Quarterback Dan Villari has entered the transfer portal after redshirting and then playing mop-up duty. Villari was a 3-star, the #42 pro-style quarterback, and #1225 overall out of Massapequa (NY) Plainedge in 2020. I gave him a TTB Rating of 69 and suggested he would finish his career playing a position other than quarterback (LINK).
Villari redshirted in 2020. This past season he played in four games toward the end of blowouts, appearing mostly as a runner (9 carries, 35 yards). He did throw 3 passes against Maryland in extended blowout time, completing just 1 for 26 yards. He was the #3 quarterback behind Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy, and the only reason that might change is if McNamara or McCarthy leaves.
Villari's departure does not concern me much, considering I don't see him as a quarterback, or at least not a Michigan-caliber one. The one potential problem might perhaps come from additional attrition, such as if McNamara/McCarthy transfers and/or if Alan Bowman transfers. As good as this season was for Michigan, players want to go where they're going to play. There's at least a chance that the loser of the McNamara/McCarthy derby leaves town, along with former Texas Tech starter Bowman, who's on the outside looking in. It would not be too surprising to have Michigan go into the fall of 2022 with the winner of the McNamara/McCarthy duo and the two true freshmen, Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji.
I mean, I don't know how long Alex Orji is going to last as a QB either. He just isn't accurate. He can have touch though. Like you say about Villari, I don't think Orji is a Michigan cailbre QB either. But he sure can run. Maybe he will be a wild cat, or even a RB working with Mike Hart. Or maybe he will transfer after a year or two.
ReplyDeleteNot a loss, but hopefully a trigger to look at the portal for an improvement on our depth
ReplyDeleteWait, is it okay to speculate on potential transfers now?
I am hoping, again this year, there will be some huge DTs, that can play, in the portal. The interior D Line is a big problem. It was really bad in some plays vs Georgia.
DeleteI have no problem with speculating about transfers since, you know, about 50% of players seem to transfer.
DeleteThis will fall on deaf ears no doubt but I don't see any benefit to speculating on a specific kid transferring in a public manner. These aren't pro athletes and they can put their names into the portal anytime they want.
DeletePut yourself in a position of them, or their parents or siblings. It would be pretty unpleasant to read some know-nothing jerk on the internet, who claims to be a fan of their team, saying they should leave the school they are at because of this or that.
Yes, attrition is very common. Lots of kids transfer. This is not remotely the point.
Speculation about a specific kid leaving a school comes off to me like a personal attack. I just don't see any reason for it. Especially when you are talking about kids who are freshman and sophomores. Literally teenagers with their lives ahead of them. It doesn't help the program for our own fans to be putting out this kind of targeted personal negativity.
At the very minimum, there's a nice way of saying it. If you even have to say anything beyond the depth charts already tell the story pretty clearly when including class/age/eligibility. If that's not enough, something like "it's getting late early" is an example that's far better than "I doubt Joe has the character to wait behind the people ahead of him and will probably transfer soon."
This seems too sensitive
DeleteThese young men celebrate their transfer on social media, and then make as big a deal about their next commitment as they did their original
*my son plays, as does his GF. My nephew is a 3star junior in Colorado. None of them are concerned what rando internet guy predicts or speculates
@JE.
DeleteWhat are they going to do cry? Put on brave face for the public but these kids are disappointed it didn't work. At best they think they've been misused or treated unfairly. At worst they are dejected and know they aren't good enough and have to face up to a hard truth - which might take a minute with kids.
I think it's dishonest to pretend transfers are celebrations.
https://twitter.com/dresel85/status/1478769165578215424
It's true that most kids are not going to read some rando blog but it's also true that negativity spreads and fan reactions come back to players (even pros). "Muggles" was a phrase deployed a few years back when people started booing the team (which I don't think happened in the 70s, 80s, or 90s.) I was on the field when Tyler Lewan was ready to fight some d-bags wearing Michigan gear in the stands walking back into the tunnel.
I just don't see any benefit to it. Even if the chances of it mattering one lick are low I think there are family members on here (and certainly on Mgoblog) who have gotten upset in the past. What's the point of putting stuff like that out there?
Other than "well I feel like it and just don't care".
Thunder, check your email
ReplyDeleteI think it would be a mistake to go into the year with a freshman as a 3rd stringer. Hopefully Bowman is back but I have no idea if he's looking to purse grad studies/better playing time elsewhere.
ReplyDelete