Nico Collins Sitting Out, Milton Starting QB, McCaffrey Looking at Options Per Sports Illustrated
Per Michael Spath at SI (consider the source), Nico Collins will be sitting out to prepare for the NFL while Joe Milton has indeed won the QB battle. The surprise is that he is saying McNamara is the backup QB as McCfaffrey is looking at transfer options.
If true, I'm really excited for Milton but the WR are little thin now. He'll have Bell, Jackson, Sainristill, and Johnson to throw to. I was really hoping we could have seen Nico in his #1 jersey so I hope that part isn't true.
But even if it is, I'm just glad Michigan football is back.
Full article: https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-wolverin…;
September 16th, 2020 at 10:04 AM ^
I don't know if it was common knowledge, but considering the transfer rules these days, it probably should be assumed at any school that any backup will likely take their ball and go somewhere else.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:37 AM ^
Spath has connections to the Rivals guys and Steve Deace so I take anything he says with a grain of salt. (I include the Rivals guys because they just seem to be a bit “crusty“ about player decisions roster management etc..)
It WAS commonly assumed that the loser of the QB battle will look to transfer AFTER this season. IMO There is very little benefit to transfer now. Both will have degrees this Spring and be able to grad transfer with at least 2 years of eligibility left thanks to the CoVid ruling by the NCAA.
Therefore I do believe that Dylan is looking into transfer options if he is indeed 2nd or 3rd on the depth chart, but highly doubt he would do so between now and March - get your M degree Dylan!! (or Joe if reality is reversed).
Nico doesn’t make much sense to me either - guess we will see. The only Sr. I remember seeing rumblings about was Kwity.
EDIT - “I’ll choose takes-that-aged-poorly, Alex” — I still don’t think DM transferring now makes sense but I am not a 20-something gifted QB so what do I know. Obviously Spath has some insider ties but I remain skeptical.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:03 AM ^
silly that he would hang around until season is announced and then decide to sit out.....
but sillier things have happened....
maybe a bunch of people will rally in support of him changing his mind and after days, or weeks of speculation of him making an announcement that he had a change of heart... he'll opt to play.
September 16th, 2020 at 4:29 PM ^
Hang around? Where else was he going to go? Get your degree and workout with your teammates and stay in shape.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
FWIW, Joe Milton just tweeted and only tagged Ronnie Bell, Sainristill, and Jackson. Seems odd he wouldn't include Collins if Nico was playing.
Also, him tweeting that helps confirm the story that he's currently the starter
September 16th, 2020 at 10:12 AM ^
What would be the point of a D-Caf transfer? That would be silly in 2020. He can't transfer this late into the semester and 2020 is a free season that doesn't count against eligibility, right?
September 16th, 2020 at 10:17 AM ^
If dcaf loses the qb competition he should transfer. Joe Milton this year and maybe next year. JJ maybe next year and for the next 2 years.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:43 AM ^
I think his point was that it doesn’t make sense to transfer NOW. I would guess most agree that he will / should look to transfer (as noted above with a degree and 2 years eligibility) in the Spring IF this rumor on the internets is true..
September 16th, 2020 at 10:13 AM ^
If this is in fact true, I don't mind AT ALL. This season will always feel like a partial season. It will always have an asterisk next to it because of what has happened. If they want to opt-out, they should. This is just a big practice year for our younger players.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:37 AM ^
Exactly, let's have fun! Your kind of thinking could even have figured in the choice of Milton--if he has more long-term upside, get him live reps now.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:20 AM ^
Par for the fucking course. On one hand hey we get football, on the other, how bad is this team going to be? No proven outside WR, literally no experience on the OL and QB. Secondary a huge question mark. That’s not a great recipe for a good team.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:23 AM ^
I'm not a coach but McCaffery looked better than Milton all last year. I thought he ran the offense better than Shea. I'm really surprised if this is true. Not sure I believe this story.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:33 AM ^
I too am shocked, Milton has pretty much looked terrible everytime he has played IMO, terrible HS completion percentage. Hope he's come a loooooooong way..
September 16th, 2020 at 10:35 AM ^
Same. I just rewatched the every snap video of both quarterbacks and I guess I’m very skeptical. Dylan made better, faster reads and has deceptive speed.
Milton looked clunky running and didn’t show much touch. He also would pull the ball if the first read wasn’t there. I don’t see this being a solid team.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:32 AM ^
Damn, I really though McCaffrey was the guy. Hope Milton has improved exponentially. And Nico isn't a surprise but it sucks.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:33 AM ^
Does platoon QB rotations still work in today's game? Ala Tim Tebow/Chris Leak (McCaffrey/Milton)
September 16th, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
Tebow/Leak was an entirely different situation - Leak was a 4-year starting QB, Tebow was a freshman. Leak still started every game and played most of the snaps - he had 365 pass attempts vs. Tebow's 33, and nearly matched him on carries despite being very much a pocket passer and Tebow being used mostly as a glorified fullback (77 vs. 89).
