Vlad Emilien to Transfer
time for an update
Well-played, Angry Michigan Secondary-Hating God: Scout is reporting that Vlad Emilien is leaving Michigan. This is their Ohio recruiting analyst, FWIW, so it's not someone super-close to the program but he's not a random guy on the internet or bikini model. Details in the header:
Sophomore safety Vlad Emilien has left the Michigan football team, Scout.com learned Wednesday morning. Emilien, out of Plantation, Florida, requested, and was granted, his release Tuesday in a meeting with head coach Rich Rodriguez.
Emilien got some playing time against UConn on their final drive when Michigan went to a prevent package but did not play before that and may not have played at all if Jared Van Slyke had been healthy.
When you're on the depth chart behind a walk-on the writing is on the wall, I guess, but that walk-on is now out for the season, so the depth chart at free safety now reads
- Cam Gordon
- The Howling Nothingness of the Void
Realistically, it means any injury to a safety will see Marvin Robinson move into the starting lineup either at FS or bandit, with Kovacs moving to the deep safety spot that was not such a good idea a year ago. This may have already been the case, but losing Emilien just makes the secondary even flimsier than it is right now.
If I had to guess, this was just an injury/playing time washout. I'd heard persistent rumors that the knee injury never healed right and the Roundtree/Emilien/Jones sprint in the spring game was an eye opener. Hard to believe Michigan's secondary can suffer a PT transfer, but behind a walk-on and all that.
In addition: ARGH.
UPDATE: Tom confirms.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^
of college football, i dont know if a position group has seen so much exodus (due to injuries, transfers, etc) as the michigan secondary from 2008ish-present.
wtf
September 8th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
Dear NCAA,
Please re-abolish the forward pass, effective immediately.
kthxbai.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
But this goes further back than 2008. What year was Justin King or Jai Eugene? The problem is they are now coming for players on our acutal roster instead of guys who are supposed to be on our roster.
WTF indeed.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
I'm too lazy to look up the numbers and do the math, so how screwed are we on APR with Turner, White and Vlad transferring?
September 8th, 2010 at 11:30 AM ^
We need to get a running estimation.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
This is just baffling to me.
Some of the transfers, you can see what the kid's thought process was, even though you may disagree with it... but with Van Slyke out, Vlad was going to be looking at serious playing time this year.
It just makes no sense at all.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
Couldn't agree more - same thing with Turner who with a few weeks of legitimately working out probably would have started after Troy went down.
There's gotta be something else going on
September 8th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
but now, I don't think I can. I don't know what it is, but it IME it can't be just personal issues for each guy and coincidence--the numbers are too high to make it random. There is s cultural/coaching/IDK aspect I think.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:27 PM ^
As much as I hate to say it, I was thinking the same thing.
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
I want to give the coaching staff the benefit of the doubt. But, can all of this attrition really be coincidental or extenuating circumstance?
I don't know what it is, but, I really am starting to think there has to be *something* else going on. I don't want to. But red flags are going up.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:33 PM ^
i think it's called hard work. IMO, RR gives PT to the guys who work hard and earn it; not based on recruiting stars or rankings. how else do explain all the PT from walk-ons? if this isn't reminiscent of Bo, i don't know what is.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:42 AM ^
So are there going to be open tryouts on campus for Cam's backup? Oye vey
September 8th, 2010 at 11:24 AM ^
Yes, actually.
Football To Hold Fall Walk-On Tryouts
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090810aaa.html
How fast are you and do you have any eligibility remaining?
September 8th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
What's Shazor doing these days? He has some time left. I'll chip in on the tuition.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^
I've got 4 years left, and a good motor, but stubby legs. Although my pad level is excellent which might make up for it.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:44 AM ^
It's hard to determine what caused what here. In general, I have very little respect for these underclassmen who see others ahead of them on the depth chart at Michigan and decide to leave. Maybe they're low on the depth chart and that's why they leave. Maybe they are unmotivated to work hard and therefore end up low on the depth chart (Justin Turner?) and decide to leave. I actually have a little bit of sympathy for the first group, those who come here and then just realize that they're not good enough. Austin White probably falls into that category. Vlad and Justin Turner seem to both be in a good situation when it comes to potential playing time, but just didn't want to put the work in to contribute to the team winning. That's disappointing, but they're probably not the kind of players who will be missed.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
to this kid even after he wrecked his knee his senior year in HS. Now he wants to transfer? Does he think he will have a chance to go Pro by playing somewhere else? Or even get a better education??
/shakes head disapprovingly. frowns.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
Perhaps he could compete at this level before his injury and he absolutly knows he can't compete now. Who wants to look bad in front of 110,000 people every home game for the rest of your career? Why not transfer to a smaller school where you can compete with a little slower group of kids and get a good education to boot?
