Potential QB transfers for 2016

Submitted by Magnus on

Montana State QB Dakota Prukop was discussed in a thread yesterday, but with Kyle Allen's announcement that he's transferring from Texas A&M, I thought I would take a little more in-depth of a look at five potential QB transfers for 2016. Allen's interest in Michigan is uncertain, but there has been buzz about mutual interest from the other four.

http://touch-the-banner.com/potential-transfer-quarterbacks-for-2016/

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Graduate Transfers

Maddogrdt

December 12th, 2015 at 9:25 AM ^

Didn't JH talk about the need for UM to be more open to all types of recruiting? I don't think we should be focuing on 5th year transfers for LB, but instead JC LB's. 

When you have a pressing need for immediate help, the best way to do that (besides finding Frosh superstar ready to instantly play) is junior college guys.

I know JC players coming to UM was as rare in the past, but I feel like this was something JH pushed as a change UM needs to make for Football. 

Does anyone watch/track the best JC players, and wouldn't that be a better fit than a 5th year backup that transfers for one year?

 

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Maddogrdt

December 12th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^

And it looks like there are some good options at both inside and outside LB positions

 

http://www.scout.com/junior-college-football/topic/2016-football-inside-linebacker-prospects?type=players&league=JUCO&position=Inside%20Linebacker

(non-paywall)

 

Why wouldn't these guys be a better option then 5th years grad transfers? Obviously grades could be an issue, but if JH got some into Stanford UM should be possible too?

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The Mad Hatter

December 12th, 2015 at 9:56 AM ^

Michigan is super picky about transfer credits from other schools. I think a local CC transfer could get in as Michigan is familiar with the schools and they already have a matrix detailing which classes transfer and for how many credits. I think an out of state CC transfer from a random Texas school would be difficult to get past admissions.

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alum96

December 12th, 2015 at 10:46 AM ^

UM has had 4 JUCO transfers in its football history.

I agree this is what you do at almost every other school at FBS - we could have done this with our OL 3 years ago and maybe Hoke would still have a job.  Heck MSU brings in 1-2 JUCOs a year to address shortfalls in depth chart.  KSU as about 1/3rd its roster JUCOs.  But it's very rare for UM due to reasons listed by others.

Here is a piece I found a while back by the way - the B12 is JUCO central w/ P12 not far behind.  B10 schools do it far less often.

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/jucos-conference

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Danwillhor

December 12th, 2015 at 9:41 AM ^

that UM needs to allow Football to recruit JuCo kids. Every other team does it and it hurts is not to. We miss on the recruiting trail and we're screwed while allay everyone else just dips into a pool of 20+ year olds with experience on the field and in the weight room that can play immediately. If Harvard can admit average students for football, UM can admit jucos.

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Danwillhor

December 12th, 2015 at 10:37 AM ^

why not be able to use it when you need to? Why not the option (beyond the insightful thought of nope)? I'm not calling for full Iowa or Kansas St but the option. Every year we have one glaring weakness due to a recruiting miss or bust and everyone around us has a pool they can use whenever they need to. I say "yup".

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Saint_in_Blue

December 12th, 2015 at 9:37 AM ^

But as far as priorities go, I would switch Patrick and Kyle on that list. Only because the combo of Hill and Patrick would be available for one year. At least Allen is young, would have a year to learn the system, and STILL have 2 yrs of eligibility left.

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bacon

December 12th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^

I don't get the I don't want X player comments. Especially for the 5th year guys like Rudock and Lyons this year. They only come if there's an open spot and if they aren't the best guys for the job, they're just contributors or they get a chance to get a degree from Michigan (which is a pretty awesome thing). I'm hoping we can get Kyle Allen because he was a top recruit in 2014 and has some playing experience. There's no way Harbaugh promises them anything beyond a spot on the roster, the rest is about out competing everyone else. The bigger the pool of talented players, the better the chance to win. Edit: for the record, I don't see any comments like I complained about, but they've been prominent in previous threads. The posters on this thread are awesome.

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Danwillhor

December 12th, 2015 at 10:41 AM ^

recruiting and long term viability of constant transfers at one position. I think. For me it's simple continuity unless the staff feels we can't win with O'Korn. If they have any doubt you go get a QB. If you trust him you use the scholarship elsewhere and trust a backup can be made with the rest. I wouldn't suggest another transfer after this year for a long time but we may need one this year.

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Glennsta

December 12th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^

Yes, you would rather have top talent at every roster spot.  But if you got a roster spot/scholarship held by a kid that isn't reasonably likely to play a down, in my opinion, you have wasted a roster spot/scholarship, unless you know that the kid is perfectly happy to be the scout team QB.

I'd think it would make more sense to find a RB or LB who you could rotate into the mix and use every game as opposed to a talented 5th stringer.

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The Mad Hatter

December 12th, 2015 at 10:01 AM ^

But if JH is looking at our depth chart and deciding that we're fucked if O'Korn goes down next season, then I guess I'm on board with a transfer. My preference is to develop the guys currently on the roster, but if the talent just isn't there then do whatever needs to be done to get us to the playoffs. As to LB transfers, what about a MAC or other G5 school?

