Exit: Ian Bunting
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:
Ian Bunting announces he’s taking a graduate transfer
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) January 30, 2018
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.]
January 30th, 2018 at 6:30 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^
there you are....
January 30th, 2018 at 9:23 PM ^
Aw, Christ. The Night_King found umbig11. Don't let him touch you, umbig11!
MoDoor! MoDoor!
January 31st, 2018 at 10:14 AM ^
not a surprise. Good luck Ian....
January 31st, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^
About that coaching staff...
January 31st, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^
Looking at the handy depth chart by class and only one of the 5th year guys seems an obvious candidate. Interested to see if we have a couple 3rd year players lapped by youth end up being the remaining attrition.
January 30th, 2018 at 6:36 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 6:41 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 7:02 PM ^
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!
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.
January 30th, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
No matter what we are, we are that?
January 30th, 2018 at 6:55 PM ^
With a big 5th year the next level is still on the table for the young man.
Here's hoping he finds a great opportunity.
January 30th, 2018 at 7:19 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 7:39 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 7:42 PM ^
I really thought he was going to be the heir to Butt. (Butt heir?)
Good luck and god speed.
January 30th, 2018 at 7:42 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 11:06 PM ^
Love Mone, my SLV boy. This is his year. Watch him parlay into a nice NFL career. Great young man.
January 30th, 2018 at 7:48 PM ^
I wish him the best of luck in his other pursuits in life. I still remember him blowing up a would-be-tackler in the 2015 Oregon State game and then running for the first down.
January 30th, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
I wish him well and hope he finds a great landing spot. Best of luck to him.
January 30th, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
I'll be honest: that song and the video are not half bad.
January 31st, 2018 at 1:06 AM ^
I logged in to say the same thing. Thats' a well-done music video. The guys look like naturals. Go kick some butt Ian. Best of luck to you.
January 31st, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 8:05 PM ^
Wish him the best in all his future endeavors. Was hoping he'd get more production last year and hope he gets more playing time whereever he lands. Go Blue!
January 30th, 2018 at 8:14 PM ^
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!
January 31st, 2018 at 1:39 AM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 8:41 PM ^
May you succeed wherever you end up. Go Blue!
January 30th, 2018 at 8:44 PM ^
January 30th, 2018 at 8:49 PM ^
Wish Ian well.
January 30th, 2018 at 11:11 PM ^
That song was actually not bad. Usually white college guy raps are beyond awful.
January 31st, 2018 at 12:19 AM ^
Random tall tight end
January 31st, 2018 at 5:29 AM ^
January 31st, 2018 at 8:29 AM ^
Thank you for what you gave to Michigan and best of luck to you for next year and beyond.
January 31st, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
February 2nd, 2018 at 6:30 AM ^
January 31st, 2018 at 9:18 AM ^
Wish him the best.
Confident that Gentry/McKeon will combine for 65 catches this year
January 31st, 2018 at 9:30 AM ^
Were they grilling in the back of that truck?? Totally not safe.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^
Use of the word "transfer" in these circumstances drives me nuts. He is not transferring. He is going somewhere else for grad school.
February 1st, 2018 at 11:13 AM ^
Is he transferring to a new football program? Is this a common way of phrasing what's going on that you are not going to be able to change?
The answer to both questions is yes.
So....
"Let it go, let it go."
February 1st, 2018 at 10:22 PM ^
January 31st, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
Hope he has a career season somewhere.
Best luck 'ol Skillet hands.
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.
February 1st, 2018 at 12:00 AM ^
January 31st, 2018 at 1:38 PM ^
January 31st, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^
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