DJ Waller unshockingly transferring to Kentucky
Everyone and their mother knew about the tampering, but seems to be official now. Going from likely being at least a rotation CB on one of the best defenses in the country to Kentucky for a few extra bucks (that apparently he may not even get) is certainly a choice
Money talks
Suckers walk - but...
Sam and Seth have made it pretty clear that apparently UK has been lying to recruits about NIL so he may not be getting that money…
Wildcat-fishing?
When is it typically paid out? In piecemeal over the season?
I'm sure it varies, but I heard about a kid who played basketball in Kentucky who got $10,000 a month deposited in their account and a new car. Obviously, Kentucky is one of the few places where basketball is bigger than football, and probably the only school in the SEC.
The player ended up transferring after the season was over.
...and that was before NIL. lol
Interesting. I scour the UK basketball pages daily and have never heard or seen anything about this. I’m presuming you’re talking about Bradshaw or Wagner but even then I find it hard to believe. UK is having a hard time atm paying players in the basketball front. The theory was Cal was in bed with Klutch and they would funnel the players to Cal.
The furs, the diamonds, the painting on the wall
Come on, come on, love me for the money
Come on, come on, listen to the money talk 🎶
Channeling my inner-Craig Ross, apparently, by quoting Ben Folds lyrics:
I hate to listen
But lately it's been screaming in my ear
Not even sure why anyone in Kentucky would throw money at a kid to come in and lose 6-8 games a year. How do they even sell tickets and jerseys?
Ohio?
Kentucky has been losing 3-4 games each year for the last 2-3 seasons. And every year, when they start out 6-1 against tomato cans they're touted as another SEC juggernaut. And when they inevitably get toasted crisp by UGA, Bama, LSU, and one of Ole Miss/UF/MSU its because they've played world beating teams. I have no idea why Kentucky gets credit as a 'tough out' in the SEC.
Good luck DJ, I hope the 'money' and starters minutes will be worth it when you're watching the 12 team playoff from your living room...
So maybe we just not even televise the spring game? Or play it after the spring portal closes? Coaches sitting at home shopping like they’re watching QVC.
Championship season.
Players getting drafted.
But hey, good luck to Waller. The portal giveth, taketh, and giveth again.
Players are going to transfer, be tampered with, etc. - it will happen. Considering we lost our head coach and the entire defensive coaching staff, it’s a miracle we have lost the few players we have and mostly from reserves looking for playing time. And we may be getting a few transfers to come back in NHG and Amorion Walker. This is college football today. Buckle up
NHG already said he is not coming back
Did NHG find another hill that is greener?
He's at Colorado.
LOL!!! Looked around the LB room and thought 'nope, still not gonna happen here'...
Yes. While I am all for capitalism, this is just the beginning if Michigan doesn't get the NIL (pay for play) corrected. Sabb and now this. GO BLUE!! ONWARD!
It’s not NIL for either player, it starts and ends with playing time. We have no details suggesting that NIL had anything to do with either of these players. NIL is yesterday’s problem/issue.
It says right in the OPs Tweet... contention for a starting job at Michigan. So he's transferring for playing time? This case has to be NIL.
Forgive me, I think I'm missing something--a kid wants to play, and can get more money and on-field time at another school. He goes and we're upset? If someone comes to Michigan under the same conditions, we welcome them.
What does "in contention for starting" mean to you? To me, it means that he will get plenty of playing time...
To me it means he might get lots of playing time, will probably be rotational player at best.
If he’s being told no competition at Kentucky, he’s guaranteed lots of minutes and not much competition behind him to pass him by later.
One thing you can’t do on this blog is question the current narrative and ask for actual data and not get downvoted. Instead, I invite any downvoters to provide actual evidence instead of speculation that either player mentioned left due to NIL. 🤔
The herd thing is very strong here these days, as in the country generally.
Counterpoint: Michigan has the NIL system corrected already and the current pay for play structure used by many schools is not sustainable. Donors are going to get sick of paying big $ to backups, guys who don’t amount to anything, and recruits who transfer the next year. It’s the Wild West because it’s new and the NCAA is powerless to incorporate a structure, but it will regulate itself.
People keep making comments like this without actually saying what they mean...
In this case, for example...UM would be crazy IMO to get into a bidding war with Kentucky for someone who is not a slam-dunk starter or essential piece. You just can't manage your roster by getting into bidding wars with every second tier program that might make a run at a back up/'potential' starter.