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Blau

December 12th, 2015 at 11:30 AM ^

If Hill did transfer, is there some part of his game he lacks that someone else on our team is better at? I can see another QB relieving him once in a while but the whole "3 series on/3 series off" thing messes up rhythm and possibly confidence. Seems he's shown he's versatile enough to handle all the assignments.

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Magnus

December 12th, 2015 at 5:33 PM ^

The only time I'm okay with a two-QB system is if you have something like Oklahoma did a couple years ago, where Blake Bell was "The Belldozer" and a running/short yardage threat. (Peppers sort of filled that role at times this year.) Otherwise, I think it messes with team chemistry, the flow of the game, etc. AFAIK, Harbaugh has never been a two-QB guy, so I don't think that will happen.

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AC1997

December 12th, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^

I know Harbaugh wants all the QBs and that we may have multiple cases of attrition, but I suspect they will be picky this year. They have 6 candidates right now (including a former starter who will be a junior and a hot shot recruit) plus they are trying to fill a lot of roster spots in their recruiting class.

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Glennsta

December 12th, 2015 at 1:01 PM ^

QB isn't like other positions (WR, DB, RB, LB, DL, TE) where you can give several players PT in every game, depending on the game situation.  You got you #1 QB and you play him until the game is out of hand, until he stinks up the place or until he gets hurt.

I guess i don't understand why you'd come to the current mix at UM unless you thought you had a damn good shot at starting. And could see where Viramontes could easily conclude that he wasn't getting anywhere near the top of the QB depth chart with O'Korn, Gentry, Peters ahead of him, not to mention Speight and Morris, who actually have some experience.  If he wants to play QB, there are programs out there that he should be able to start at or at least have a decent shot at.  Same with Morris and Malzone.

Even Peters has to realistically look at it as having to sit through 2 years of O'Korn before he gets to start as a reshirt sophomore.

I think we got enough guys at QB that we can afford to make the big push to get RB's or LBs.

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PowerEye

December 12th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^

It's exciting to imagine a veteran QB transferring in, with experience and all that. But even with a quality guy like Rudock, we saw growing pains as he learned our difficult offense. So it's hardly ideal. Next year, I'm hoping we focus on the development of our own young QBs, so that we get a QB who can start for a couple years and we can end the "who's our QB?" trepidation threads for awhile.

Guys like Gentry and O'Korn will be fully trained in the offense and can at worst keep the seat warm for Peters.

Here's a link to highlights from the 2015 Spring Game, where we got extended looks at Malzone and some Morris. Malzone, even as a month-old freshman, looks like a real QB.

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alum96

December 12th, 2015 at 10:41 AM ^

I agree with your general view ... but thought Malzone struggled.  Which he should have as a true freshman on campus a few weeks. 

Let's say in a theoretical world Jim doesnt like a single Hoke QB long term.  That means he has O'Korn Gentry and Peters next year as "real options".  So it makes sense this year to try again for a transfer.  Then in a year he will have those 3 plus 2017 QB.

Also to stress again why to do this, this year - 2017 is going to be a rebuild year ... not a 5 win rebuild year, but a "we lose 80% of our projected 2016 starters and will be among the youngest teams in FBS" rebuild so you can take your lumps that year if say a senior O'Korn goes down with the backup.  2016 is a year to push for the B10 championship if you can solve QB and LB and the running game.  So you are pushing for exp at QB in 16.

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PowerEye

December 12th, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^

I completely agree. I am not sold on Malzone, although he looks like a good depth QB to me.

You're hitting on the most interesting issue, in my mind: How does our roster makeup affect Harbaugh's approach to player development for the 2016 and 2017 seasons?

For example, the roster outlook prolly factored into their willingness to play a few of the Freshmen in 2015, such as Newsome and Perry. We had to blood a few guys, so they can be real contributors in 2016-17.

My view is that it's better to play a young guy who's been in the system for a year than an older transfer. Rudock was exceptional for several reasons, the most important being that he came from a pro system at Iowa. A spread QB will take even longer to acclimate, and reduce his value as a 1-year stopgap even further.

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Jimmyisgod

December 12th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ^

A thread on our QBs and not one mention of Speight. He was our backup this year and led us to a game winning drive when the pressure was on, he has a great arm and ideal size. There's a resin he was the first guy in for Rudock. So Morris and one other QB probably transfer? Why did Morris stick around and red shirt? Is he graduating early so he can be a grad transfer?

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GoBlueInIowa

December 12th, 2015 at 11:56 AM ^

As far as Morris, the reason for the redshirt is many think that he is going to graduate this year. See how spring ball goes, the. If he is third on the depth chart he transfers as a grad transfer that can play right away and have two years of eligibility remaining. If he shows great promise in spring ball, maybe he stays and we have two years with him. It really is a true win-win for all parties. Morris was handled very well this year by the coaching staff.



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