Exit Dylan McCaffrey, Nico Collins
Nico Collins is out:
SI's Albert Breer reports that Michigan receiver Nico Collins has signed with NFL super-agent Drew Rosenhaus.
— Aaron McMann (@AaronMcMann) September 16, 2020
It appears Collins has played his last game in Ann Arbor. https://t.co/pRcKNkh76w
This is extremely bad news, but at least you don't have to see me tweet THROW IT TO NICO 500 times this November.
Dylan McCaffrey is out:
Confirmed with a source that Michigan quarterback Dylan McCaffrey is opting out and seeking a transfer. He'll have two years of eligibility remaining.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) September 16, 2020
Whether this is regular bad news or extremely bad news will become clear over the course of the season. Losing McCaffrey means the QB depth chart is Joe Milton, now the presumed starter, Cade McNamara, and a true freshman Michigan picked up in a late scramble after JD Johnson was forced to medically retire.
Milton is acquiring a lot of offseason hype; this could be an indicator he has improved vastly over the past couple years and McCaffrey didn't want to stick around. That's the optimistic take. The less optimistic take is that McCaffrey left for whatever reason and now Milton is being handed the job more or less by default.
There is no content after the jump.
September 16th, 2020 at 5:02 PM ^
How does one lose their starting job (which they never held) while doing drills in Shorts and a T Shirt? All the best to Dylan, but something just doesn't square up for me.
September 16th, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
You can tell quite a bit from T-shirt and shorts for certain positions. The more physical spots, no. But if Milton is showing better arm, better grasp of the playbook, and more confidence, that says a lot. Enough to put him in the lead for the QB spot. I doubt the staff went ahead and named him the starter at this point, but the writing was probably on the wall. From everything we’ve heard, Milton has been lights out so far. Could simply be that at this stage Milton has put himself ahead and McCaffrey doesn’t have the self-confidence that he can beat out what Milton is bringing.
Not to mention Milton put the work in during the off-season with Michigan receivers while McCaffrey was off in Colorado. So Milton has likely built a rapport with the receivers and has their confidence as well. Coaches notice things like that.
September 16th, 2020 at 11:53 PM ^
YMMV, but for me QB is one position not to put to much stock in what happens in t-shirts and shorts. There's a big difference at QB between playing in t-shirts and shorts against your teammates and playing in pads on Saturdays with a 300lb defender barreling down wanting to rip your head off.
September 17th, 2020 at 6:20 AM ^
For sure. I’m not saying you should put too much stock in it, and you certainly can’t tell EVERYTHING you need to know, but you still get a lot of useful information. Again, arm ability, playbook knowledge, command, and confidence isn’t going to change a whole lot. You’re missing some key components but you’re building quite a lot of base information. Not enough to name a starter, but at least enough to say one guy has a lead.
And again, McCaffrey isn’t blind. If Milton is indeed out there lighting it up, Dylan is going to see that. He’s going to have the self-awareness to know whether he is playing at that level or if he is even able to play at that level. Dylan can see the writing on the wall without the coaching staff explicitly naming Milton the starter at this point. Which is probably the most likely case because Harbaugh is not known for calling QB competitions this far out from the first game.
September 16th, 2020 at 8:08 PM ^
Angelique hinted that it's more "nuanced" than that, but I have no clue what she could mean. You're right that it seems like we're missing a key bit of info here.
September 17th, 2020 at 7:42 AM ^
When? There's no camp yet?
September 17th, 2020 at 8:12 AM ^
it's a FREE season.
September 16th, 2020 at 3:56 PM ^
This might sound odd, but what a frustrating, disappointing wr class that ended up being. By disappointing I mean we never saw anyone's true potential. Smh
September 16th, 2020 at 4:00 PM ^
Frustrating and disappointing are definitely understatements for that best in school history (by ratings) class.
September 16th, 2020 at 5:24 PM ^
I remember Sam Webb dogging Ohio State when the DPJ/Collins WR class came in. He was talking shit about how it doesn't make sense for big time receivers to play for Ohio State because they don't utilize the position in a big enough way.
I guess that really turned into a case of pot calling the kettle black.
