Brandon Smith, Donovan Warren, Boubacar Cissoko?

Submitted by uniqenam on

This is barely even board worthy, but I was just wondering if anyone had actually heard anything official about any of these three. If just one out of the three came back next year, it would give us some much needed depth...

Blue in Yarmouth

December 15th, 2009 at 8:07 AM ^

I have been wondering about these guys a lot lately as well. It would be nice to have all three back.

Last I heard BC was planning to transfer at the end of the year but that was over a week ago and something may have changed since then.

I really hope Warren isn't content to be drafted in the third round, because if he isn't, he should be back. Smith is a wild card, though he really hasn't seemed to fit in any position on our D since Gerg came on board.

I really hope BC gets the chance to return to the team and he takes it and the others choose to stay. That would be awesome news for a change.

jg2112

December 15th, 2009 at 8:32 AM ^

Smith is looking to transfer.

Warren is looking at "probably" going to the draft, according to his comments at the post-season Bust.

Cissoko is going to transfer.

The three are all likely gone. It's time to move on.

spacemanspiff231

December 15th, 2009 at 9:07 AM ^

The reason I ask for a link is everything you just said has only been speculation up until this point on this board. There has been nothing officially stated about Smith transferring, there has only been rumors. Cissoko was kicked off the team, so I'm sure he's most likely to transfer, but if the coaches did, in fact, give him another chance I don't think anyone here knows what he'd do. Finally, Warren has said that he is probably going to the draft, you're definitely right about that, but I have to agree that if he is not happy with going outside of the first couple of rounds that he should stay as well. In fact, I would think that if he thought he was going to go outside of the first couple of rounds that it's a good chance that he will stay.

jg2112

December 15th, 2009 at 10:22 AM ^

Regarding Brandon Smith - Brian wrote a post about it last week. Use that pesky "Search This Site" box in the upper right hand corner and you'll have in within about a minute.

Regarding Donovan Warren - www.annarbor.com . Read the articles and you'll see ones talking about Donovan Warren after the Football Bust.

Regarding Cissoko - TomVH did some legwork on this recently. Check the threads he has commented on and you might find it there.

Move on, these guys aren't coming back.

Tater

December 15th, 2009 at 8:45 AM ^

Often, when ploayers start out good and "fail to play to their potential," it turns out to be "party-itis." I am guessing this is what happened in Cissoko's case. We're just going to have to trust the next class, not to mention the redshirts, to shore up the secondary next season.

The team will be fine without Cissoko. Having the same DC two years in a row will help immensely.

lilpenny1316

December 15th, 2009 at 8:56 AM ^

With the shortcomings last year on D, it helps to have as many bodies there as possible. Even if B. Smith or Cissoko don't prove to be all-conference worthy, we just need solid play which they're capable of. Plus we need the depth and competition at all positions.

I would like to see Warren come back for the same reasons, but we don't need someone back who has mentally left Ann Arbor already.

More important than their on-field accomplishments might be our APR numbers and it's impact on future scholarship levels.

jg2112

December 15th, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^

I don't disagree with your comments in your first paragraph. But, B. Smith is making up his mind here, the coaches aren't telling him to transfer. So, depth doesn't mean anything. AND, how would you feel about sticking around if the message boards considered you nothing but "Depth?" i"m sure he considers himself better than that and wants to prove it elsewhere at the position he wants to play.

As for Cissoko, he was kicked off the team and is looking to transfer. Get over it.

The defense will have a proper two-deep this year. A bunch of guys come off their redshirts and a couple true freshmen will also play. Stop worrying about the guys who either don't want to be here or couldn't fulfill their obligations to the team. These guys will (if the positions are wrong, so what. This is simply to prove there is a two-deep this year):

DE: Van Bergen, La Lota, Heininger, Murphy
DT: Martin, Banks, Ash?
DT: Campbell, Sagesse, Talbott
DE: Roh, Herron
Spinner: Hawthorne, Jones
ILB: Ezeh, Fitzgerald, Leach
OLB: Mouton, Demens, Bell
CB: Turner, Avery, T. Jones, T. Talbott
S: Emilien, Kovacs, C. Johnson
S: M. Robinson, M. Williams
CB: Woolfolk, C. Christian, Floyd

lilpenny1316

December 15th, 2009 at 12:47 PM ^

You're ranting like you belong on the message boards at the FREEP.

We need depth in cases of people getting hurt, transferring or getting suspended. Oh yeah, and leaving early to possibly be a mid-draft selection.

So while a "two-deep" is great to show here in December, there's no telling what happens to those proposed starters or backups.

Just calm down and realize that it's better to have our weakest position on the team completely full with experienced players or guys with potential as opposed to leaning on walk-ons when the players on our "two-deep" are hurt or suck.

estarr01

December 15th, 2009 at 9:01 AM ^

I don't see how he doesn't fit into Gerg's D? Can someone please explain it to me? As far as his athletic traits go he seems to have the skills to fit in any D as long as he's willing to move to the best position to fit his skill set. I think thats the issue. He sees himself as a safety and the coaches see him as a LB or Hybrid LB/S.

Six Zero

December 15th, 2009 at 9:18 AM ^

I know it's time to accept it, but I still REALLY don't want Warren to leave. The entire defensive forecast changes according to his presence or lack thereof. And call me selfish, but personally I'd just really prefer that we didn't suck next year.

