I have reviewed all attrition of players at Michigan since Jim Harbaugh became the head coach. I have only listed scholarship players with the exception of a walk-on or two who started (e.g. Will Hart). I have included attrition for all those players who had remaining eligibility. I have attempted to break down the attrition into different categories. I have made a few assumptions as to why some plyers left (e.g. not invited back for a fifth year) so please do not take this as being 100% accurate. There are certain players who left due to lack of playing time who I would have liked to see remain (e.g. Zach Charbonnet, Benjamin St-Juste). While there are others who were obvious losses when they decided to transfer (e.g. Devin Asiasi). In my "Transfers would have wanted back" column it is probably a mix of the two and I am not opining as to having knowledge as to which of these players the staff actually tried to persuade to stay. For instance, I have included Aubrey Solomon on the list although there are indications that he was not working either on the field or in the classroom, so not really sure if he should even be on that list, despite his great upside.
After my breakdown table I have listed the raw data for every year. Note that attrition for a given year begins from after the regular season ends (usually after losing to Ohio State) and continues until the end of the following season. That means that the data for the post 2020 season is still a work in progress as we have over seven months to go to add further attrition. That being said, the post 2020 season figure of 16 is a touch misleading as it includes five players who would have no longer had any additional eligibility under normal circumstances and decided not to use their extra free year of eligibility and move on to the NFL.
A few points of interest:
In recent years attrition seems to be consistently about 15-16 per annum. the exception is after the 2016 season, Harbaugh's best at Michigan.
Harbaugh's use of the medical exemption to get rid of certain Brady Hoke holdover players early in his tenure.
The program being decimated with 12 NFL early entrees the past three years after only having two early entrees the prior three years. This is a major point as we simply do not have the talent to replenish when taking such massive hits in consecutive years. Especially as after the 2019 season two of the five-Nico Collins and Ambry Thomas-were not part of the 2019 NFL draft but simply chose to opt out of the 2020 season.
There are actually very few transfers who would have been major contributors if they had remained at Michigan. Devin Asiasi comes to mind. Probably Benjamin St-Juste at CB last year. Possibly James Hudson? Dwunfour was a starter before transferring so he would have helped last season.
Note the decrease in legal/suspension issues in recent years.
Fewer fifth year plyers are not being invited back in recent years. But that is more a function of fewer kids sticking around for five years than for any other reasons. Attaets to the fact that the coaching staff is doing a good job of processing the so-called "dead wood" earlier rather than later which, of course, frees up scholarships.
So the big advantage is that with so much attrition it frees up scholarships for incoming freshmen. Good from a numbers perspective. The bad news, of course, is what does it do in terms of impacting the culture of the team? Players come to realize that they are perishable/disposable assets if they don't make an early impact. Perhaps not a good thing. I don't have the answers, but obviously something is not working in recent years. I'll leave that to the message board to opine on. Now the breakdown.
After my breakdown table I have listed the raw data for every year. Note that attrition for a given year begins from after the regular season ends (usually after losing to Ohio State) and continues until the end of the following season. That means that the data for the post 2020 season is still a work in progress as we have over seven months to go to add further attrition. That being said, the post 2020 season figure of 16 is a touch misleading as it includes five players who would have no longer had any additional eligibility under normal circumstances and decided not to use their extra free year of eligibility and move on to the NFL.
A few points of interest:
In recent years attrition seems to be consistently about 15-16 per annum. the exception is after the 2016 season, Harbaugh's best at Michigan.
Harbaugh's use of the medical exemption to get rid of certain Brady Hoke holdover players early in his tenure.
The program being decimated with 12 NFL early entrees the past three years after only having two early entrees the prior three years. This is a major point as we simply do not have the talent to replenish when taking such massive hits in consecutive years. Especially as after the 2019 season two of the five-Nico Collins and Ambry Thomas-were not part of the 2019 NFL draft but simply chose to opt out of the 2020 season.