September 16th, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
IIRC - Sam’s point was Michigan’s offense used more complex routes than OSU and Michigan receivers would be better prepared for the NFL. Thus, big time receiver should come to Michigan. I also think that was before Gattis.
September 16th, 2020 at 11:15 PM ^
tOSU’s receivers haven’t done shit in the NFL. /s
September 17th, 2020 at 9:15 AM ^
IK,R? Guys I never heard of are starting in the NFL like McLarin in Washington. Dude stepped on the field four times in his career there and is now WR1 in DC. I exaggerate.
September 16th, 2020 at 5:25 PM ^
You might be basing your position too much on recruiting rankings. We got decent glimpses of everyone:
* DPJ: Great athlete, very good returner, very good (but maybe not great) receiver. He got picked in the NFL draft at least.
* Tarik: I can understand complaining here because of his injuries. Still, we at least got an idea of his true potential (good to very good). I hope he does well at Texas.
* Nico: No complaints here. He didn't get enough targets, but we got a great look at what he is (future pro).
* Martin: He got on the field and was at least an OK receiver. Transferred to Iowa, now a walk-on at Nebraska. What might we be missing?
September 16th, 2020 at 8:12 PM ^
Being disappointed about Nico not reaching his potential is not about Nico it's about the offenses failure to maximize his potential. That's the complaint for both him and DPJ. Didn't see enough of them in a pass happy offense.
September 16th, 2020 at 5:55 PM ^
I think the phrase you're seeking is profoundly disappointing shading towards a bust. Not a real bust, like Derrick Green or TWJ, but substantially less than advertised. Given that it's each and every one of the most hyped Michigan WR class in recent memory, the woulda/coulda/shouda factor is right up there with "quarterback whisperer" Harbaugh's production at QB.
Don't get me wrong. I still think the program is right on the cusp, and that Harbaugh is the right man for the job (if he can't do it, no one can). The program has been cursed with the damdest run of just the right level of bad luck at just the wrong time. My head says the good times are just around the corner; my heart is having a PTSD flashback.
PS: Harbaugh and Gattis HAD BETTER BE RIGHT about Milton being a better QB that McCaffrey. If it goes the other way: (1) Harbaugh is a complete idiot about QBs, and (unlikely as it seems) everything he did at every stop before Michigan is a mirage; (2) for whatever reason, every single FB head coach Michigan hires will have the worst performance of his career (by miles and miles) at our stop; (3) maybe it's not them, maybe it's us; (4) leave the B1G and drop down to D1 FCS. The Ivies are doing fine at that level.
September 17th, 2020 at 1:18 PM ^
USERNAME checks out.
September 16th, 2020 at 11:31 PM ^
This might sound odd, but what a frustrating, disappointing wr class that ended up being.
Kinda like the LB class of '12 (Ross, RJS, & Bolden) and the '13 o-line class (Kugler, Bosch, Dawson, Fox, & LTT)? This theme has reoccurred quite a few times over in recent history.
September 17th, 2020 at 1:57 AM ^
So true, three absolute studs and a sleeper in whats his name iowa double transfer. All do practically nothing due to injuries, bad qbs, and whatever DPJs problem was.
September 16th, 2020 at 3:57 PM ^
How do you wait all summer and into the fall and then decide you're going pro the day the B1G ten announces it's actually going to play?
I choose to take the McCaffrey news as a positive and that he was simply passed not only by Milton but by McNamara.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:26 PM ^
I'd assume that Collins wanted to come back this season. Then the season got cancelled and he has been looking into declaring for the draft, and looking into agents. Took some time to decide. Decided, chose an agent, didn't announce anything and then the season got un-cancelled and it's too late.
September 16th, 2020 at 5:53 PM ^
I think this has to be the case. That tweet says he already signed with an agent. That didn't just happen today, probably happened a couple weeks ago but there was no need to announce it until now. Nico has always come off as a classy guy who doesn't seek out attention, so would seem to be in line with his personality.
September 17th, 2020 at 10:02 AM ^
This is correct. Nico had an agent well before this public announcement.