Magnus

December 15th, 2009 at 9:13 AM ^

Brandon Smith is kind of a man without a position in this defense. He's too slow to play safety. He's too slow to play SAM. He's not bulky enough to play Quick, and he's too raw to play either inside linebacker position anytime soon. The coaches moved him to WILL at the end of spring ball and he still couldn't beat out Leach or Demens, let alone Ezeh or Mouton or Fitzgerald, for playing time at linebacker.

If this were a typical 4-3 defense, he would probably be a pretty good WILL or even have the ability to play SAM if he bulked up a little bit. Unfortunately, this isn't really a conventional defense.

estarr01

December 15th, 2009 at 9:40 AM ^

was he really expected to beat out Leach or Demens in his RS Freshman year in the first year at the position?

I'm still optimistice that by his junior year he develop into a starter, especially given the condition of our LB corp.

I'm also disappointed that 3 of our top 4 recruits (per scout) from the 2008 class have or are planning to transfer (Boo boo, Smith and McGuffie)

Blue in Yarmouth

December 15th, 2009 at 9:49 AM ^

I am of that opinion also. If he goes pro and is selected in either the first or second round I will eat my shoe.

If he knows this, and still chooses to enter the draft and go in the third round or later, I would have to question his thinking.

People say it is likely due to the cap uncertainty with rookies in the new CBA. I am only speculating, but I would say if DW stays an extra year he would have the chance to go in the first round next year.

Even if there were a cap put into effect, I would guess that he could still make more money as a capped first rounder than he would as an uncapped third or fourth rounder. Just epinion of course, but that is what I am thinking.

aaamichfan

December 15th, 2009 at 4:07 PM ^

there are a bunch of reasons why this year is better than waiting until next. If Donovan runs anywhere in the 4.4's at the NFL combine, I will guarantee him being a first rounder this year.

Magnus

December 15th, 2009 at 10:05 AM ^

I didn't expect Brandon Smith to beat out anybody at linebacker. What I'm saying is that HE realizes he's behind a walk-on, as well as a couple other guys, and sometimes that's enough. A lot of guys transfer when they realize they're a backup. Brandon Smith was the backup's backup's backup.

estarr01

December 15th, 2009 at 12:58 PM ^

I guess it somewhat of a moot point since he's looking to move on, but I where he is on the depth chart is expected because of the aformentioned reasons.

Mainly my disappointment comes from the fact that in the last year more than any that I've known, there has been a lot of emphasis put on the fact that we don't have junior or senior players on the field and have a lot of younger players starting, which leads to part of our inept defense. If we want to turn it around players such as B. Smith need to stick around and develop. If people continue to transfer because they aren't on the 2 deep then we will have the same conversation about young players in 2 years.

Magnus

December 15th, 2009 at 10:37 AM ^

You seem to be on edge lately. Are the losing seasons getting to you?

EDIT: Your "get over it" posts are slightly annoying. People are asking/talking about three guys who haven't officially departed. Your insistence that people "get over it" might be jumping the gun, and even if you're right, you can't fault people for inquiring about three highly regarded players/recruits who haven't officially left the program.

jg2112

December 15th, 2009 at 10:37 AM ^

Magnus, I'm taking them personally. They're unacceptable : )

My overarching position regarding sports in general is that if the player doesn't want to be there and they have the ability to move, well, then they should go. There are a LOT of players in Ann Arbor who love the team and are working their tails off. If Smith wants to transfer, if Donovan wants to turn pro, well, best of luck to them. And Cissoko is gone.

We're re-working plowed ground. I don't understand why anyone wants to bring back a guy who was kicked off the team, as a starter at cornerback, with the depth chart at CB the way it was last year. It's pretty obvious that Cissoko did something rather bad, because his dismissal was one of the factors that eventually led to the tailspin that torpedoed the season. Why bring that back?

And like you said, B. Smith wasn't gonna play here and he wanted to leave in the summer.

I'm way more excited about the guys who are coming in to play and be productive, like Turner, Christian, M-Rob, and Hawthorne and Jones. That is all.

Crime Reporter

December 15th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^

I am bummed about this news as much as the next person, but I have to agree with jg. Cissoko was dismissed from the team for a reason (even after getting a second chance). D. Warren, I would love to have back, but if this was his last season, I am happy he gave his all for Michigan.

Losing B. Smith sucks, as I just think he could be special here. But if he wants to go, as jg said, he should go. It will hurt, but we will survive.

jg2112

December 15th, 2009 at 10:42 AM ^

If B. Smith and Warren stay, that's great news. Let me be clear: I want them to stay if they want to stay. However, if they don't stay, it's on to the next players - namely, Marvin Robinson and Justin Turner.

We have to accept that regarding all college players, that we get no more than 4 years to cheer them on. I hope they make the choice that is the best for them. While I hope it involves Michigan, if not, there's nothing else to do but move on.

pistonsfan133

December 15th, 2009 at 1:31 PM ^

I recently talked to Brandon and it sounds like he is going to transfer. One reason that hasn't really been mentioned is distance from his family, not saying that it is a big reason, but i think that plays a small role. He just simply said he is transfering via text, seemed pretty bold. I do think that he could change his mind, but if i had to make a guess i would say he is leaving

Magnus

December 15th, 2009 at 1:51 PM ^

That's interesting, because he's said he doesn't want to go to Rutgers. Where could he end up that's close to his family but not in New Jersey? There are only a few decent programs anywhere near New Jersey.