Chris Barnett Also Gone
Chris Barnett has tweeted that he is out:
No longer at the university of Michigan
A couple of commenters wondered if that might be a joke. It is not. I've heard from multiple sources that Barnett was not in practice and was considering leaving or actually had left the team. Now it's (all but) official. That's the third member of the incoming class to flame out before the first game. At least in this instance I'd forgotten to write a recruiting profile for him. I did fret about his association with Baron Flenory.
Barnett probably wasn't going to play this year after suffering an injury late in his high school season and showing up pushing 280 pounds. Like Posada, his departure is more of a big deal next year when Koger and Watson graduate. At that point the only non-freshman tight end on the roster will be Brandon Moore, who hasn't played a lick thus far in his Michigan career.
Michigan might have to delay this manball thing even longer than they wanted simply because they don't have the personnel to put a tight end on the field much.
UPDATE: There's also Ricardo Miller at TE, though he needs to spend the next year eating nothing but bacon grease if he's going to get up to a reasonable weight.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:34 AM ^
I guess Ricardo Miller and the walk-ons (Esterline, Allspach, Kwiatkowski) will need to step up bigtime next year.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^
Miller better start eating. He still looks like a WR to me.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
to believe that he can't gain an extra 15 lbs in a year. ~250 isn't bad (Koger is 258)
August 25th, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^
Yeah, he'll be fine. Lots of teams have starting TEs in the 235-240 range, and he's there already. If he's anywhere in the 240s next fall he should be just fine.
Brennen Beyer to TE anyone? He's at SAM right now, behind Soph Cam Gordon and RS Fr Jake Ryan, adding highly touted guys to the mix next year too. He might have more PT at TE next fall after a redshirt.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
I think Frank Clark will swap to TE before Beyer.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^
I think my boy Keith Heitzman is the answer. He was the #63 TE nationally according to Scout, and one of my fav recruits. By what I read it seems Heitzman is a good athlete but doesn't look like one, perfect for some trickerization. Heitzman is listed 6'3'' 251 so he has good size already and the DE position looks to be a little crowded over the next few seasons. Go Heitzman! Here is his bio on mgoblue
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/heitzman_keith00.html
August 25th, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
Co-sign. DE depth is still thin, but TE depth is critical. Heitzman is worth a TE look and it's where I thought they were going to put him anyway.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
I'm 6' 1" and 255 and I have some eligibility left...I wonder if my 45 year old body can get into shape in time for ND?
August 25th, 2011 at 5:16 PM ^
I sure frickin' hope so. Jesus, a 280 pound tight end for christ's sake. See ya...'fatty' (Barnett)! By the way...Go 45-year-olds!
August 25th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
good call!
August 25th, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
how many teams with a man-ball mentality have undersized TE's..... that's the only problem there....
I like the Beyer to TE move.... I'm intrigued by Clark at DE though.... but then again, I'm intrigued by any front 7 defensive position...
August 25th, 2011 at 5:15 PM ^
Is bare?
August 25th, 2011 at 5:15 PM ^
Is bare?
August 25th, 2011 at 3:10 PM ^
Miller should be eating a lot at Blimpy's.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^
May have been asked but does this mean this years recruting class will be larger or does it goe towards next season. Sad to see this guy go i was excited for him.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:27 PM ^
Brandon Moore will also be around in 2012 (unless he isn't granted a fifth year). He hasn't played much, but he had Koger and Webb in front of him last year (and we seldom played more than one TE at a time under RR), so I wouldn't read too much into that.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^
you are making me sad
August 25th, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^
It just makes it so sad
August 25th, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^
why are they dropping like flys? would a redshirt really be that bad?
August 25th, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
It's not necessarily because of being redshirted, he could have been forced to lose the pounds or like someone mentioned in another thread, move inside to the interior of the line. Which moving would not have helped our TE situation at all, but that may have been a possibility. I hate seeing guys with potential move on like this, but it happens. Plus with him coming off of a severe knee injury, maybe he just wasn't able to do what he had been able to do in the past.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
This is pretty normal epecially when you get a new coach. The only thing is you would expect players not recruited by the coach to leave (Stokes), I guess you can include Posada since he was mainly recruited by RR.