Yeah, it sure sucks that he left, but where he goes will be telling. I wish him the best wherever it is he ends up.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:06 PM ^
Per Tom VH twitter, Vlad is looking at UCLA, Duke, VIrginia, Oregon, and Boston College. This kid clearly thinks he can compete at a high level (UCLA, Oregon), at least a BCS level (Duke, VA, BC). This is likely where the conflict lies - the Michigan staff doesn't agree that he can compete, he wants to prove them wrong.
September 8th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^
Now that he has his release, let's see if those places will actually take him.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^
It's hard to determine what caused what here. In general, I have very little respect for these underclassmen who see others ahead of them on the depth chart at Michigan and decide to leave. Maybe they're low on the depth chart and that's why they leave. Maybe they are unmotivated to work hard and therefore end up low on the depth chart (Justin Turner?) and decide to leave. I actually have a little bit of sympathy for the first group, those who come here and then just realize that they're not good enough. Austin White probably falls into that category. Vlad and Justin Turner seem to both be in a good situation when it comes to potential playing time, but just didn't want to put the work in to contribute to the team winning. That's disappointing, but they're probably not the kind of players who will be missed.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:14 AM ^
Can Marvin play deep safety too (at least before Kovaks)?
September 8th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
Ahhh, fuck it.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:18 AM ^
Richard Nixon, come on down!!!
September 8th, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^
AMSHG, touche...
September 8th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
Doesn't appear to be a "closer to home" kinda deal either. TomVH says Vlad is looking at UCLA, Boston College, Duke, Oregon and Virginia.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
might as well do it at UCLA. Pretty girls and beaches. Smart move Vlad, smart move.
Realistically, he is not going to play for ANY of these schools.. maybe Duke.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
going to make his knee stronger and enable him to run faster? I thought his (lack of) speed was partially to blame for him being out of the 2-deep at safety.
There has to be a LOT more to this story.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
Some of this has to be coach/player relationships in the mix somewhere. I know RR and Gibson have been best friends forever, but maybe we need a change there, maybe someone who can identify better to get these kids through the rough patches instead of transferring. We don't need dead weight, but I have not heard anything bad re: Vlad. Hell, at least play the year out before leaving. You have already started.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
I feel like over the past couple of years we were able to sell these kids on guaranteed playing time in a pretty thin defense. I guess...now...we can keep doing this?
September 8th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
Never before have I seen a position plagued by attrition, injury and just shitty luck. Damn.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
what ever happened to the days when freshman waited two years to play and were happy
September 8th, 2010 at 9:26 PM ^
Rivals rankings started coming out and *poof* youngsters demand starting positions. Frickin' internetz.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
Ok, this sucks that he is transferring. Every transfer sucks but this one confuses the crap out of me. Did he forget that Van Slyke was out for the year? With him out he could have gotten better by getting game experience and have the potential to be a solid backup.
I am about ready to try out for the football team even though I only played one year of organized football, I think any body for depth would do right about now.
This is INSANE.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
The Grady Brooks Memorial Spring Hype Award should be renamed. Maizeman/coachbt couldn't stop talking about how he was a star in the making in '09 spring. (insert hurr hurr here)
September 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
For crashing the site, too.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
Guess some of these kids don't care about a degree from one of the world's finest institutions. Football may last a few years (maybe a little longer if they're NFL caliber), but a degree lasts a lifetime. Avery Walls just became priority #1 for this recruiting class.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
for anything after Saturday, he may need to work on his "coach-can-I-be-released-from-the-program" meeting philosophy a little. Is he asking them to stay? Does he perhaps suggest that the team may need them? For every impressive victory over UConn, there is a......
Come on man.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
I'm beginning to think there's a serious problem with our DBs coach. According to Mike Martin (who is a family friend), that was the sole reason Donovan left early...he couldn't stand playing for Gibson. Said he taught him nothing.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^
... and that worked out great for him, didn't it? Maybe he should have stuck around until he was taught.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
there is something underlying all of this. Even the explanation of "he wasn't in shape" when it comes to JT. Well, why wasn't he? How does a guy with a Michigan f#%king tattoo all of the sudden not care about Michigan football? Why does Vlad transfer now. That was just a huge win. These things do not add up, and can no longer be put on the gods. There is something up here.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^
I thought GERG was coaching up the secondary now.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:21 PM ^
you're thinking of linebackers
September 8th, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
Inside info
September 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
So I guess the improvement this season is that Angry Michigan Hating God works weekdays, not weekends.
Maybe I should go out for the team, I was a terrible safety and haven't played in a good 6 years, but I could run around with a bulleyes on my chest and try to draw fire away from valuable players.
"Hey, hey over here, I'm the starter, not Kovacs! Me, I'm number one on the depth..OH GOD MY KNEE!"
September 8th, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^
We want your in-laws. Preferably, armed.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^
Unless I missed one in the practice clips, I never got to see a single "impalement". (sigh)
September 8th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^
.... will see significant playing time.
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