There are actually very few transfers who would have been major contributors if they had remained at Michigan. Devin Asiasi comes to mind. Probably Benjamin St-Juste at CB last year. Possibly James Hudson? Dwunfour was a starter before transferring so he would have helped last season.
Note the decrease in legal/suspension issues in recent years.
Fewer fifth year plyers are not being invited back in recent years. But that is more a function of fewer kids sticking around for five years than for any other reasons. Attaets to the fact that the coaching staff is doing a good job of processing the so-called "dead wood" earlier rather than later which, of course, frees up scholarships.
So the big advantage is that with so much attrition it frees up scholarships for incoming freshmen. Good from a numbers perspective. The bad news, of course, is what does it do in terms of impacting the culture of the team? Players come to realize that they are perishable/disposable assets if they don't make an early impact. Perhaps not a good thing. I don't have the answers, but obviously something is not working in recent years. I'll leave that to the message board to opine on. Now the breakdown.
| Total | Medical | Legal/Suspension | Not invited back for fifth year | Playing Time | NFL Draft | Transfers would have wanted back | |
| Post 2014 Season | 11 | 2* | 2 | 3 or 4 | 1 | NA | 2-3 (Kyle Bosch, Blake Countess, maybe Jack Miller) |
| Post 2015 Season | 15 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Post 2016 Season | 12 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1-3 (Devin Asiasi, maybe Ketih Washington, Scott Sypniewski) |
| Post 2017 Season | 16 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 1-4 (James Hudson, maybe Ian Bunting, Kekoa Crawford, T.J. Wheatley) | |
| Post 2018 Season | 16 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2-4 (Aubrey Solomon, Benjamin St-Juste, maybe Oliver Martin & J'Marick Woods) |
| Post 2019 Season | 15 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2-1 (Aaron Lewis, maybe Michael Dwumfour) | |
| Post 2020 Season | 16 | 8 | 3 early + 5 not using free year | 3 (Zach Carpenter, Zach Charbonnet, Giles Jackson) |
| Post 2020 Season | Reason | |||
| C | Zach Carpenter | 2fr | Playing time?: Behind Vastardis | Transferred to Indiana; Entered the transfer portal around December 13, 2020 |
| T | Jalen Mayfield | 3fr | NFL | Declared for NFL draft on December 18, 2020; He initially declared for the NFL draft on August 18, 2020 after the 2020 season was postponed but decided to return on September 18, 2020 |
| WDE | Kwity Paye | 5f | NFL | Declared for NFL draft on December 18, 2020; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| TB | Christian Turner | 3fr | Playing time: Lost job to Brad Robbins | Transferred to Wake Forest; Entered the transfer portal on December 19, 2020; Decised to opt back in late September 2020; Decided to "opt out" of fall 2020 season just before the season was postponed |
| TB | Chris Evans | 6f | NFL (did not return for free extra season) | Declared for NFL draft about December 27, 2020; Dismissed from team in February 2019 due to academic issues and missed 2019 season. In November 2019 it was announced that he was reinstated for 2020 (effectively redshirted 2019 season) |
| LB | Cameron McGrone | 3fr | NFL | Declared for NFL draft on December 29, 2020 |
| PK | Quinn Nordin | 6f | NFL (did not return for free extra season) | Declared for the NFL draft on December 29, 2020; 2017 starter on FGs and PATs |
| TB | Zach Charbonnet | 3f | Playing time: Behind Haskins, probably Corum | Transfered to UCLA; Entered the transfer portanl in mid-Jnuary 2021; Early entry |
| DE | Luiji Vilain | 4fr | Playing time | Entered the transfer portal and transferred to Wake Forest in January 2021; Redshirted as a frosh due to inujury |
