Giles Jackson in the Transfer Portal
Oh no, say it ain’t so G5!
— Giles Jackson (@gilesjackson05) March 29, 2021
Michigan’s electrifying kick returner and starting slot receiver Giles Jackson is in the transfer portal, confirming rumors that popped up last week on the Rivals board. Jackson had been sitting out of spring practice with an injury, presumably creating an opportunity for classmate Mike Sainristil and AJ Henning from the class behind them to pass Jackson for spread H duties.
The damage to the MGoSouls here is probably far worse than the effect on the team, which has the afore mentioned plus 2021 recruits Xavier Worthy and Donovan Edwards who can fulfill those offensive roles, even now that announcers have finally learned to tell them apart.
Unfortunately it will be a lot harder to replace Jackson as a returner. Guys Alabama refuses to kick to don’t grow on trees.
We are fools for jitterbugs with attitude around here, and that was Jackson’s game. A Pep Hamilton commit, we had high expectations for Jackson when Pep was shunted aside for Josh Gattis, whose #SpeedInSpace philosophy seemed a perfect match for Jackson’s skillset. Indeed the moments he was unleashed against linebackers went tented-fingersingly swell:
Last year he played more of an outside role as instances when his speed and slipperiness were allowed to shine proved increasingly rare—we had him charted on 12 passes last year, a third of them ruled uncatchable. He was absent for the Penn State game.
We’ll of course be rooting hard for him wherever he goes. Even when Giles Jackson is down, he’s not down.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Good luck to him.
Beat UCLA!
March 29th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
Came here for the FSU recap and instead I get this? Why Michigan Football always gotta harsh my mellow.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
I mean. Seriously WTF. Kid was recruiting for us. And then bolts??
March 29th, 2021 at 12:20 PM ^
That is weird. It's why I don't quite get the whole "Michigan has a toxic culture" talk from people around here. Unless the team chemistry changed suddenly in the past 3-4 months, it's unlikely Jackson would have spent so long pushing kids from CA to come here and then immediately transfer.
Pure speculation: He got injured, decided to rest a bit too long for the odd, mercurial head coach, and suddenly found himself on the "outside" for no good reason. Said "$#@& this" and decided to leave.
Just what we needed - conclusions about something without any basis. No information to support what you propose? No problem! Just make something up.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:34 PM ^
Rivals writers seem to insinuate that HE was part of the toxic culture. Not the other way around.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
I know that I should be getting used to players moving around from program to program. But it would still be nice to hang onto the good ones.
Good luck to him... unless he's playing against us.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:49 AM ^
Foot...ball?
What's this?
March 29th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
Fudge!
March 29th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
He can transfer from Michigan, but never from my heart.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
Well, shit.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^
I swear the 'disappointing results' from the last 6 years of WR and RB recruits [either underperformance, transferring, etc, regardless of reason], is going to be truly the story of the offense in this era.
QB problems get the attention, but the rest of offensive skill positions not working out have really been a problem.
Remember Derrick Green...
March 29th, 2021 at 12:02 PM ^
First, I absolutely love Michigan football.
I am a big proponent of NOT saying negative things about the program especially as a fan & on this here blog.
Players & coaches are going to come & go much more freely than in past decades.
It is just a fact of the current rules and modern game.
No more "falling in love with #1 Anthony Carter" - - - the cult of college football is dead.
My point is that if we fans trash (even in the slightest way) our program, then we're adding fuel to our rivals and opponents ultimately.
This said, something is wrong. Coaching, culture, something.
The best football players anywhere should be begging to come play at Michigan, for Michigan and STAY at Michigan (at least 3 years).
I hope this team finds a culture of brotherhood & re-ignites the truest concept of "the Team" & then, hopefully we will see the consistent winning of games again.
