transfers
attrition
zach carpenter
[Brice Marich/247Sports]

Exit: Zach Carpenter Comment Count

Ace December 10th, 2020 at 7:50 PM

Whether or not a coaching transition occurs this offseason, attrition is inevitable given the uncertainty around the program (and attrition is always inevitable). This one might sting for a while. The all-but-anointed next multi-year starter at center, Zach Carpenter, is now in the transfer portal:

Carpenter earned rave reviews in practice throughout his brief time at Michigan, earning 2019 Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year honors, then pushing through several older players to earn a spot on the two-deep behind Andrew Vastardis at center this season. When Vastardis sat out with an injury, Carpenter replaced him in the starting lineup, and we were already penciling him into next year's lineup.

Due to the loosening of eligibility restrictions during the pandemic, Vastardis could potentially come back for a sixth year if he wanted, though he may also want to begin a less contact-heavy life with two U-M degrees in hand instead. Freshman Reece Atteberry was a top-ten center prospect out of high school and redshirt freshman Nolan Rumler is a former top-200 recruit who's practiced at both guard and center. Michigan also has top-250 overall center prospect Raheem Anderson committed out of Cass Tech in the 2021 class set to sign next week. Those last three are probably the main competitors for the job next year unless Carpenter changes course or Vastardis returns.

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Comments

xtramelanin

December 11th, 2020 at 8:20 AM ^

Not sure why this comment is getting down voted. Although different families may weigh the effects of the pandemic in their own fashion, the bottom line is the geography does make a difference. It certainly was part of the calculus in the decisions for our two college football sons. It would not surprise me that after a year or two, as I have thought about the Zach Carpenter situation, that figured into a desire to be closer to home.

Joined: 12/09/2014

MGoPoints: 15439

trueblueintexas

December 11th, 2020 at 3:50 AM ^

What makes it look like Warde doesn’t have a good plan? 
Any coach the fan base would want is currently coaching another team and is in a position where they are competing for something. Any of those coaches would not want public comments made about their intention. Remember the Les Miles fiasco with Herbstreit? 
If Warde fired Harbaugh today, what does it gain? Sure people know he is definitely gone, then it opens up a longer period of time with everyone wondering who the next coach will be while we wait for the good candidates to finish their season. That isn’t going to improve the situation either. 

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36640

FlexUM

December 11th, 2020 at 7:13 AM ^

I think it's his overall communication seems detached and just kind of odd...borderline flippant but in a "I'm pretending to care!" type of way. Personally, I haven't laid it on (not that it matters) because I'm hopeful he does have a strategic vision (as you are alluding to). In that case you are 100% right in that we can't see all the tactical maneuvers occurring. 

Some of it is we all just feel a little snake-bitten so we take his sort of weird vibe at face value that he has no plan and is just blundering all over this.

The reality is it could go either way but it's more than likely there is a solid plan. I mean look a CEO for a large company might make smaller, tactical decisions that may not make total sense until the move is made ie company acquisitions, etc. CEO's also royally screw things up to...so there is that lol. 

Joined: 11/05/2011

MGoPoints: 13573

chunkums

December 10th, 2020 at 10:33 PM ^

Nah, it's weird to transfer now instead of after an official announcement. It would be one thing if we announced a new coach and he decided this. A starting center transferring away from being coached by Ed Warinner? Warinner's track record for pumping out professional offensive linemen is phenomenal. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 29029

leu2500

December 10th, 2020 at 8:10 PM ^

The younger players may be an option for center, out of necessity

But as analysis & experience with the O line during Hoke’s tenure show, unless you’re talking a 5 star, there is no substitute for years when it comes to having a solid O line

Joined: 01/22/2011

MGoPoints: 2119

Cam

December 10th, 2020 at 8:12 PM ^

As many have been saying for a while, people do not like Jim Harbaugh. Nothing will be fixed under his tenure unless and until that problem is solved.

The fact that a young player with tons of PT and a bright future chooses to sit out a year instead of play for Michigan is just an unbelievable indictment of the program. 

 

Joined: 07/23/2018

MGoPoints: 23907

njvictor

December 10th, 2020 at 8:29 PM ^

So this definitely isn't good. Warde needs to get off his ass and say whether Harbaugh is the coach moving forward, or else things are only going to get worse

Joined: 07/20/2017

MGoPoints: 65023

ERdocLSA2004

December 10th, 2020 at 9:02 PM ^

Pick a reason.  Terrible coaching, next year not looking any better, sees his NFL prospects getting worse the longer he is here, coaching uncertainty, etc.  not to mention it’s the end of the semester and he might want to get the destination set ASAP to enroll in classes.  Hell, maybe he’s following McCaffrey.

Joined: 01/08/2011

MGoPoints: 15852

kurpit

December 11th, 2020 at 1:23 PM ^

Getting your starters to make an appearance in the NFL is such a low bar to clear at Michigan.

I hear so many people talking about how good Mike Onwenu is doing in the pros, but from my perspective we took the #4 OG in the country and #1 recruit in Michigan for 2016 then turned him into a 3rd-team All-B1G player and 6th round draft pick. Good for Mike for making his way in the NFL, but based on what he did at Michigan we developed his talents about as well as we developed DPJ's talents.

Joined: 02/25/2009

MGoPoints: 9237

Credit812

December 10th, 2020 at 8:35 PM ^

I have absolutely no inside knowledge on this or any other transfer, but I do wonder if the circumstances of this year -  an extended season where players were no allowed, or strongly encouraged not to visit friends and family from home - might result in more cases of homesickness than we normally see in a year.  Surely the poor season and the coaching season won't help matters, but some of these seemingly out of nowhere transfers might be a result of personal reasons that we won't know about (nor should we).

Joined: 07/30/2009

MGoPoints: 960

RandallFlagg

December 10th, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^

This just opens the door for more freshman to see significant playing time next season because that’s worked well the last couple years. 

Joined: 10/31/2020

MGoPoints: 4230

MGoStrength

December 10th, 2020 at 9:29 PM ^

One thing about this i do find funny is the usual hand-wringing over 3 stars and then when this kid, a 3 star, transfers, people are going nuts over it. 

It's not rocket science.  People assume higher ranked recruits are better until proven otherwise.  So, people aren't big fans of 3-stars as recruits because that would mean either we're getting a so-so player or the rankings got it wrong.  Carpernter however, by nature of the fact he already contributed on the o-line his freshman year, has already shown something typically only elite recruits on the o-line do.  So, although people weren't high on him coming in, and understandably so, they are now.  Makes perfect sense to me.  FWIW I'm sure people would also go nuts if Rumler or Jones went into the portal because they are highly ranked and people asume they'll be good even though they haven't done anything yet.

Joined: 07/29/2010

MGoPoints: 20002