Exit Willie Allen
Former Louisiana Tech and LSU offensive tackle Willie Allen, a grad transfer who just finished spring practice, has entered the transfer portal again, according to multiple reports:
Well that was a quick stay --- Michigan OL Willie Allen is in the transfer portal. He was a grad transfer to Michigan from Louisiana Tech and just went through spring ball
— angelique (@chengelis) April 23, 2021
Given the timing and what (scant) reports we've seen from spring football, my assumption is Allen didn't believe he was leading for a starting job—the former four-star has NFL aspirations that won't be realized by riding bench in his final season of eligibility.
Michigan should still be in good shape at OT. Ryan Hayes is a returning starter with NFL upside, Karsen Barnhart and Trente Jones are emerging talents, and Andrew Stueber has starting experience at tackle if the best five puts him there instead of guard. Allen's transfer is hopefully a sign that the young tackles are breaking through.
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At least he received a world-class education while he was here!
April 24th, 2021 at 12:44 PM ^
Given all the reported difficulties of transfers getting past admissions, how do we know he was actually admitted as a grad student?
April 24th, 2021 at 11:58 PM ^
You’re old.
Well for starters, the reported issues of transfers having trouble passing through admissions are referring to undergrad transfers. Grad transfers don’t have the same issue because they don’t require credits transferring, as they already have their undergraduate degree.
"Allen's transfer is hopefully a sign that the young tackles are breaking through."
Sure, let's go with that!
Hey, off-season optimism is the only kind of optimism we have. That and "trashed a bad opponent week 1" optimism.
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:10 PM ^
If there is one place on offense where there is talent, depth and experience, it's absolutely OT.
Sure, he could hate the coaching staff and the offense, but it honestly seems more likely he's chasing playing time.
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:48 PM ^
But if the guy who just transferred here to play has decided he won't be playing, that's likely a good sign. If he was going to be a starter, he wouldn't be leaving now. I'm not happy he's leaving but the fact that he's leaving is likely a good sign.
April 23rd, 2021 at 11:41 PM ^
It is certainly the most likely explanation. It's highly unlikely that he would be transferring if he thought he had a reasonable chance of starting.
"These are the strongest and quickest OTs we've had at Michigan".
We hear it every god damn offseason.
That speedy a transfer sure seems like someone who didn't find what he was looking for. I wish him well and hope it's a sign that we don't need him.
We’ll be fine, with or without him.
Should we expect a "UM For Life" post?
Yeah, it's hard to read it as anything more than he wanted to be a starter and wasn't looking good on that front. Good luck to him wherever he lands, but I take this as a good sign the offensive line is in decent shape.
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:21 PM ^
If true, and I’m not agreeing it is, seems like a strange misjudgment on both the staff’s and Allen’s part.
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:27 PM ^
He came in before the season and likely thought he had a chance at a starting spot once the transfer went through this season. But that was under a different line coach and also different expectations. The fact that little was heard about him and the little chatter I did see was mostly "he was out of shape" points to perhaps someone who wasn't quite ready for the jump in competition. I do wish him luck and my guess is he'll land somewhere else pretty quickly; I wouldn't be shocked if it's MSU since they seem to be taking basically anyone who has stepped foot in the state for more than a week.
April 24th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
But that was under a different line coach and also different expectations.
I think this is an overlooked factor—whatever their strengths and weaknesses as coaches, it's surely the case that Warinner and Moore have different approaches and expectations. Maybe Allen didn't like working under Moore's.
April 23rd, 2021 at 11:48 PM ^
I don't see how it was a misjudgment by the staff to give him a chance to earn a shot. he had a reasonable resume. Although he was obviously wrong, I also don't think Allen could have known how good his competition would be until he got to see them in action.
Rumors are floating around that he came in a bit out of shape as well.
Probably from all the Mt Dew and Backroom Pizza he was eating while getting his Master's Degree. It's tough getting a world class education and be a football player. I chose to drink Mt Dew and eat pizza because Coach wouldn't put me in during State's. Now watch me throw this football over them there mountains.
We hardly knew thee
Lmfao oh, okay. Hope this is good news for the OL talent, not tooooo worried. Just funny to have a guy transfer to a school and then from said school in the span of months, with no games played.
He’s a spy!!
Would be the least surprising thing in the world to see him go to msu next
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:00 PM ^
Good luck to him!
A transfer that actually is great news for the program. . . this is a strange feeling.
*gazes at cornerback roster* Ah, that's better. Back to normal.
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:42 PM ^
Of the various weird things that are going on with players and the portal these days, this has to be one of the weirder ones.
Which is frankly disappointing. They keep calling it a portal; is it too much to hope for a gorram triceratops with eligibility to step through the damn thing? You think a triceratops couldn’t handle a double team?
April 24th, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
Everyone knows you have to quadruple team a triceratops to ensure at least one blocker isn't gored to death and all.
Well Mike Danna was a find... So I'd say we are par for the course.
April 23rd, 2021 at 10:54 PM ^
He's just super pissed about no spring game.
April 24th, 2021 at 12:00 AM ^
Uh...okay. Good times.
It seemed weird when Allen transferred in since offensive line recruiting and development has been a strength of the program overall. So I guess uh, best of luck to him and congrats to the team on having a scholarship spot they can fill with someone at a position of need
Good luck Willie!
When did he join the team? Cause he commuted before the 2020 season, and presumably could have finished his degree from LA Tech online. So was he around the football facilities over the winter? Or did he just show up to spring camp?
April 24th, 2021 at 11:46 AM ^
Thoughts and prayers.
Hilarious.
hardly knew ya
I take this as he was a backup. And I’ll take that as a food thing.
Imagine if the institution would get out of the way and make it easier for freshman and transfers to attend Michigan. We could be elite. We are talking about less than 100 student athletes a year that would be admitted with special considerations. Admitting these student wouldn't hurt our academic reputation. I argue it would allow Michigan to avoid falling into mediocrity in athletics. Thoughts? Let's face it, an Elite football program and athletic department will only increase the Michigan brand worldwide.
Nothing about Michigan football excites me anymore.
April 25th, 2021 at 10:17 AM ^
Is it true we have twice the transfers that OSU has had in the last year (or so)?
April 25th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
His jersey number will always hold a special place in my heart.
Dear Mr. Allen. We barely knew ye.
Fare thee well. (Fair thee well?)
Good luck, sir.
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