| (FB) | Ben Mason | 5f | NFL (did not return for free extra season) | Not returning for a free fifth season; Spring 2019 announced he will play FB,TE,DE & DT; Redshirt burned as a frosh; Played at both FB and LB in spring 2017 as early entry and moved fulltime to fullback in May 2017 |
| DT | Carlo Kemp | 6f | NFL (did not return for free extra season) | Not returning for 6th year; Moved from DE to DT in spring 2018; Moved from LB to DE in spring 2016 |
| TE | Nick Eubanks | 6f | NFL (did not return for free extra season) | Not returning for 6th year; Injured around week four of 2017 season. May redshirt? |
| SLB | Ben VanSumeren | 3fr | Plaing time; Behind other LBs | Entered the transfer portral around February 17, 2021; Moved to LB in winter 2020; Moved to TE in December 2019 bowl practices; As of August 2019 he was a full-time TB; Sping 2019 announced he will play LB & TB; Moved from FB to LB for 2018 bowl practices |
| QB | Joe Milton | 3fr | Playing time: Lost job to McNamara | Entered the transfer portral on February 18, 2021 |
| IR | Giles Jackson | 3f | Playing time: Running 2nd string in spring drills | He entered the transfer portal (ca. April 1) in early April, 2021 |
| WLB | William (Apache) Mohan | 2f | Playing time: Viper position obsolete | He entered the transfer portal on April 5, 2021 |
| Post 2019 Season | ||||
| SLB | Joshua Uche | 5 | NFL | Announced in December 2019 that he is entering the NFL draft early; As a freshman he played in four games before being injured |
| ILB | Jordan Anthony | 3r | Playing time | Entered the transfer portal in December 2019 |
| WR | Tarik Black | 3r | Playing time: Not running on first team | Transferred to Texas; Entered the transfer portal in December 2019; Injured in August 2018 summer drills and returne dto action in early November; Injured at end of 2017 game 3 against Air Force after starting first three games and redshirted |
| OG | Stephen Spanellis | 5 | Playing time | Transferred to Vanderbilt; He announced on January 1, 2019 right after the Alabama bowl loss that he was grad transferring |
| C | Cesar Ruiz | 4 | NFL | Declared early for the NFL draft on January 3, 2019; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| WR | Donovan Peoples-Jones | 4 | NFL | Declared early for the NFL draft on January 4, 2019; ; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| CB | Jaylen Kelly-Powell | 3r | Playing time | He entered the transfer portal on January 9, 2020; Redshirted the 2019 season; Redshirt burned as a frosh; Also seeing time at CB in August 2017 |
| NT | Michael Dwumfour | 5 | Starter who transferred | Transferred to Rutgers; He entered the transfer portal about January 14, 2020 |
| LB | Devin Gill | 5 | Playing time: Former starter who lost his job | He entered the transfer portal in spring 2020 |
| DE | Aaron Lewis Jr. | 1 | Early enrollee who transferred since mother was ill | Transferred to Rutgers in July 2020 since his mother is ill; January 2020 early enrollee |
| CB | Ambry Thomas | 4 | NFL | Declared for NFL draft in August 2020; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| WR | Nico Collins | 4 | NFL | Declared for NFL draft in mid-September 2020 |
| QB | Dylan McCaffrey | 3r | Playing time: Beaten out by Joe Milton | Decided to opt out and transfer in mid-September 2020 |
| LB | Osman Savage | 1 | Attitude issue: Violate covid protocals | Transferred to Alabama A&M; He entered the transfer portal on September 30, 2020 as a freshman |
| LB | Charles Thomas | 1r | Playing time: Passed by freshmen on depth chart | Entered the transfer portal on October 18, 2020 |
| Post 2018 Season | ||||
| SDE | Rashan Gary | 3 | NFL | Announced after Ohio State game that he is entering the NFL draft early and will skip the bowl game |
