Some have said Michigan has gone to "damage control" after the football team account tweeted this today:
Apparently, there are rumblings that some of those who have left the program are badmouthing it on the way out of town (them or their families). We know running back Kareem Walker seemed to be taking delight in U-M's misfortune after he was removed from the team.
First things first — for the "you're spinning this" crowd ...
We don't spin. When it stunk, we told you, whether it was in the Rich Rodriguez/Brady Hoke eras or last year, which should have been a better season despite the injuries, etc. The offensive line could have been better, there were some recruiting mistakes ... it added up to 8-5 and some necessary offseason changes.
There's also no excuse for getting pounded 62-39 in Columbus, for example. We even used the term "unacceptable," which is one of the most overused words on message boards when things aren't going well.
So starting with Walker — he was given every opportunity to succeed, and was probably given too many chances, in hindsight. Guys don't always have to work hard and follow rules at some of the football factories. That's not the case in Ann Arbor, and it didn't work out for Walker, one of eight now in the 2017 class that are no longer on the team.
Some of them transferred due to frustrations over playing time (linebacker Drew Singleton, lineman James Hudson). Others had academic issues, some had off field troubles (some both), one (Corey Malone-Hatcher) was an injury casualty before he even made it to his first fall camp, and a few just weren't Michigan material (the running backs).
There were even some who, strangely, weren't the athletes they were in high school when they arrived on campus.
As Bo Schembechler used to say, a third of a class will flame out, a third will contribute and a third will start. Yes, the coaches might have done a better job vetting some of the guys in that class, but there are a lot of fantastic contributors and guys who look like they will be from that group. So for those who want to believe their maize and blue sky is falling ... it's not. Nor is this just a "Michigan problem."
Alabama's 2015 class, for example, had 25 commitments. Nine of them (9!) stayed, 13 transferred and three went pro.
That's just one example. Go through other schools and their classes, and you'll find more of the same.
Again, it's not ideal, and in U-M's case, some of these seem like they could have been avoided.
Solomon won't be one of them, and that was a bad fit from the beginning. From a very good source in his home state, he didn't like it up north very early, wanted to play more, had missed some practice time and film study to do extra rehab for his injury (against what was expected of him) and had fallen out of favor.
At the end, both parties were ready to move on.
It happens. Now it's about moving forward with guys who want to be here, and there are still several, and many of them are very, very good players.
Apparently, there are rumblings that some of those who have left the program are badmouthing it on the way out of town (them or their families). We know running back Kareem Walker seemed to be taking delight in U-M's misfortune after he was removed from the team.
First things first — for the "you're spinning this" crowd ...
We don't spin. When it stunk, we told you, whether it was in the Rich Rodriguez/Brady Hoke eras or last year, which should have been a better season despite the injuries, etc. The offensive line could have been better, there were some recruiting mistakes ... it added up to 8-5 and some necessary offseason changes.
There's also no excuse for getting pounded 62-39 in Columbus, for example. We even used the term "unacceptable," which is one of the most overused words on message boards when things aren't going well.
So starting with Walker — he was given every opportunity to succeed, and was probably given too many chances, in hindsight. Guys don't always have to work hard and follow rules at some of the football factories. That's not the case in Ann Arbor, and it didn't work out for Walker, one of eight now in the 2017 class that are no longer on the team.
Some of them transferred due to frustrations over playing time (linebacker Drew Singleton, lineman James Hudson). Others had academic issues, some had off field troubles (some both), one (Corey Malone-Hatcher) was an injury casualty before he even made it to his first fall camp, and a few just weren't Michigan material (the running backs).
There were even some who, strangely, weren't the athletes they were in high school when they arrived on campus.
As Bo Schembechler used to say, a third of a class will flame out, a third will contribute and a third will start. Yes, the coaches might have done a better job vetting some of the guys in that class, but there are a lot of fantastic contributors and guys who look like they will be from that group. So for those who want to believe their maize and blue sky is falling ... it's not. Nor is this just a "Michigan problem."
Alabama's 2015 class, for example, had 25 commitments. Nine of them (9!) stayed, 13 transferred and three went pro.
That's just one example. Go through other schools and their classes, and you'll find more of the same.
Again, it's not ideal, and in U-M's case, some of these seem like they could have been avoided.
Solomon won't be one of them, and that was a bad fit from the beginning. From a very good source in his home state, he didn't like it up north very early, wanted to play more, had missed some practice time and film study to do extra rehab for his injury (against what was expected of him) and had fallen out of favor.
At the end, both parties were ready to move on.
It happens. Now it's about moving forward with guys who want to be here, and there are still several, and many of them are very, very good players.
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