September 16th, 2020 at 7:20 PM ^
But how is it he could have been passed definitively at this point? They haven’t really even gone head-to-head in practice this year. Basically, fall camp is just now starting. All this stuff we hear about Milton pulling ahead? It’s not really even logistically possible. There’s a piece missing here.
September 16th, 2020 at 7:58 PM ^
You know they’ve been practicing for over a month right? The team went ahead with practices as normal even when the season was postponed. It’s essentially been an extended fall camp with limited full-pad practices.
September 16th, 2020 at 3:58 PM ^
I definitely understand surefire first and second rounders opting out but a player like Nico opting out surprises me. Doesn't seem like he is locked into that range at all and could benefit from showing more to NFL scouts.
September 16th, 2020 at 8:03 PM ^
The likely answer to that is that he saw the season was postponed, wasn’t playing in the spring, so he decided to find an agent. Found one, signed, and then the B1G moved the season up and now it’s too late for Nico. Probably the same thing Mayfield did, Nico just didn’t announce anything publicly. Ambry is a bit different in that he opted out for health reasons.
Basically, Nico isn’t opting out because he’s comfortable with his draft grade, he’s opting out because a January season heading right into the draft doesn’t really benefit ANY draftees. Playing a season and heading right into rookie camp and into a long NFL season would be killer on the body. Even a 9-10 game conference schedule and you’d have been looking at 26-30 games in a calendar year.
September 16th, 2020 at 3:58 PM ^
Okay. Maybe we watch for the pleasure of watching the team we root for play.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:27 PM ^
Agreed. I'm also just curious to see the progression of the offense. Yes, there will be some busted plays because we're replacing the entire O-line and QB, but I'm curious to see the progression in play-calling, structure and tempo. I hope to see a lot of Sainristil, Evans, Jackson, etc. getting frequent mismatches and busting chunk plays. I'm excited to see a lot of the young guys we've been reading about - sad the DPJ, Nico and Tarik didn't get the opportunity we wanted them to - but looking forward to seeing the progression overall.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:56 PM ^
Sad to say this, but it's going to be hard to see much progression through all the suck. On paper, this is probably Harbaugh's weakest team, and there are question marks all over. Plus, no non-con games to figure things out and boost the record.
I'd consider games against PSU, Wisc, and Minn toss-ups at best. OSU is a sure loss. Could be looking at 3-4 losses in 9 games.
I know I'll get negged for saying that, but oh well.
September 16th, 2020 at 11:33 PM ^
Hey man, you asked for it.
September 16th, 2020 at 5:02 PM ^
So are you new to the blog, or just Michigan fandom in general?
September 16th, 2020 at 4:00 PM ^
College football has become nothing more than practice NFL. I'm gonna have a hard time ever coming back from all of that. It's dead, AFAIC. Hope I'm wrong (and deep down idk how I'd ever be able to not care anymore but I guess we'll see what happens).
September 16th, 2020 at 4:10 PM ^
Then you have teams like Clemson, OSU, and Bama who have surefire first rounders that stay for extra years and win championships
How do you explain them
September 16th, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
Opportunities to win a national title. Michigan doesn’t REALLY have that. Maybe slightly, but not as guaranteed as those three.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:25 PM ^
Jerry Jeudy played in the citrus bowl last year. We couldn't get Higdon to play in a NY6 bowl
September 16th, 2020 at 9:11 PM ^
It really ought to be crystal clear to anyone even half paying attention that there's a definitely some kind of program cultural difference between Michigan and the programs that are constantly in contention for the national championship.
I won't even pretend to know exactly what all the differences are and or why, but it's just not the same. It doesn't look the same on the field, it doesn't look the same in the locker room, it doesn't look the same on the recruiting trail, and it doesn't look the same in the off-season. Teams like Ohio State, Clemson, Bama, LSU, Georgia, even Oklahoma, etc. seem to all have a singular focus...football. Be the best. Do whatever it takes. Don't take "no" for an answer, etc.