Go Blue.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:11 PM ^
If Anthony Carter had come here in 2019 instead of 1979, he'd have transferred after his freshman year. He had 17 receptions in only 9 games on an 8-4 team that lost to Purdue, OSU, and UNC to end the season. He would have had people in his ear screaming that he was underutilized, that Schembechler was too stupid to know what to do with him, and the TD against Indiana was meaningless.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:28 PM ^
Jerry jeudy had 14 receptions as a freshman
Henry Ruggs had 12
Kyle Pitts had 3
The difference is if the players have faith that they will progress at that program and get their chances...That faith, or belief, or benefit of the doubt has not gone to Harbaugh as of late it seems.
It's also another sign that the vast majority of these highly-recruited players don't really give a flying eff about the educational institution they commit to, or the specifics of the education that the institution makes available. They're in college solely to be prepped for the NFL, and where they get that prepping is completely unrelated to the academics—it's just irrelevant. When they feel that their NFL prepping isn't going to their satisfaction, there's no real connection to the institution to enable them to get past what might be transitory issues.
I would point out that Jackson isn't a freshman here; he's coming off two years and his role clearly diminished as a receiver as last year progressed. That's not his fault per se and absolutely the offensive issues last year fall on the coaches to a large degree, but a junior deciding to transfer because he sees his touches being further limited by guys behind him isn't all that atypical. I think Jackson will do well where he lands but comparing him to more highly-rated guys at different stages of their careers isn't the most relevant here.
Exactly. Brilliant perspective & post Don.
'til my last breath...
Go Blue.
Actually I think the story was AC wanted to leave and was homesick after his freshman year and Bo had to sit tell him no way are leaving.
March 29th, 2021 at 10:09 PM ^
Except Jackson isnt a freshman
I don’t think it’s the culture of Michigan. I think it’s the culture of college football now. If these kids are not the stars after a year or two and get passed on depth charts they jump into the portal and hope the grass is greener somewhere else Every program has this happening it is what college football has become anymore
Anybody that doesn't agree there is something wrong with this program I've got nothing for ya. I don't know how much or what prood you need. Smh
This exactly
What's going on here - Jackson played So did Charbonnet and Turner. McCaffery would have been the starting QB by week 3 or 4.
Something doesn't add up that all these kids in skill positions on the offensive side of the ball bail early.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:02 PM ^
With the new transfer rules, this is going to be the new normal, I suppose. It will be difficult to retain starter-quality depth without a little per$uasion.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:31 PM ^
Or you could just put players in a position to succeed so that they have faith that staying at the program is a better move than transferring....
Except you don't see starter-level players leaving the elite programs at nearly the same frequency, even though they have more roster competition.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:03 PM ^
Soaring numbers in the transfer portals across sports are in large part a reflection of the lost year of COVID. If bonds and relationships were not solid before lockdown, it was awfully hard to build them. If tension or issues existed beforehand, it was hard to resolve them.
I feel for all the college kids trying to make their way thru an unprecedented period in our time. Some of the decisions have obvious roots, and some will be inexplicable. I hope all these kids receive the support and guidance they deserve and find success with their decisions.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
It's particularly tough for kids far from home. I don't know where Jackson will wind up but I imagine being largely restricted to Michigan for the year while being thousands of miles away from your home has to be tough.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:16 PM ^
Yeah, they'll notice the loss at returner quite a bit, and that sucks. The receiver part is less concerning, but obviously depth is important. I wish him luck wherever he goes.
March 29th, 2021 at 12:22 PM ^
Alabama has 5 stars sitting for 3 years and we can't retain a starter. Ugh.
Yes, compare us to Alabama and act like its a reasonable and fair comparison.
March 30th, 2021 at 10:42 AM ^
Except Giles wasn’t a starter anymore
No way.....yeah, he was losing ground to other players.
“No way” because he was not actually losing ground to other players?
Or he was losing ground to other players?
Should this cause even more bpone re Xavier Worthy? I thought Giles was leading the recruiting charge for X, who apparently the school admin has still not admitted to UM yet?
This is ridiculous. I just have a real problem with the ease of transfer. Athletes need to be held accountable for their decisions. I get leaving early to get paid, I get leaving if buried on the depth chart as an upper classmen...but one and done starters has to stop. How will these kids learn commitment, pride, competitiveness with your teammates...how to rise above adversity? Can there just please be a rule that no one can enter the portal once spring football starts? So, post bowl game through spring practice. Done. Perhaps there is a limit of how many can enter? Based on percentage of scholarships? This is crazy...Chris Perry is the best example of gritting it out. He never regretted it until his 50th carry against MSU.