If a kid would even consider going to UK over UM when they've got a legit chance to start at UM then you let them walk. That's a serious downgrade and its not even close..never has been and never will be. Playing on the biggest stage, under the brightest lights and having a shot at a UM degree has to count for something esp when compared to a school like UK.
First it was we aren't doing pay for play.
Then it was we aren't paying recruits who haven't performed yet even if it means losing out on 3, in state, 5 star QB's. Instead we will use NIL to keep are players in house. Even if it only 3 stars and walk-ons.
Then Keon Sabb who was incredible in the national title game (locked up Rome Udunze on a critical play in the end zone) we let walk due to NIL. The cope from this was well he's not officially a starter so we can't give him NIL
Now we have a corner who we all anticipated being cb2 is leaving due to NIL and the cope is we can't get into bidding wars with Kentucky. Kentucky?
This shits crazy and our fan base has become completely delusional about it
Where does it stop? What player are you not okay with because it keeps changing and these schools are not going to stop coming.
Hey at least we don't have to worry about anyone coming after our QBs.
So long as it’s not a returning starter it does not move the needle for me. And I mean a locked on starter from the previous year, not a rotational player getting near starter snaps those types of transferred forever.
Sam Webb said Sabb left so that he could be a starter and not a rotational piece to give him more opportunity to showcase himself for the draft.
Michigan is never going to pay more for their 3rd safety than Bama will pay for its 1st.
Yes we need to copy the model of last year’s national champions if we want to succeed…
April 28th, 2024 at 12:09 PM ^
last year’s team was a once-in-a-lifetime unicorn.
Yeah, it isn't NIL in general. UK promised him a ton of money and Michigan isn't going to upset the entire roster matching every threat they get. I think he made a very short term decision but can't fault the guy for trying to get paid.
They probably promised him a ton of money and also that he will play every down. Might think it's better for his NFL chances, even though I'd disagree
If he's good enough to start here, and it seems like he's pretty close, then he'll be a damn good corner in a UK uniform. He'll go against every opponents best WR, and if he's good enough he'll do okay and be lauded as a 'great corner' in UK's secondary. Yeah, that'll be good for his draft looks.
Of course, if he could do that at UM - opposite Will Johnson - it would be better for him. But he apparently opted to be 'the man' at a lesser program. Good luck - and enjoy watching the 12-team playoff from home while working out for the draft. Where you'll still be competing with Michigan's part-timers for the slot.
And if he doesn’t receive what he believes was promised, he’ll probably leave. And as it seems we are learning, maybe he’ll be back.
I mean Saban openly admitted trying to get Quinyon Mitchell in the portal during the draft on Thursday. He was never in it.
His life, his choice. If Kentucky is going to offer him more money then so be it.
Hard not to think he’s making a short term decision without considering the potentially greater long term, but I don’t know his personal situation. Maybe he’s got a family he needs to provide for.
It would be great if Michigan was the best place for development and the best place to get paid as opposed to trying to convince players to stay here for less money.
Michigan is a very good place to get paid… if you deserve it.
How exactly would this work?
UM offers to match every offer that every player on its roster gets? Then a player goes back to the other team and gets them to raise their offer...so then UM raises its offer to match again...and the player goes back to the other team...and..and..and..
Oh, but then we can add another layer to this...other players on the team get wind that some players are getting counter offers that UM is matching so of course they decide to do the same...
Its easy to make statements like this when you are not the one try to create a stable roster.
It "works" okay for full time job market, and in most two sided markets. All of those things you say are still true too, though. Its crazy, its messy, its the free market.
If college football teams worked like the “free market” then we would be able to sign players to contracts that exchange money for exclusive access to their services. The players and universities would collectively bargain to determine what types of contracts and transfer situations are maximally beneficial to both parties.
The NCAA has weird regulations that create a black market. What has made matters worse is that the NCAA has such weak enforcement of those regulations that the resulting system is one in which individual decisions of self interest (players looking for the most NIL, schools not wanting to share TV money with players) results in a crony market that leaves everyone worse off. This is not a “free market.”
I think some people believe UM should have a 50 mil NIL budget for football. Ain't gonna happen.
Why not? Legitimately, why not?
Very simple. DJ got himself a good agent!