GoBlueSMB

May 18th, 2021 at 10:20 AM ^

From a football perspective, this doesn't move the needle for me one way or the other.  However, from a wrestling perspective, this is very sad.  I was really hoping to see him at 197 this coming year.

I know everyone thinks they can be a NFL player and I really hope they all can be.  However, this kid was a GREAT wrestler and I believe could be an AA in the making if he sticks with it.

IDKaGoodName

May 18th, 2021 at 3:30 PM ^

Such a bummer!! Had more than a few friends growing up who could have wrestled at States if they just gave it a go. But no. Wrestling was “gay” because we wore “spandex” and we were always touching other guys who wore spandex. 
 

interestingly, wrestling might actually be worse on your body than football

mGrowOld

May 18th, 2021 at 10:41 AM ^

Way back in 1985 Sports Illustrated "created" a player Sid Finch who threw a 120 MPH fastball and was a spiritualist Yogi as an April Fools joke.  Because Al Gore had yet to invent the internet many of us bought into the joke as we had no way of knowing if this was real or bullshit.

Sometimes when I read these posts about players entering the portal that I never heard of or even knew were on the roster I remember that joke and wonder if they are a Sid Finch or not.

Good luck Sid.....I mean Gaige.  Safe travels.

 

GRBluefan

May 18th, 2021 at 10:54 AM ^

Since I have never heard of this player, I assumed he was on another team and that we would potentially target him.  Since he is apparently on our team, I will wish him the best and instead assume that this will have zero impact on our performance.

 

Don

May 18th, 2021 at 11:42 AM ^

The only reason I can think of that would explain why somebody would walk on in the 2020 class and then leave after a redshirt freshman season that was completely screwed up by a pandemic is that he's basically been assured that another program is going to offer a full scholarship to him to either wrestle or play football. If that's the case, it's a smart decision from his perspective.

It would make little sense for him to transfer to be a walkon at another program.

bronxblue

May 18th, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^

Wish him luck.

Per his bio he was the #2 recruited 195lb wrestler last year, so I assume this is more of a wrestling decision than a football one.

chatster

May 18th, 2021 at 8:32 PM ^

Brings back memories of Andrew David from Massillon, Ohio who enrolled in Michigan in the fall of 2015, expecting to compete for the kicking job in football AND a key role as a middle infielder on the baseball team. He set a county record with a 58-yard field goal and a school record with 32 career field goals, while ranking third in his school’s history with 258 career points. He also handled punting and kickoffs. He also had been a very good high school baseball player and planned to join the Michigan baseball team. LINK

He transferred to Texas Christian after one season at Michigan, played two seasons there as a punter and wound up as a graduate transfer, punting for Northwestern where he had 29 punts in seven games in 2019. LINK He didn’t play baseball in college.

Joey Velazquez has been in a similar position at Michigan. He was the top-ranked high-school baseball player in Ohio and had become a starting outfielder for the Michigan baseball team just before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID, but he has had only eight plate appearances and one hit this season. He’s still on the football team as a back-up linebacker and might be competing for work on special teams, but he has appeared in only one game in 2019. LINK