Not sure if serious?
kids transferring whenever they want is great for holding programs accountable. Coaches can’t tell as many lies on the recruiting trail. Coaches can now be accountable for what they say to their players and how they treat them. Without transfers all any coach had to do was get the kid locked in to his/her tender aid package and then anything could happen and there was nothing the kid could do about it. Do you think coaches figured that out and took full advantage of it? Do you think they cared if it hurt the kid when they could rationalize it as solidifying their career for their own families? Sure not all coaches acted this way but why not allow recourse against the ones who do?
one heinously egregious example that comes to mind, if there were a trainer or doctor or coach acting especially criminal/unethical towards the athletes of a particular team, and that lead to a bunch of players immediately transferring don’t you think the coach or school would act a lot quicker on it than we’ve seen programs in the past?
To be specific, my coach in college used to make monkey jokes at the black kids on our teams. At least once using a banana as a prop. His predecessor had moved on to a bigger program and got caught using the N word on a hot mic at his new school. The school did nothing despite a flood of calls and emails to the AD from concerned parents, suddenly seeing this as a cultural/systemic issue. I suspect if all the black kids immediately entered the transfer portal my coach would have been fired. As he should have been.
That’s a serious and indictment - I hope that coach was held responsible and immediately terminated for their actions. If there is something that ominous going on anywhere, then it must be exposed stopped immediately.
To be sure coaching accountability is paramount to the program. I would hope that the University has some kind of supervisory audit in place above and beyond the head coach to make sure something like this does not happen, and if it does it is reported immediately and those people are held immediately accountable. With program media (all practices are recorded) social media the way it is these days, it seems unlikely that something like this would go without record, notice or exposure.
_
I absolutely agree with young men who might make the wrong move feeling trapped. Just not 25% (I’m making that number up - but it feels about right over the last couple years) of the roster????
I am not against transfers wholesale, in fact I am fundamentally for it. I AM against giving up in rough seas or following a trend by giving up because its easy. “Milton transferred, I am his quality of athlete and also lost my job, I should transfer too” (ironically, I get why Milton transferred, though I think he could have settled into a starting role with some more hard work - he also didn’t leave us much time to react a day before spring practice).
It’s a slippery slope, and that’s the very real concern here - where does it end? Who is next? Have we had this much attrition...ever? The last time I can remember this many athletes departing was Carr’s retirement - the infamous - ‘I’ll sign your transfer’ speech since you dont fit the new spread offense RR is bringing.
2020 was an anomaly. It was hard on everyone, harder for kids in school as students, even harder on student athletes in bubbles already separated from families and then non-athletic friends. It’s your teammates - 24/7. Not everyone is gonna click that long. Especially talented young athletes with probable egos. There is definitely going to be a reaction to that, probably globally. Maybe we’re seeing a little more than our fair share of it, especially how the B1G stuttered, and then how we played last year.
I guess what I’m ultimately saying here is that it is more than a little difficult to gain any ground in a program with a revolving door atmosphere. Whether it is culturally, accountability, performance based or total wins. Anyone knows that personnel is the greatest asset, business’ thrive and also fail on that notion - attrition is not our friend.
If we want to take on free agency, then clarify the rules please, instead of this free for all Wild West transfer when it suits you stuff. Also, and not least at Michigan - somewhere in here lives academics - or is that over? Thus, I find the ease of the transfer portal in its current format damaging not just to college football, but to schools traditions, academics and most importantly to the students themselves. It reinforces a culture of “too easy to fail so leave” vs. “earn your success to stay and thrive”.
This is plantation logic. Non-athlete students transfer all the time and no one complains. Coaches jump to new jobs all the time. Employees leave one job for another job and nobody criticizes them.