Whereas here at Michigan, it just seems like we're trying to be the Ivy League of public schools. We want to have our cake and eat it too and that just doesn't seem like a realistic possibility. Whatever the root foundational program differences are, there just seems to be some kind of wall standing in our way that we can't go around, over, or through. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of coaches we get, what kind of scheme we run, or what kind of recruits we get...the results are always the same. Average to slightly above average, never winning the conference, and losing the bowl game to almost every opponent. It seems like college football changed in the early 2000s and it just doesn't feel like we've quite caught up to what the best teams are doing...always a day late and a dollar short :/
September 17th, 2020 at 9:17 AM ^
Be Best I think you meant.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:26 PM ^
A couple of theories, and I'll even leave out the idea of $$ as powerful retainer:
- It's a little easier to sell a guy on the allure of returning for a championship than returning for a merely adequate season.
- It's a little easier to play school at OSU, Bama, and Clemson than it is a UM. I'm sure guys who aren't really at UM for a degree are eager to tap out as soon as they can. From first-hand experience (one semester) I can tell you that OSU was hell of a lot less stress than UM. It's a fine school, but there isn't that level of OMG!!! that just permeates UM student culture. I can't imagine putting up with that bullshit if I was an athlete headed to the pros.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:54 PM ^
I think this is the reality of it. UM just isn't going where OSU, Bama, and Clemson are...better to accept it and look for those who want to buy in.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:17 PM ^
I think cash is a pretty persuasive explanation. Remember back in the day when Jim McMahon said of some of his BYU teammates that they took a pay cut when they signed as NFL rookies. I'm sure he was exaggerating to get attention, because Jim McMahon, but I have no problem believing the "salaries" of key players the boosters don't want to turn pro just yet are substantial.
Shaquil O'Neal said of his LSU playing days that he was paid very well.
Finally, someone explain to me Greg McElroy. In 2009 he won a NC with Alabama. The QB draft class that year was considered to be weak; the QB class the following year (when he was drafted) was loaded, with Cam Newton drafted #1 overall. With nothing left to win in CFB (he wasn't winning the Heismann as a game-manager QB) after 2009, and a better draft situation; HE CAME BACK FOR THE NEXT CFB SEASON! You can't tell me no one paid him, a lot, to come back.
Bottom line: the evil empire programs suffer less attrition of key players because they pay them to stick around. It doesn't take differential equations to explain it.
September 16th, 2020 at 11:44 PM ^
If something happens that makes very little sense otherwise, I just assume that money is involved.
This goes well beyond the topic at hand, but it certainly applies.
College ball is basically dead to me now...the pandemic has buried whatever fandom I had left. It has been taking over by a relentless monster money machine - and I mean both the money we know about and the money we don't but very clearly exists in most places, especially the SEC.
Maybe my attitude will change once it starts, I dunno. I'm feeling pretty jaded about it right now.
September 16th, 2020 at 7:59 PM ^
Money...
September 16th, 2020 at 5:17 PM ^
im in the same boat. i feel as if im at the showing and traditional college football is lying in the casket. ill mourn for a while, maybe even cry...but will then move on without college football. sad.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:01 PM ^
So we're one positive test away from Cade McNamara throwing jump balls to Giles Jackson
That should go well against OSU
September 16th, 2020 at 4:13 PM ^
Or two from it being the unnamed Freshman Brian mentioned. Overall, it will fun to watch them play, get a lot of young guys experience, and look forward to 2021. Beating OSU was a very tall task this year no matter what.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:28 PM ^
This is probably just wishful thinking due to a slew of bad news... but srlsy, wouldn't 2020 be the year for Michigan to just start paying players and tell the NCAA to go pound sand?
We need to level the playing field... this year has a giant asterisk anyway... and so many people are occupied with so many more important things that this wouldn't really have an opportunity to become that much of a scandal and occupy news cycles (thank you COVID & politics!)
IMO time to just "rip off the band-aid" and deal with the consequences, if any!
September 16th, 2020 at 4:35 PM ^
I for one am banking on Milton being a surprise Hesiman finalist and OSU not having a QB available the day of the game due to COVID testing.
A guy can dream.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:21 PM ^
Cade is no slouch. Why dump on our player here?
And the freshman mentioned is Dan Villari.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:37 PM ^
Hahaha that's what I fully expect at this point, only thing is Joe will be doing really well in 5 games and then test positive to sit out the last three.
Then of course OSU will not have a single positive and boat race everyone to win the NC...
Comments