I'm not surprised by him leaving at all. The Arkansas posters on another board were warning Michigan fans about how big of a drama queen he is. I was just hoping that was the case during the recruiting process.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:29 PM ^
Barnett probably realized that he didn't have what it took to meet the new Man Ball standards that are being put in place. If you're 30-40 pounds overweight and you walk into camp where you are expected to kick a little hiney...then only to find out your couch potato ways have caught up with your ass and the guys around you are kickin' the shit out of ya on every play...well, I can see why he left the team. See ya Arkansas 'fatty'...drama queen...please! We don't need any drama, we just need to kick the crap out of OSU this year for cryin' out loud. 2000+ days since we won...'F' that!
August 25th, 2011 at 10:36 AM ^
Doesn't seem so far off any more.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:03 AM ^
17 years is still a pretty long time.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^
Very nice.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
Very ignorant.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:17 PM ^
If you can't see the great opportunity to stick it out at the University of Michigan, then you're not dedicated. Pure and simple. What's ignorant about my comment? Please enlighten me.
August 25th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Because we don't know the full story. All we know is that he was labeled as being kind of a "diva" during his recruitment.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^
I know we needed some attrition to get to 26 spots for the '12 class. Have we reached that number? Also if we've gone over 26 how many have we gone over by?
August 25th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
at http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2011/01/eligibility-count-for-2011.html, we are currently at 24 for next year (75 players currently on scholorship and 14 player with only this year of eligibility remaining).
Someone correct me if I am not understanding this correctly.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
It was fun when they were committing in twos, but not so amusing when they depart that way.
Knock it off, fellas.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:39 AM ^
Lets Go!! BLUE
The Western game can't get here fast enough.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:45 PM ^
*Let's Go Blue!
August 25th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^
I kinda like when some of these guys leave the program. Either they are not a good fit of they arent' working hard enough and buying in 100%. Its better they leave early then staying around with a bad attitude and not contributing. We need the right kids here that want to be here. It doesn't always work out.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:43 AM ^
He was a highly touted incoming TE. Who is going to be our TE next year now? This is bad.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^
That's a valid point backed up with Magnus' Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia (http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/p/ex-wolverine-encyclopedia.html). For the vast majority of transfers (not decommits), they don't amount to much for their new teams, or they bounce around and leave football early. About the only big losses we've had are Cobrani Mixon, who went on to do big things in the MAC, Ryan Mallett, and Mr. DickPlow.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
I guess my post was a bit redundant as I said almost the exact same thing as you with different words. You must be very intelligent or something.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
Matt Guittierez, and maybe a couple other transfers I am forgetting actually played well for other schools, but yes you are right, the vast majority don't ammount to much.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
Justin Fargas of course comes to mind.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Add Cato June to the list.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:46 AM ^
Cato June never transferred?
August 25th, 2011 at 12:03 PM ^
I'm not sure why I remember seeing him play for a different team, but I guess I just didn't remember him coming back after his ACL season.
August 25th, 2011 at 3:12 PM ^
Ryan Mundy?
August 25th, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^
Cobrani Mixon was a two-time first-team MAC linebacker, currently in camp with the Lions.
Sam McGuffie actually had a nice year last year - 883 yards on 196 carries (4.5 per), 39 catches for 380 yards
August 25th, 2011 at 2:39 PM ^
August 25th, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^
Trevor Pryce, good call
August 25th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
I agree with you to a point. While it's obviously not good that players don't want to stay, it's just a fact of life that the demands of top level Division 1 football is not for everyone. These kids have got by on talent and a fair portion of hard work so far in their careers, but when someone who shows up out of shape leaves before they really get started (Posada, Barnett), it's a pretty good sign they were not ready for the work load required.
Touch The Banner does a great series on reviewing 2006 recruiting. The key takeaway is that for each highly ranked recruit who ends up being a high draft pick there are quite a few players who either perform well below expectation or leave the program they end up at. I would much rather these kids find the right college football program now than after spending two years on scholarship at Michigan. Best of luck to them wherever they end up.
August 25th, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^
Does anyone know if there are others who are missing practice and are also thinking of leaving?
August 25th, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^
Ron Thompson, how are you doing?
August 25th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
push for Ron Thompson and add a 3rd TE to the 2012 Class?
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