The lack of activity with transfers tells me the coaches are pretty confident in their ability to land big time guys in 2020.
Or when they took over, the correct fit wasn’t available? Or wasn’t interested in Michigan. Or wasn’t academically able to transfer in.
1 Like
Appleby’s a heck of a player. Wouldn’t have been a horrible pick up at PG to push DDJ and Zeb next season at the position. Can see why he’s not a fit.
Sit 1, play 2 … ties up a scholarship slot for 3 years. His first year eligible to play he – at least on paper – would be the 3rd or 4th PG option, depending on how you rank Brooks, DDJ, Zeb Jackson (I listed them by class to avoid a perceived order). And at a listed 6-1, 165 he’d be very much on the small/slight side to defend B1G shooting guards, so it would be tough to play him with DeJulius or Brooks … not impossible though, just not overly ideal. So with those flags, just tough to see his path to on-court contributions at Michigan?
Apparently Cleveland State was a player revolt. Players gave the AD an ultimatum to fire their coach or they were gone.
1 Like
I kind of look at any transfer at this point that has to sit as a 2020 kid with a say two year scholarship. This year’s scholarships are inconsequential at this point as I don’t see it taking away from us getting anyone. So you’d want to make sure whoever you’re getting is better for two years than what you might get in 2020.
I think you’re underrating Appleby by putting him as a possible fourth-best PG option for what would be his third year at a D1 level with a year fully focused on learning a system and getting stronger. DDJ is a real tough defender that’s going to be able to play against other teams best guards, Eli is getting stronger defensively as well, plus Zeb is getting bigger in general. I think you can hide him on defense if it’s still not up to par, and on offense I think either guy that’s not Appleby can bring the ball up if that’s a concern.
That said, this is probably moot. He’s visiting Florida and is from Arkansas, I think he ends up closer to home.
Ok, play it out then…who would Appleby see minutes over come 2020-21 season? Bajema, in theory, would be better suited to time at the 2/3. In theory Michigan’s going to recruit a solid Class of 2020 option to slot into minutes at the 2/3. Add those to DDJ & Zeb Jackson at the PG slot and Brooks as an option at the 1/2. Who does Appleby displace?
I know transfers happen and situations change, but there isn’t a logical path to minutes for him in 2020-21.
There’s going to be a gap at point guard with Zavier leaving and you’ll have a team with a total of twelve cumulative collegiate games started at the point. I know Appleby is more of an offguard but he’s going to be able to run that point as well and is more of a sure thing, in my opinion. DDJ hasn’t played meaningful minutes yet in his career, Zeb looks great and I’m a huge fan but he’s still a freshman, and Eli hasn’t proven he can shoot from long distance yet. There’s a TON of question marks heading into this season.
Appleby played 30+ minutes per game last season, has two years of D1 experience under his belt (peaking in his last seven games implying further progress), and shot nearly 40% from three on a high-volume of shots. I’m not saying he’ll walk in the door and take playing time in 2020-21, but it’s not impossible to see him take time from Brooks at the two and DDJ at the point while Zeb goes through learning the offense. I think you take him but the question is if you like him more than the other 2020s (JAR and Burnett) and honestly I’m not sure about that part.
I can’t say I know this guy, but just in a general sense I like the idea of having a transfer or two in the mix. I think you can get plenty out of a guy who may not have the NBA potential of a young five-star but is older and more physically mature and able to learn the system. A little bit of that in the mix works for me. There’s no winning formula, but it seems to me that the one-and-dones strategy is overrated, the all-transfers strategy is a low-ceiling approach for quick fixes or places where it’s hard to recruit, and you just can’t find enough overlooked players outside the top 100 to get there. A little bit of all of this sounds nice.
2 Likes
I agree, especially in light of our roster composition. Right now we have 10 scholarship players (11 if Franz Wagner comes), of which 3 will leave for sure (Simpson and Teske because they will be out of eligibility, and Davis because he won’t get a fifth year as a projected non-starter, others might leave early for the draft (Livers? Wagner?), and others may transfer after a year with Juwan if they are not playing. We’re going to have plenty of spots to fill, and many here and elsewhere want us to fill them with 5* kids, who then may be gone the year after. You need some “program players,” i.e., guys who will be there and provide continuity, unless you’re going to be Duke or Kentucky. That isn’t happening, and even in those cases, the teams have been better when they’ve had some program guys to mix in.
While I don’t want to take anybody who has no chance to play, the concern about not having enough spots if we take chances on a transfer or even 2 seems completely inconsistent with college basketball in generals it is today, and our roster in particular.
Wasting a scholarship slot for 3 years on a player who has very little path to legitimate playing time does not seem like good roster management. This is a hard pass for me.
If he could play this year, then different story with the potential need for rotation competition in 19-20…but he’s a “sit 1, play 2” with the play 2 coming at a time when he’ll be recruited over and current players will likely develop into better players as well.
3 Likes
It’s official for Rashad Williams. He’s going to Oakland.
Also, hope everyone has a great 4th of July! Love conversing on here with everyone!!
10 Likes
Has Michigan expressed any interest in transfer Goodnews Kpegeol?
He committed to a JUCO already, Southwest Mississippi. I’d probably stay away with his way his recruitment went. His eligibility clock is really weird right now because he went to KState in December and redshirted.
My guess is Michigan is quiet on the current crop of options in the transfer portal. The next round of potential transfers is dependent on NCAA Notice of Allegations. As mentioned in some other threads, there’s an expectation of some big-name programs being served notices this summer…that “might” shake free a couple of players, especially if Arizona or LSU are among them (and use the notice as free excuses to fire their coaches for cause). But a lot of steps before we get there.
(I’m guessing UConn was one of the high profile programs Dodd was referencing here…
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/at-least-six-college-basketball-programs-will-be-notified-of-major-ncaa-violations-by-this-summer/ )
3 Likes
Next shoe dropped today with the NC St Notice of Allegations announcement. Obviously early in the process, but are there any players from NC St who would fit our program?
Of course they start with the non blue blood programs If they actually hit Kansas and Louisville hard I will pay attention. But until then the NCAA is presumed to be the same paper Tiger they have always been.
8 Likes
Louisville was kinda slapped a little in the Pitino stuff…and the NCAA did hold Bowen out. Slap on the wrist competitive to what it could have dropped, but not nothing either.
Kansas and Arizona would be the 2 “statement makers” by the NCAA, but I’m guessing both end up skating?
LSU seems like it “should” be an obvious one for a NOA this summer — and not a traditional hoops blue blood so easier hammer to gently drop.
I’d be scared if I was Creighton or TCU, both seem too easy to make an example out of.
Kansas and Arizona are basically daring NCAA to do anything. Louisville at least voluntarily fired Pitino. Bowen got punished pretty hard financially, IMO. If NCAA let Arizona and Kansas skate, then it has no reason to exist anymore.
3 Likes