| TB | O'Maury Samuels | 2 | Dismissed due to criminal charges | He was dismissed from the team in mid-December 2018 after criminal charges were pressed against him; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| DT | Aubrey Solomon | 2 | Starter who transferred | Immediately eligible in 2018 for Tennessee; Transferred to Tennessee; Announced on December 17, 2018 that he is transferring; Injured in game 1 of soph season and returned in earyl November; Started instead of Mone in week 8 against Rutgers; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| MLB | Devin Bush | 4 | NFL | Announced on December 19, 2018 that he is entering the NFL draft early and will skip the bowl game as he is still healthy |
| TE | Zach Gentry | 5 | NFL | Announced on January 2, 2019 that he is entering the NFL draft early; He moved full-time to TE in February 2016 before spring practice; He started to take reps at TE in 2015 bowl practices |
| CB | David Long | 3r | NFL | Announced on January 2, 2019 that he is entering the NFL draft early |
| T | Nolan Ulizio | 5 | Playing time | Transferred to Pittsburgh where he started in 2018; Entered transfer portal in January 2019 |
| SDE | Reuben Jones | 5 | Playing time | Transferred to West Virginia; Entered transfer portal in January 2019; He returned to DE in August 2016; He started to take reps at ILB in 2015 bowl practices |
| CB | Benjamin St-Juste | 2r | Playing time | Entered transfer portal in May 2019 and transferred to Minnesota; Announced about March 22, 2019 that he go on a medical scholarship and no longer play; Will redshirt as soph due to hamstring injury; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| CB | Myles Sims | 1r | Playing time | Immediately eligible in 2018 for Georgia Tech; ; Transferred to Georgia Tech; Announced on April 18, 2019 that he was transferring |
| QB | Brandon Peters | 3r | Playing time: Shea Patterson ahead of him | 2018 starter at Illinois; Announced on June 18 that he will transfer to Illinois; He entered the transfer portal on May 4, 2019; Started from Minnesota game (game 9) of 2017 season |
| DE | Ron Johnson | 3r | Playing time | Johnson was supposed to transfer to Rutgers, but he didn’t graduate from Michigan on time to be eligible. An article says he will probably end up at Towson; Announced on June 13 that he will transfer to Rutgers; Entered the transfer portal on May 24, 2019; Moved to DT in spring 2017 and moved back to DE in August 2017 |
| WR | Oliver Martin | 2r | Playing time | Immediately eligible in 2018 for Iowa; Announced June 13 that he would transfer to Iowa; Entered the transfer portal on June 4, 2019 and will transfer to Iowa |
| WR | Quintel Kent | 1 | Never enrolled | In early August 2019 declared that he will miss freshman season due to medical reasons and may become a medical redshirt |
| TE | Mustapha Muhammad | 1r | Off-field issues | Announced on October 14, 2019 that he was entering the transfer portal |
| S | J'Marick Woods | 3 | Playing time? | Announced in late October 2019 that he was transferring; Redshirt burned as a frosh |
| Post 2017 Season | ||||
| QB | Wilton Speight | 5 | Playing time: Shea Patterson enrolling | Announced on April 12, 2018 that he would transfer to UCLA; Announced on November 26, 2017, the day after the Ohio state game, that he would be transferring for his fifth year; Injured in week 4 of 2017 season (broken vertebrae). Unsure if will return late in 2017 season |
| LB | Elysee Mbem-Bosse | 2r | Playing time and had personal issues | Reportedly left the program in mid-November 2017 and confirmed on November 28, 2017. Left for personal reasons |
| WR | Drake Harris | 5 | Playing time | He announced on November 28, 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year (Western Michigan); He moved back to WR in October 2017; He announced in May 2017 that he was moving from WR to CB |
| OT | Ja'Raymond Hall | 1r | Playing time | Reported on November 28, 2017 that he is transferring(Central Michigan) |
| QB | Alex Malzone | 3r | Playing time | Announced in January 2018 that he will transfer to Miami (Ohio); He announced on November 29, 2017 that he will transfer after graduating early for his fourth and fifth years |
