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Exit: Ian Bunting Comment Count

Seth

See you when you’re back, Bunting.

Via Baumgardner, Ol’ Skillet Hands, er, senior tight end Ian Bunting plans to transfer for his final year of eligibility:

This site especially had high hopes for Bunting—as the original prospectin’ name suggests—as a dangerous receiving tight end. When Bunting seamlessly replaced Mackey Award-winner Jake Butt in the Orange Bowl last year it wasn’t hard to project the then-rising junior as heir apparent.

Despite more snaps for tight ends than any year since Bo—yes, I’ve tracked this—Bunting rarely cracked the rotation behind emerging stars Sean McKeon and Zach Gentry, not to mention Nick Eubanks. With a new position coach, his degree in hand, his path to playing time blocked by younger, upwardly mobile catchy-catchy-blocky tight ends*, and his eligibility running out, Bunting’s transfer makes plenty of sense. We’ll always have the Orange Bowl. He should be eligible to play immediately wherever he goes, and Michigan should be okay with the kids.

On a personal note, I’m saddened he never got to star at Michigan. I lost my dad at 34 and promptly got drunk for a week—Ian, not old enough to buy himself a beer when it happened to him—was at practice the next day. He has since been a major presence with the Michigan Relay for Life charity, which helps raise money for cancer research.

* [Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is more of a blocky-blocky-catchy tight end and not necessarily competing for all the same chances.]

Comments

DonBrownSoda

January 30th, 2018 at 6:41 PM ^

Wow. That last paragraph. I lost my dad during high school from CLL. That day, I went to school, took a math test, felt a strange compulsion to go home... left school at 9am and came home to an ambulance in my driveway. I had a water polo match that night and played in honor of my father. The whole thing was a blur... it wasn’t until after the game that I told my teammates. You certainly brought up an unexpected 27 year old memory with this post.

Joined: 09/13/2017

MGoPoints: 1279

Luckey1083

January 31st, 2018 at 7:38 PM ^

I lost my father suddenly from a heart attack at 16 in 2000.  I found out on 10 pm Friday night and had a varsity high school soccer game the next day at noon.  Told my coach and team right before the game started what happened.  We were playing Troy Athens, #1 in the state that year.  I played left fullback and scored 2 goals that day (I MIGHT have scored a handful total that whole year).  We won the game 3-2 and I have never performed as well athletically as I did that day.  It was a surreal, almost out of body experience.  I remember being absolutely exhausted immediately after the game, so many emotions for a 16 kid to go through.  Not sure I believe in God, but there was something else at work that day that I cannot explain to this day almost 18 years later.  I know, "cool story bro", but good luck Ian.  As with any transfers out of the program I wish you the best in the future, you'll always be a Wolverine!

Joined: 02/05/2015

MGoPoints: 490

ScooterTooter

January 30th, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^

Kind of perplexing that he didn't work out last year. For a team with a screaming need for a veteran presence among the receiving corp (I know he was a TE but still...) and all the promise he showed, it never made sense to me he didn't see the field more last year. Wonder if there was some kind of nagging injury that kept him out. Or too much time working on his flow. 

Joined: 06/01/2017

MGoPoints: 5841

FatGuyTouchdown

January 30th, 2018 at 8:36 PM ^

at football camps in the suburbs of Chicago. He's an absolutely outstanding dude with an incredible head on his shoulders. Even though he didn't have as many catches or snaps as I'm sure he would've liked, that's outmatched by how phenomenal of a person he is, and he will be incredibly successful whatever route he takes in life. Congrats and good luck my man!

Joined: 09/07/2014

MGoPoints: 14102

Cool guy

January 30th, 2018 at 8:44 PM ^

Good decision by him, he was buried underneath two younger tight ends in the depth chart. Hope he finds success elsewhere.

Joined: 01/03/2018

MGoPoints: -174

WindyCityBlue

January 31st, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^

Hinsdale Central players never amount to anything!

Full Disclosure: I went to his rival high school, Lyons Township.  So I'm not biased in any way

In all seriousness, good luck to you, Ian.

Joined: 07/23/2008

MGoPoints: 40453

Khaleke The Freak

January 31st, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^

You should go to the next press conference at MSU and air this long list of bullshit that Dantonio has gotten away with, fucking bullshit and someone with credentials needs to say it.

Joined: 05/20/2017

MGoPoints: 6801