September 16th, 2020 at 10:37 AM ^
I don't have high hopes for this season if we have Nico, Mayfield and Ambry sitting out. Unless Milton turns out to be the QB we've never had.
September 16th, 2020 at 1:28 PM ^
... never had since 2000 Henson / 1999 Brady / 1986 Harbaugh
(I realize that might be well before many people on this board were born ... which certainly speaks to your point)
September 16th, 2020 at 2:44 PM ^
I mean great Quarterbacks in their own right. But we've never had a QB like Tua, Lawrence, Fields, Burrow, Murray, Mayfield, Hurts, just to name a few. When was the last time we had a heisman finalist at QB?
Edit: I looked it up. Harbaugh was the last finalist. He finished third in 1986. So 34 years since we had a truly elite college QB? Hopefully the new offense allows Milton or McCarthy to put up some big numbers.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:43 AM ^
That really sucks about McCaffery. He looked like he had all the tools and certainly the pedigree to be successful. I do hope if he goes somewhere else that he gets a chance to start and get himself to the league.
As for Milton, well, it sounds like it’s time to hop on board the train. He’s got a lot of potential that’s for sure. I really hope the reason he’s starting is because he took a big quantum leap forward and not necessarily McCaffery having seriously regressed.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:49 AM ^
Those who stay will be champions except for when you're not the starter in which case you bail at the first opportunity.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:57 AM ^
Kids these days ...
Seriously, considering a) we have a new OLine including Center, and b) Dylan himself should know we haven’t kept a Quarterback upright for an entire season since forever, you’d think he see an opportunity for a comeback story.
September 16th, 2020 at 10:54 AM ^
Until I hear/see it from someone like Sam I remain skeptical to all news.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:33 PM ^
FWIW, Sam quoted here: https://gbmwolverine.com/2020/08/25/michigan-football-joe-milton-emergi…
September 16th, 2020 at 11:26 AM ^
If Milton actually won a head to head competition, then I'm pretty pumped. He's got a pretty special combination of size, arm talent, and running ability.
If Milton won by default bc McCaffrey trained at home, or knew he was transferring before a competition ever happened -- then I think we're in for an even rougher 2020.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:02 PM ^
Per Sam Webb, McCaffrey opting out so Milton your starter. Nico also gone.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
DM and his family literally campaigned th reopen the season. Now he’s opting out? So he only wanted football if he was starting?
September 16th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
I'm not too worried about QB. This year Milton may have won the starting job and Dylan best option is just finish his degree and transfer out without waiting. JJ McCarthy will probably win the starting job next year as a freshman and will play for us as a starter for 3 years.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:15 PM ^
He doesn’t lose a year this season so transferring will not hurt him. He’ll have the same amount of eligibility no matter where he goes.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:09 PM ^
So what starters do we return now? Bell and Charbonnet on offense? Is that it?
Kemp playing? Hutchinson, Hawkins, McGone, Hill on defense? Gray?
Happy to be playing football, but this is a totally rebuilt roster.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:11 PM ^
Just think of this season as an extended summer practice, finding our new starters and leaders for 2021.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^
MILTON IS COMING, THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS
I am excited as the all caps may indicate
September 16th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
How could they have possibly established that mccaffrey had already lost out to Milton? Harbaugh wouldn’t have made thar call this early, especially given the team’s limited practices.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:54 PM ^
It doesn’t make sense that decision is a done deal. They still have camp.
Milton may have a lead based on taking a leadership role but I would think this is still open.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
I'm going to go ahead and wait for Collins to announce that himself. Shame on Spath for either ruining that kid's announcement, or spreading false bs.
September 16th, 2020 at 1:30 PM ^
A scoop is a scoop in that business, unless the person in question relayed it in confidence.
That being said, I'm fine upvoting almost anything that includes "shame on Spath."
September 16th, 2020 at 2:18 PM ^
These are college kids, not pros. Speculation, rumors, etc. should not be scooped. These journalists need to show some integrity. My off limits:
- Injury speculation
- Transfer speculation
- Early entry speculation
These things ruin the competitive advantage, or ruin kids perception amongst the fan base. Or ruin the players perception of how he is perceived by the fan base. And while most fans wouldn't blame Collins for jetting off to the NFL, it only takes a few for fan reaction to get back to him that he's a bum, or a traitor to his teammates or whatever mLive bullshit get spouted anytime someone says McCaffrey is going to transfer.
Just let the program/player make those sort of announcements, and speculate all day about the starting QB, schedule, etc.
September 16th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
At the rate Michigan quarterbacks get injured, you would think the backup gets just as much playing time as the starter.
September 16th, 2020 at 2:19 PM ^
Good chance at a similar number of injuries too.
September 16th, 2020 at 2:47 PM ^
Thought he was the best QB on your roster behind Patterson. His play in mop up time in Columbus 2018. Sure he may have growing pains as a1st year starters as most inexperienced @ this level do. He'll make you forget all about Patterson.