| WR | Maurice Ways | 5 | Playing time | He announced on November 29, 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year. Will play at California |
| TE | Ian Bunting | 5 | Playing time | He announced on January 20, 2018 that he will transfer for his fifth year (California) |
| TB | Kareem Walker | 2r | Playing time | As of early September 2019 he had not yet joined Mississippi State’s team due to undisclosed reasons; In late July 2018 he said he will be attending Fort Scott CC in Kansas; Announced in June 2018 that he is transferring |
| WR | Kekoa Crawford | 3 | Playing time: Former starter passed over by frosh | 2018 starter at Califoronia; Announced in June 2018 that he is transferring |
| TE | T.J. Wheatley | 3r | Playing time?: Former starter | Announced on August 2, 2018 that he is transferring-He transferred to Stony Brook; Medical redshirted the 2015 season |
| WR | Eddie McDoom | 3 | Playing time: Passed over by younger receivers | 2018 reserve at USF; Announced on August 9, 2018 that he is transferring-Announced on August 19 he would transfer to USF |
| OT | Grant Newsome | 3r | Career-ending injury | Announced on August 20, 2018 that he was giving up football and would go on a medical; Redshirted 2017 season; Injured in week 5 of 2016 after starting first 5 games |
| DT | Deron Irving-Bey | 1r | Playing time | 2018 reserve at CMU; Announced on August 20, 2018 that he was transferring to CMU. Reportedly had academic issues |
| LB | Drew Singleton | 1r | Playing time | 2018 starter at Rutgers; Will transfer to Rutgers; Announced on October 17, 2018 that he was transferring |
| OT | James Hudson | 1r | Upset about being beaten out | Transferred to Cincinnati and sat out 20189 season; Announced on October 22, 2018 that he was transferring; Moved from DT to OT in August 2017 |
| TB | Kurt Taylor | 1r | Playing time | He transferred to Iowa Central Community Col; He announced that he is transferring from Michigan on November 6, 2018 |
| Post 2016 Season | ||||
| FB | Michael Hirsch | 8trtw | Playing time | Not returning for 2017 season; Graduated from Harvard in 2014. Played football 2011 & 2012 seasons before getting cancer. Enrolled at Ross for 2016-17 year and took a one year leave of absence from his job at Citi |
| LSN/C | Scott Sypniewski | 5 | Starter not invited back? | Will not return for fifth year-Transferred to Vanderbilt. Anounced he was transferring in December 2016; LSN |
| G | David Dawson | 5 | Playing time | Will not return for fifth year-Announced in January 2017 that he is transferring to Iowa State |
| SAM | Jabrill Peppers | 3r | NFL | Declared for NFL draft in January 2017; He moved from safety to SAM in Spring 2016 |
| QB | Shane Morris | 5 | Playing time | Announced in January 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year to CMU; Redshirted 2015 season |
| LB/RB | Wyatt Shallman | 5 | Playing time | Announced on January 19, 2017 that he will transfer for his fith year-will atend Ohio U.; He moved to LB from RB in August 2016 |
| TE | Devin Asiasi | 2 | Contributor we did not want to leave | Announced in February 2017 that he his transferring due to family reasons-Transferred to UCLA |
| RB | Kingston Davis | 2 | Playing time | Announced on March 24, 2017 that he is transferring-Will play at Independence JC in Kansas? |
| DE | Shelton Johnson | 2r | Playing time | Announced in March 2017 that he will transfer; Will sit out sophomore season due to suspension |
| DE | Corey Malone-Hatcher | 1 | Injured | Anounced on July 4, 2017 that he would go on a medical scholarship due to injury and give up football. He was an early entry who missed most of spring drills |
| CB | Keith Washington | 2r | Unhappy with move from CB to S | 2018 starter at West Virginia; Announced on August 21, 2017 that he was transferring after being moved from CB to S |
| CB | Nate Johnson | 1r | Dismissed from team due to criminal charges | Dismissed from the team on October 4, 2017 after being charged with domestic violence; Moved to CB in August 2017 but still getting reps at slot |
