Stephen Hopkins has left team
Stephen Hopkins has left the team.
Via team's official Twitter...sad to see him go, but I'm not surprised.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^
Didint look like he was ever going to get signifigant PT, good luck to him where ever he lands.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:31 PM ^
I don't know what his expectations were at FB, but I thought he got the PT of a normal FB.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:07 PM ^
Very sad to see him go. As a fan I always want players to stay here and graduate. The bright side of thise is that it opens up another recruiting spot in a class where it seems we have a shot at multiple "big names". But I'd much rather have Hopkins here than have a recruiting spot in this class. When it was first announced Hoke was coming, I thought Hopkins was going to make a great fullback.
December 3rd, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
a jerk here, but - are you really that sad to see him go? I mean, he didn't get a lot of playing time and didn't rack up any significant stats. So, I guess I'm just not sure how you somehow got attached to this particular player. Personally, when these things come up - I hope the people stay to get the degree (which he is - and that's awesome) but if he's not a significant contibutor, I'd much rather take my chances with a new, hot shot recruit that might (albeit small chance) be the second coming of Charles Woodson.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:11 PM ^
Well that was unexpected. Best of luck to him in the future.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:16 PM ^
Bummer, probably PT related. Good luck to where ever he lands
Just saw this from Ace:
With Stephen Hopkins's departure... RT @rbraidwo 13 of the 27 signed prospects from the 2010 class have left Michigan early
— Ace Anbender (@AceAnbender) December 3, 2012
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:20 PM ^
Actually, it's 14:
1. Christian
2. Dorsey
3. Hopkins
4. Johnson
5. Jones
6. Kinard
7. Miller
8. Pace
9. Rogers
10. Talbott
11. Talbott
12. Vinopal
13. White
14. Williamson
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:24 PM ^
Sparty would kill for that recruiting class right about now.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^
Actually, it's 14
Wow. Is there any context available here ... any precedence for this either at MIchigan or some other school? That seems a rather high attrition rate, but perhaps it's more common than I realize.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^
...because wholesale regime changes have been so rare -- almost nonexistent -- at Michigan. Pair it with an ongoing NCAA investigation, and I think it would be fair to say that it is an unprecedented record, established under unprecedented (for Michigan) circumstances.
We've all heard about how many guys quit the team in Bo's first year; but I've never really tried to make a list. Bo had some damned good players in 1969; the '68 team that lost the 50-14 "couldn't go for three" game in Columbus had been ranked #4 in the country at one time. So I am not sure on how many quality players or underclassmen left.
Every other Michigan coaching transition until Rodriguez was barely noticeable by comparison.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^
1. Christian - transfer
2. Dorsey - never made it on campus
3. Hopkins - transfer (I'm assuming)
4. Johnson - transfer
5. Jones - never made it on campus
6. Kinard - never made it on campus
7. Miller - transfer (?)
8. Pace - career ending injury
9. Rogers - never made it on campus
10. Talbott - transfer
11. Talbott - career ending injury
12. Vinopal - transfer
13. White - transfer, "wingless helmet" guy
14. Williamson - transfer
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:54 PM ^
Here's some better context - I keep track of all these guys from year to year:
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/p/ex-wolverine-encyclopedia.html
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:26 PM ^
thanks, i had almost completely forgotten about Demar Dorsey.
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:27 PM ^
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^
Dorsey was kicked out of JUCO, too. He was a problem child. Very good football talent, but we might have dodged a bullet there. I was not a big fan of recruiting him in the first place (because of the character concerns), I thought Rodriguez and Michigan screwed him over, and he's continued to screw himself over.
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:11 PM ^
Demar Dorsey was kicked out of JUCO? I live in Grand Rapids and watched him play at CC. HE was never kicked off that team, however, the school did drop football completely. Is there another JUCO school that I'm not aware of that he attended?
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:16 PM ^
Arizona Western.
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:20 PM ^
Because he played for CC in 2011, and supposedly was headed for Hawaii this past fall. When would he have had time to go to AZ?
December 3rd, 2012 at 10:04 PM ^
When he didn't get into Hawaii.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:35 PM ^
That's just a ridiculous amout of attritions. This after, what, not even 3 years?
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:38 PM ^
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:18 PM ^
I wish the guy luck, and I'm sure he knows better than I, but I can't help but feel his best days would have been ahead with the departure of Denard and the return of MANBALL.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:19 PM ^
He has had a problem with fumbles.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:21 PM ^
Maybe in practice, but it's hard to fumble in games when you don't touch the ball.
