Schembechler rose from the dead and gave his "The team, the team, the team" speech to an auditorium full of 2019 recruits, a sizeable portion of them would look at him like he's an alien spouting authentic frontier gibberish.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:41 PM ^
Well...Stueber did come in when JBB went down Saturday. Maybe that was a sign that he had been passed up on the depth chart.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
I'm not too inclined to speculate on the lives and motives of 19 year olds. Try to remember what you were like back then. I do recall Warriner saying at a press conference earlier this year that Hudson had to show more intensity and consistency in practice, that he wasn't bringing it the way some other guys were. Maybe a factor? I don't know, but if the kid doesn't want to be here, pat him on the back and wish him well. It's not for everyone.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
I do remember how impulsive I was at 19; I sympathize. I also know I had some late-night calls with my parents who made sure I was thinking not just short-term. Is that happening here?
Unless someone gives me a real good reason that I am not seeing, there is no good reason to leave UM on Oct 22nd instead of on Dec 2nd, if his issue was playing time (which is the assumption).
By leaving 7 weeks earlier, it doesn't get him playing time any earlier elsewhere. He still needs to sit out next year (unless he came in with about 75 AP credits and is graduating in 3 semesters).
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:46 PM ^
Considering his mom took to Facebook to break the news publicly by saying her son is "transferring to ensure he will have the opportunity to . . . fulfill all his goals and dreams," I'm guessing the answer to your question is "no."
October 22nd, 2018 at 11:04 PM ^
Do you realize how much time these guys spend in, around and with the football program? If he's unhappy, it's probably good that he left.
These guys aren't putting in 20 hrs a week with the coaches and then a game on Saturday. A huge chunk of the time they are awake is spent with the football program. They are putting in 50, 60+ hours a week with the football program. If you get 20 hours of coaching contact a week minus the game, that's 3.5 hours a day Sunday-Friday. The catch is though if practice starts at say 2:30, in order to get taped, all the equipment on and stretch to be ready to go for practice they are probably getting to the facility around 1:30. Practice ends at 6 but then you might have to ice, get all your equipment off and shower. They probably aren't leaving the facility until 7ish and then it's off to the training table with the team. On Fridays from the time they show up at the facility until after the game on Saturday, they are with the team and coaches.
Why would someone, whether they are a college kid playing football, and adult in the working world, etc. do something where they spend the vast majority of time awake in an unhappy situation?
October 23rd, 2018 at 8:18 AM ^
I mean this seriously: why not allow them to major in football? It takes a high level of preparedness, teamwork, cognitive skills, memorization, time, and work. They'll develop connections which will last them a lifetime, which is after all one of the main benefits of a college degree. I don't understand the point of forcing them to take a regular course load in addition to their work on the football field. They will obviously take supplementary courses, but let their major be football and give them course credit for it.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
I'm curious as to the advantage to leave now. He's already redshirted. If he transfers now, can he avoid sitting a year and play next fall with a new team?
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
No. There is no advantage. He can't redshirt this year; he can't join another team this year, as he can't enroll until the Winter semester at another university (at the earliest).
I suppose their is a *tiny* advantage in that he and his family can start on a college tour in Nov 2018, sit in the stands and see if Purdue, Toledo, Kentucky, whatever are where he wants to be.
It would be like a much, much lower key version of what Kelly Bryant is doing *except* Kelly Bryant, b/c he left early enough and will be a grad transfer, can play next year. Hudson can not, so I don't see what is the rush. He could visit schools in December (e.g., leave after the B1G championship game -- yes, I am being optimistic) if he wants to enroll somewhere in January.
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/10/12/arkansas-up-next-on-ex-clemson-qb-kelly-bryants-transfer-tour/
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:37 PM ^
The advantage is to find a school / scholarship before the December signing date.
October 22nd, 2018 at 9:20 PM ^
Which is December 19.
If he is that concerned about being left out in a numbers game for a team that he wants to transfer to, he could leave after the OSU game -- November 24. Still would give him 4 weeks to decide, if he was in a hurry to sign.
And I don't see why he would be -- think how desperate we were to get any decent OT transfer with a pedigree to come here in the offseason; the large majority of teams will be more than happy to take a 4-star recruit with multiple years of eligibility left after December 19 (e.g., regular signing date of February 6).
October 22nd, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
But I still think he is better off going the Keith Washington route. Go JuCo for next year (2019), get recruited during 2019, and then transfer to another school for your last two years. You can bypass the year in residence rule by going to a junior college in order to still be able to play next year. You would still only get two more years at an FBS school but playing the year at JuCo would give you valuable playing time and opportunity to get recruited.
It still doesn't explain why you would want to leave now versus the end of the season unless you can enroll right away at a JuCo.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
Disappointing needless to say, but then again, I'm not going to get my panties in a bunch over a player who doesn't want to be part of the team. He and his parents apparently believe he should be starting now rather than improving upon his skill set in order to make the case to be a starter. So be it, wish him the best - next man up. P/T remains a meritocracy as it should be. Go Blue!
October 22nd, 2018 at 9:50 PM ^
Why do you wear panties?
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:47 PM ^
Good luck James. Hate this.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:50 PM ^
Haven''t seen anyone mention this, but is it possible he wasn't thrilled with the position switch from DT to OT? It seemed like it was made out of necessity to the program. Maybe he just wasn't sold on it anymore or even from the beginning, and he just felt that, since he wasn't going to be able to go back, maybe he should just leave.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:28 PM ^
Maybe he made that switch with the assumption (or advice) that that meant a quicker path to the field, which turned out not to be true.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:43 PM ^
He played in three games this year, so moving to the OL didn't prevent him from seeing the field.
October 22nd, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^
From the outside looking in, that makes the most sense. Good luck James. Sorry to see you go.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:56 PM ^
Makes no sense at all. I wish the young man luck in whatever he chooses to do. Where he lands will be very telling.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:56 PM ^
Did he travel to East Lansing? Hard to understand why anyone would want to leave the program after being in that post game locker room celebration.
October 22nd, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
Wish him the best, gotta make the right decision for him, though. Hope he finds success wherever he lands.
Comments