2017 recruiting class attrition
16/30 now gone before their senior year with the #5 ranked 2017 class.
- 5 star D. Peoples-Jones: NFL
- 5 star Aubrey Solomon: Transfer
- 4 star Cesar Ruiz: NFL
- 4 star Drew Singleton: Transfer
- 4 star Jordan Anthony: Transfer
- 4 star Tarik Black: Transfer
- 4 star Oliver Martin: Transfer
- 4 star James Hudson: Transfer
- 4 star Deron Irving-Bey: Transfer
- 4 star J. Kelly-Powell: Transfer
- 4 star Corey Malone-Hatcher: Medical retirement
- 4 star O’Maury Samuels: Dismissed from team
- 4 star JaRaymond Hall: Transfer
- 4 star Benjamin St-Juste: Transfer
- 3 star J’Marick Woods: Transfer
- 3 star Kurt Taylor: Transfer
14 guys remain
- 4 star Luiji Vilain
- 4 star Ambry Thomas
- 4 star Chuck Filiaga
- 4 star Dylan McCaffrey
- 4 star Nico Collins
- 4 star Josh Ross
- 4 star Donovan Jeter
- 3 star Brad Hawkins
- 3 star Andrew Stueber
- 3 star Joel Honigford
- 3 star Phillip Paea
- 3 star Kwity Paye
- 3 star Ben Mason
- 2 star Brad Robbins
Is this just how college football is now?
January 9th, 2020 at 9:44 AM ^
I’m not sure I’d lump guys going pro into “attrition”.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:08 AM ^
I don't know, man. When I think "sends players to the NFL" I think "Wow, what an unhealthy program."
January 9th, 2020 at 10:33 AM ^
You are correct. Both of them shouldn't be categorized as attrition. Good point.
Now do the other 14.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:19 AM ^
I'll take a swing... but this is just off my memory so take it with a spoonful of salt:
- 5 star Aubrey Solomon: Transfer - Not sure. Big loss. Maybe isn't playing great but would have started, I believe.
- 4 star Drew Singleton: Transfer - don't remember
- 4 star Jordan Anthony: Transfer - Lack of playing time
- 4 star Tarik Black: Transfer - Not sure, but I think wasn't happy with his targets given upcoming recievers.
- 4 star Oliver Martin: Transfer - Lack of playing time.
- 4 star James Hudson: Transfer - Don't know. Disgruntled with program. Could use him. maybe back on D.
- 4 star Deron Irving-Bey: Transfer - Can't remember
- 4 star J. Kelly-Powell: Transfer -Lack of playing time.
- 4 star JaRaymond Hall: Transfer - Don't know
- 4 star Benjamin St-Juste: Transfer - IIRC lack of playing time.
- 3 star J’Marick Woods: Transfer - Don't know
- 3 star Kurt Taylor: Transfer - Don't know.
So, 5 out of those 12 left looking for greener pastures. And some of the ones I don't know about may have as well. That isn't necessarily terrible. Though I would have loved to have kept Black, Solomon, and Hudson.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
The only guys on this list that were in the two-deep are Solomon and Black. Aubrey is a tough loss, Tarik is a tough story and likely would not have started in 2020.
So, yes, this is just how CFB works now. Hopefully all the rest of these guys can find success.
PS - BSJ was asked to take a medical. DIB couldn't hack the academics. Singleton was behind McGrone and Ross (PT). Hall, Wood, and Taylor were all concerned about being able to see the field.
Solomon and Black really are the only two that could likely help this team in 2020.
January 9th, 2020 at 12:10 PM ^
Didn't we have another kid like that a few years back? They felt it wasn't safe for him to continue playing so he left?
January 9th, 2020 at 12:39 PM ^
Ondre Pipkins, he was a Hoke guy that didn't get medical clearance from UM so he went to Tx Tech.
January 9th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
Ondre Pipkins
January 9th, 2020 at 3:14 PM ^
Ruiz and St. Juste would be valuable members of the team in 2020. Ruiz would start and St. Juste might.
January 9th, 2020 at 4:31 PM ^
St. Juste would be a starter on next year's team and would have played a lot this year. That one is frustrating. I always think too what if Hudson would have stuck it out and they moved him back to defense. Sure could have used him there.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
St-Juste was because Michigan wouldn't medically clear him to play.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:33 AM ^
First double post in years and I only hit "save" once I swear it.
So in honor of that faux pas I know present to you a picture of a successful post versus my post
January 9th, 2020 at 11:17 AM ^
If you hit save and then it takes forever to load the post, it always double posts.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:12 AM ^
Maybe not but they are leaving early, even if it’s for a good reason.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
That's fine, normal and good. 2 guys left early, 1 guy medically retired, and 1 guy was kicked off the team. so it's more like 12 guys. Which still sounds like a lot but it's not like the cupboard is bare at most positions. We've had a couple guys leave that actually hurt depth but most of the guys were jumped for playing time by guys who proved it on the field.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:19 AM ^
Also, a guy like JKP could potentially stay. But he's leaving after having graduated. Not really the same situation as some others on the list.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:28 AM ^
Why should we even listen to you Mitch? You could have been a great golfer, you could've gone pro, but you decided to go to college instead.
And what happened? You didn't even graduate, you got thrown out for night putting with the daughter of the dean.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:47 AM ^
For those curious, per @Kevin_Noon, OSU lost 12 players to transfer and six to NFL from 2016-17 classes out of 45 enrollees so 26.7% to transfer. Michigan has had 42.9% transfer from those two recruiting years. https://t.co/8oiJd60XNe
— Michael Spath (@MichaelSpathITH) January 9, 2020
January 9th, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^
Would love to see more data like this... assuming accurate. Also, why are we negging this?