But an amatuer athlete who plays for your amateur football program -- one that makes a fortune via virtually free labor -- leaves and you're outraged? Maybe try seeing the world through the athlete's eyes. His major is basically football. He deserves to do what's best for himself, not what's best for your football team. Athletes should enjoy the same rights as everyone else. Get used to it.
March 29th, 2021 at 10:11 PM ^
Once again - I am not against transfers in wholesale. The point I am trying to make is that a ‘culture’ of transfer seems to be an easy way out rather than working through some difficult times for results. Harbaugh has sold the farm to reset the culture. I’m pretty sure that was not an easy move and he might even have a better chance to refresh and start over somewhere else...but he is committed to Michigan.
IF there are extreme cases that warrants a change than understood. And ultimately - if a player is miserable and doesnt want to be at Michigan for whatever reason, then it actually behooves the program for that athlete to leave. Regardless of sport. But making a commitment and leaving because of internal competition and meritocracy involves character assessments on all sides.
March 29th, 2021 at 10:51 PM ^
I appreciate your thorough explanation and agree in part but I more agree with Mackbru. You are asking for commitment and loyalty even under false pretenses. I can’t agree with that.
The accountability for a program, knowing a kid could leave any day is more important in college athletics, especially major college athletics, than anything about loyalty or commitment. Coaches making multi millions, people involved in the program or department making hundreds of thousands to millions need to be accountable to the free labor young people they are getting wealthy (at least partially) exploiting.
the notion of Tom Brady giving his all, growing as a person under the fatherly tutelage of Lloyd Carr is gone. It left when the huge tv contracts and billions of dollars showed up. This is a corporate industry now. Michigan State and Dave Brandon literally showed us that.
March 30th, 2021 at 11:15 AM ^
I also appreciate your POV, that’s what these forums are for, the sharing of our collective passion and zeal for Michigan sports.
Note: Even Tom Brady was benched in favor of Drew Henson in the Syracuse game. Neither QB transferred and both were eventually quite successful at UofM. One went on to be a pretty good NFL QB as well...not sure if you heard of him. But if you know his story and path, you might agree that it is ALL about work ethic, commitment, character and never quitting. That’s the message here.
So when we field a group of starters of 2* lower classmen against Wisconsin or equal, I will grant you a transfer waiver on your conviction...:)
GO BLUE!
The repeated dong punches and general malaise surrounding the football team juxtaposed with the sheer joy of both basketball teams' chemistry and results is really something. The highs and lows of being a fan of this school's teams are amazing.
My guess is that there is zero joy playing for our football team. Even players that are slated to start and/or play a big role on the team have been bolting. Something is very, very wrong. All the excuses given on this site won't change my mind.
You put it better than I've been able to. I just don't get the sense that anyone actively *enjoys* playing for the Michigan football team these days. Nobody is suggesting it should all rainbows and roses, but the number of sit-outs, transfers, and "injuries" is significant. There is a significant absence of enthusiasm around this program.
I'm also old enough to know every generation is convinced "kids today" don't have the commitment and work ethic they used to. That's nonsense, and I know lots of young people who disprove that. But I don't expect a kid to sacrifice his one-and-only college experience -- including his only real opportunity to play football (and maybe even hone/display his skills for the pros) -- for a miserable, unsatisfying, and constantly frustrating experience. And, frankly, given how unsatisfying and frustrating the last few years have been for me as a fan, I can't even *imagine* what they must be like for a kid expected to break his back for it.
Good luck Giles. I wish you were staying, but I can't blame you for leaving. Hope you find greener pastures.
March 29th, 2021 at 11:55 PM ^
No, you put it really well, too. Without belaboring every single point, I'd sum it up by saying that the M coaches make it very difficult to have fun, succeed, and excel as a player. With social media and liberal transfer rules, players are going to go where they think they can have more success and more fun.
Good luck to Giles!
Now a days when a kid gets passed up in being one of the starters, they often go into the portal to find a school where they can get more playing time. I don't mind but it does hurt our depth a bit. Who, knows when he gets 100 percent healthy, he could have earned that starting job. Oh well, good luck to him on his future team.
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