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^
Designed plays with touchdowns in mind.
Best of luck to Hopkins.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:22 PM ^
I didn't create it, but I thought it was genius.
December 3rd, 2012 at 10:06 PM ^
My second favorite gif of all time + MIchigan football. Amazing.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:23 PM ^
Sad to see him go, with the emergence of Joe Kerridge he probably realized that his name was falling on the depth chart. He will find a spot somewhere and finish a season with 10 carries for 10 touchdowns all from the 1 yard line.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:29 PM ^
The OP (and the OPs of the 51 other "Hopkins gone" threads that were deleted) should have known that Brian would be all over this topic and have a post about it, so there was no need to post this material.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:30 PM ^
Any reason given? I always find it odd when guys leave with less than two years of eligibility remaining. Their scholarship at their new school will run out before they can graduate. These kids need to realize that football isn't everything.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:31 PM ^
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
He can start the new year at his new program and join them for spring practice.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:37 PM ^
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^
Perhaps so he can enroll elsewhere and get ready for spring ball
. Just guessing here; he can now forget about football practice while he finishes his finals, and consider other places. Maybe visit over the holidays, and then enroll.December 3rd, 2012 at 2:37 PM ^
For the update. It always feels lousy to lose a member of the family. I wish him well wherever he lands.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^
So good for him.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^
for your effort these past few years.
December 3rd, 2012 at 3:03 PM ^
Then you can add Paskorz, Furman, J Robinson, M Robinson, Ash, K Wilkins, J Jackson...there here but for some reason can barley get PT....leaving Jake, DG, Black, Dileo, Hagerup as only recruits seeing actually PT...so crazy
December 3rd, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
Jeremy Jackson sees plenty of playing time. He's not good, but he plays a lot...
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:47 PM ^
Yeah, I wonder why that is? No immediate reason comes to mind.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:23 PM ^
He's not fast and he's not really a good route runner.
December 3rd, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
You are by all means correct, but I was being sarcastic in response to the implication I read into Magnus's "..." Me cynical mind thinks it might have something to do the young laddy's Pops.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:56 PM ^
I'm still patiently waiting to see alil bit more of that Funchess kid, I hear he has some promise?!
December 3rd, 2012 at 11:23 PM ^
His father is the RBs coach.
December 3rd, 2012 at 3:08 PM ^
I really wanted to see him play a more prominent role in the offense. I thought when Denard left if would open that door and thought he would be pretty dynamic for a player in the FB position. He can run and catch out of the backfield. Blocking has always been an issue, but I thought that was something he could easily fix. Too bad. Best of luck to you Mr. Hopkins, where ever your future takes you.
December 3rd, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
Hold me, Matt Godin.
December 3rd, 2012 at 3:28 PM ^
It's always sad when we get news like this about anyone leaving the team, but I was hoping to see a little more of Hopkins. It seemed like, over the summer, he had taken the switch to fullback in stride and had even worked out with the position in mind. Especially in the Iowa game this year, he made some good blocks and things were improving in this regard (we played him mainly in the shotgun - I think Kerridge was FB when we were under center). Someone mentioned it, but it is at least good to hear that he will apparently stay to get his degree from Michigan, and I wish him luck in that and life after Michigan. Thank you, Stpehen, for your service to the team.
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:56 PM ^
Sorry to see him go. But, we will always have his awsomely creative flip-back to Denard at the 1 yard line against Notre Dame, circa 2011. Talk about a kid making a play - Hopkins knew he wouldnt make it and so he rolled the ball back to Denard. It was genius. I mean gene-ee-ousss.
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:56 PM ^
Best of luck to Stephen.
He began the year as the starter, got hurt...Kerridge stepped in a played well and we have Houma and Shallman behind them.
As for that recruiting class, I personally thought it was overrated to begin with. I thought Dorsey would've been great IF he could straighten up, and I thought Christian would've made a great FS (never liked him at CB). But I wasn't particularly high on any of the other guys that have gone (or never made it). The player from that class that I miss the most is Jake Fisher - I thought/think that kid will be solid.
Pace was the only other kid because he was a true center and I thought he could've found time on the line when we recruited him.
Nonetheless, it's one more scholarship...wouldn't be surprised if a couple other names popped up (won't speculate). It's typical for 2-3 guys to leave this time of year.
Regardless...best of luck to Hopkins wherever he chooses.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:05 PM ^
Jake Fisher was a class of 2011 kid.