January 9th, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
Because a subset of the people here can't handle anything that makes Michigan look less than awesome.
January 9th, 2020 at 3:30 PM ^
I just did a quick check and Noon seems at least 3 low. and OSU had 46 players in those classes, so more available playing time per recruit. These numbers are thrown around like they can be talked about in a vacuum. There are lots of circumstances.. where are the kids from? (ohio has more D 1 recruits than Mi) What is the path to playing time etc. You can't just post some number 42 compared to 26 and call it conclusive of anything except your own lazy work.
Michigan need to work on their recruiting and retention (probably).. this however does not prove that.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:59 AM ^
This was my first thought as well. Going pro is a success for the athlete as well as the program. It shows the ability to scout and develop elite talent.
Dropouts and transfers are what I consider attrition, as they have no value for the program.
January 9th, 2020 at 3:20 PM ^
Earnest Shazor says that's true only if the guy gets drafted.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
I logged in just to one up this insightful comment
January 9th, 2020 at 9:45 AM ^
No, other major programs don't see half their recruiting classes bail. This is a Harbaugh culture problem that needs to be fixed.
January 9th, 2020 at 9:52 AM ^
When you bring in 30 guys in a class, there are going to be a ton of departures. There are only 22 spots on the field. If those kids aren't playing by their third year, they're going to look for an escape.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:54 AM ^
Apparently this didn't happen with OSU where they lost 26% of a similarly huge class.....we have a problem. If results on the field don't show it, this stuff should enlighten what the problems might be.
January 9th, 2020 at 2:41 PM ^
Oh, you mean Ohio State where they have a legitimate chance at starting on a national championship team every year? Hmm...I wonder why they're more likely to stick around for an extra year or two...
January 11th, 2020 at 8:37 AM ^
But, which came first the chicken or the egg. Did OSU get to that point because they can keep their guys around, or are they able to keep their guys around because they are winning?
January 9th, 2020 at 9:53 AM ^
1. Going pro is hardly "bailing"
2. I would love to see someone do an analysis of other schools' attrition for comparison
January 9th, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
I would guess two things:
1. Attrition is high at major programs all over the country.
2. This is still relatively high even in comparison to those numbers.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:22 AM ^
Yes. Someone on Twitter made charts showing how Michigan has consistently had bigger classes than PSU or OSU. Only can happen because of more attrition.
January 9th, 2020 at 6:48 PM ^
Harbaugh definitely pushes people to graduate in less than 4 years, that is another way to have bigger classes.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:22 AM ^
#1 is unquestionably true. Look at Georgia, for example.
Regarding #2, I don’t know how this compares to the rest of football, but it seems high relative to other Harbaugh classes. YMMV.
January 9th, 2020 at 10:26 AM ^
Attrition is high at "major" programs, but you have to filter out schools like Alabama and Clemson. If you're going to win a national championship and/or win the Heisman, you're more likely to stick it out at that school.
If the expectation is to go 9-3 and not be in the Heisman discussion as much, you're not going to stick it out.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:18 AM ^
who stays in school thinking they are going to win the heisman instead of getting the $$...hopefully, nico collins.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
I sometimes think some of my favorite players are guys like Malzone. Not because of their football accomplishments, but because they managed to get a Michigan Degree in return for playing football, then grad transfer somewhere else where they might play. Smart kids.
January 9th, 2020 at 12:52 PM ^
What was the story on Malzone? Previous 4*, threw for ~5,700 yards and ~60 TDs in HS. At (NTM) Miami, he was 0-4 for 0 yds and 0 TDs.
January 9th, 2020 at 1:53 PM ^
Not entirely sure but I thought I remember reading that he wasn't the physical specimen that could compete with the rest at Michigan once he got here. He just got beat out by the other guys.
Not sure what was up with Miami. I would have thought he would have done better there.
January 9th, 2020 at 2:42 PM ^
Not a very good arm, slow feet, etc. He just wasn't an FBS-caliber athlete. He probably could have been really good at a DII school.
January 9th, 2020 at 6:41 PM ^
Was he even a 4 star.? I don't remember anyone thinking he was gonna be anything more than a good depth guy.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
Just because of your dick post, I'm calling out your double negative. So other programs do or do not see the recruits bail? Please explain. (Actual statistics welcomed/expected/needed here)
January 9th, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
Ohio state literally just had the mvp of the rose bowl from last year leave and transfer. Good players transfer out of every program.
Bama just had a 4 star rb enter the portal too
January 9th, 2020 at 3:06 PM ^
Those programs have similarly good players waiting behind them. Michigan had Bench Mason waiting behind Aubrey - not exactly the same.
January 9th, 2020 at 6:49 PM ^
The OSU kid got beat out and wasn’t a starter this year despite being the MVP of the Rose Bowl, mostly due to a change in defensive personnel with new coaches
January 9th, 2020 at 9:45 AM ^
Yes, this is how college football is now. It's basically free agency.
This isn't the end of attrition from that 2017 class, either.
January 9th, 2020 at 9:54 AM ^
Who, Honigford, or Paea? Those are the only 2 who might not see any potential playing time.
January 9th, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
Jeter and Paea I would say. I know Sam is saying Chuck isn’t going anywhere but I still think he may transfer if after Spring he hasn’t won the job.
January 9th, 2020 at 9:47 AM ^
Ouch !!