| Post 2015 Season | ||||
| TB | Ross Douglas | 4 | Playing time | Anounced he was transferring in January 2016 to Rutgers; Moved from TB back to CB in spring 2015 and back to TB again |
| CB | Terry Richardson | 5 | Playing time | Announced he would transfer for 5th year in January 2016. Will transfer to Marshall |
| DT | Willie Henry | 5 | NFL | Declared for NFL Draft in January 2016 |
| TB | Derrick Green | 4 | Playing time | He transferred out and it was announced on January 16, 2016. Will attend TCU |
| OLB | Allen Gant | 5 | Playing time | Announced he would transfer for 5th year in January 2016 |
| S | Brian Cole | 1r | Dismissed for smoking pot | 2018 starter at Mississippi State; Dismissed from team in January 2016 for again smoking pot and will transfer out after winter semester to Kentucky; He moved from WR to safety in 2015 mid-season |
| DT/TE | Tom Strobel | 5 | Playing time | He transferred to Ohio U. In January 2016 for his fifth year; Played TE and DT in 2015 |
| T | Blake Bars | 5 | Playing time. Not invited back for fifth year | Not listed on spring 2016 roster so not returning for fifth year |
| WR | Da'Mario Jones | 4 | Playing time | Not listed on spring 2016 roster |
| WR | Jaron Dukes | 3r | Medical | Moved to medical scholarship in spring 2016 |
| FS | Reon Dawson | 3r | Medical | Moved to medical scholarship in spring 2016 |
| DT | Brady Pallante | 2r | Medical | Moved to medical scholarship in August 2016; Moved from DT to FB in winter 2015 and back to DT in summer 2015 |
| WR/CB | Freddy Canteen | 3 | Playing time? | Not on roster in Augsut 2016. He had an injury but unsure if medicaled or transferrring; Moved from WR to CB in August 2015, then back to WR in the fall, then back to CB in mid-season, then back to WR in spring 2016. Injured in spring 2016 (shoulder) and may not return |
| PK | Andrew David | 1r | Playing time | He transferred to TCU around August 22, 2016 during summer drills |
| WR | Ahmir Mitchell | 1 | Suspended and then transferred | Kicked out of Rutgers and played in 2018 for Fort Scott CC in Kansas; Was suspended for season and decided on August 24, 2016 to transfer to Rutgers. Had been an early enrollee |
| Post 2014 Season | ||||
| G | Kyle Bosch | 2r | Unclear why he transferred | He decided to transfer to West Virginia in early January after meeting with Jim Harbaugh |
| TB | Justice Hayes | 5 | Not invited back | Announced on January 26, 2015 that he would transfer for his fifth year of graduate ball. He transferred to Southern Mississippi |
| QB | Russell Bellomy | 5 | Not invited back | Announced on January 30, 2015 that he would transfer for his fifth year of graduate ball; Transferred to Texas-San Antonio |
| TE | Keith Heitzman | 5 | Not invited back | Announced on January 30, 2015 that he would transfer for his fifth year of graduate ball. He transferred to Ohio U. |
| C | Jack Miller | 5 | Starter who did not return for 5th year | Announced on March 12, 2015 during spring practice that he would not return for senior year |
| CB | Blake Countess | 5 | Starter | Announced in May 2015 that he would transfer for his fifth year of graduate ball. He transferred to Auburn |
| DT | Ondre Pipkins | 4 | Michigan wanted to medical him so he transferred | Announced in July 2015 that he would transfer to Texas Tech. Michigan said that he could no longer play at Michigan due to medical reasons |
| WR | Dennis Norfleet | 4 | Suspended and transferred | Suspended from the team on May 12, 2015 for violating team rules and transferred to Tuskegee in August 2015 |
| G | Chris Fox | 2r | Medical | Announced in August 2015 that he would take a permanent medical redshirt |
| OL | Dan Samuelson | 2r | Playing time | Announced in August 2015 after a week of practice that he would transfer |
| OT | Logan Tuley-Tillman | 2r | Dismissed from team | Dismissed from the team in September 2015 |
