GVSU Spring Classic

[Thelakerman]

Attended the Spring Classic at GVSU last Saturday. Finally had a great day for football outside at the Shipyard. I thought the team looked sharp for this time of year and 14 previous practices. Didn’t lose too many starters and should be loaded come fall. Missing a couple of O-linemen and 3 or 4 on defense but much of the core is back. A few didn’t practice due to eligibility requirements but I didn’t need to see them anyway. A good stable of running backs with a couple of bigger backs in the mix as well as Reid coming back. We’ll miss Provencher and I guess we’ll see who steps up. Walker is back at wide receiver but Miller is gone…..Another slot to fill. Both Cade and Avery looked good and passes were mostly on target. Three others wearing the red jersey of quarterback suited up. I guess we’ll see who gets listed as the number 3 QB come fall. Brett Peterson was suited up which kinda surprised me after his head/neck injury last year so I assume we’ll see all three Peterson brothers come fall. Only a couple of D1 transfers on the field but we don’t usually see them all until the fall. Was also told that not much has changed (yet) with the new coaching regime but it’s only spring and we’re not likely to see much change at this point. . Ok, I’m just rambling on now. Anyone else attend and have thoughts.

[KleShreen]

Any word on what is going on with Jahdae Walker, Jaylon Tillman, and Nyzier Fourqueran all transferring out this week? That's arguably the three top returning players on the entire team gone.

[GV Retired Bum]

Any word on what is going on with Jahdae Walker, Jaylon Tillman, and Nyzier Fourqueran all transferring out this week? That's arguably the three top returning players on the entire team gone.

The Tariq Reid situation created this.

If you are in those guys shoes, what's the worst case scenario if they enter the portal? They get to come right back to GV with open arms. All 3 have gotten D1 offers and are gone, which sucks. But this is the new college football, guys are always going to have the thoughts "am i good enough to play in the NFL" and D1 gives them a better chance.

I want to be clear, this isn't Woosters fault. I think he's doing the best he can. But he has to take a stance on this... either support guys and be their cheerleader in whatever they choose to do (which would allow this to continue to happen) or tell guys if they enter the portal their careers at GV are done no matter if they find a new home. Tough decision to make, glad I'm not the HC!

[KleShreen]

The Tariq Reid situation created this.

If you are in those guys shoes, what's the worst case scenario if they enter the portal? They get to come right back to GV with open arms. All 3 have gotten D1 offers and are gone, which sucks. But this is the new college football, guys are always going to have the thoughts "am i good enough to play in the NFL" and D1 gives them a better chance.

I want to be clear, this isn't Woosters fault. I think he's doing the best he can. But he has to take a stance on this... either support guys and be their cheerleader in whatever they choose to do (which would allow this to continue to happen) or tell guys if they enter the portal their careers at GV are done no matter if they find a new home. Tough decision to make, glad I'm not the HC!

This is one of those situations where I think maybe the free transfer situation can harm these kids. I think the numbers I saw were something like only 52% of D1 transfer portal entries ended up on a roster the next year?

My worry for these guys is that, yea, they may have been pretty good for GV, but they may find that even at Kent State or Ball State or wherever they're going, they're probably going to be buried on the depth chart. Are their NFL prospects really that much better as a backup on a mid-level FBS team than being a star on a D2 team? If they get a Big Ten offer, then absolutely, go for it. But I'm not sure why these kids would transfer to a MAC school when GV is recruiting kids with MAC offers to begin with. I assume the same MAC teams offering these kids right now probably also offered them out of high school in most cases, and they opted for GV.

My worry for the program as a whole, is that I kind of assumed that the whole point of hiring from within in the first place was that it would keep the core of the team together and keep something good going. But if the hire came from within, and GV is still losing arguably their top three returning players? That seems strange.

[Redwing]

I have to believe it comes down to money. The kid sees a full ride vs what he's currently getting. I suspect a D2 school can get creative for scholly money outside of athletics, but I don't know it will ever compete with the D1 scene. Not to mention that some NIL dollars are also in play. So you're in your late teens/early 20's. Are you going to turn those dollars down? And add in the sell job a transfer will be getting. There's no downside for an institution to offer the moon and stroke the guy like crazy.. only to have him bench sit after he transfers. This is pointing to a policy that says if you enter the portal, you're not coming back. No best strategy IMO...for the team that is.

I wonder if the way the schollies are given out in D2 will change... more players getting full rides and less players getting a few bucks? Still, there's likely not enough money there to pull that off.

Looking the other way, I always wonder why a d1 guy transfers to a D2 school. Maybe they're getting enough dollars from other sources to make up the difference?

[LakerDad]

Attended the Spring Classic at GVSU last Saturday. Finally had a great day for football outside at the Shipyard. I thought the team looked sharp for this time of year and 14 previous practices. Didn’t lose too many starters and should be loaded come fall. Missing a couple of O-linemen and 3 or 4 on defense but much of the core is back. A few didn’t practice due to eligibility requirements but I didn’t need to see them anyway. A good stable of running backs with a couple of bigger backs in the mix as well as Reid coming back. We’ll miss Provencher and I guess we’ll see who steps up. Walker is back at wide receiver but Miller is gone…..Another slot to fill. Both Cade and Avery looked good and passes were mostly on target. Three others wearing the red jersey of quarterback suited up. I guess we’ll see who gets listed as the number 3 QB come fall. Brett Peterson was suited up which kinda surprised me after his head/neck injury last year so I assume we’ll see all three Peterson brothers come fall. Only a couple of D1 transfers on the field but we don’t usually see them all until the fall. Was also told that not much has changed (yet) with the new coaching regime but it’s only spring and we’re not likely to see much change at this point. . Ok, I’m just rambling on now. Anyone else attend and have thoughts.

I was there. Miller leaving was not a loss IMO because both redshirt freshmen Kellen Reed and Lynn Wyche-El (LJ) were explosive throughout Spring ball and need to get on the field. Brett Peterson was fully cleared and showing no further signs or remnants of the condition that sidelined him last Fall.

The sudden portal loss of the two starting WRs and Nyzier is a shock. We were deep at WR but that is a big hit. We also lost a redshirt freshman DE Derrick Parker who is medically DQ'd from playing any longer.

[GV Retired Bum]

This is one of those situations where I think maybe the free transfer situation can harm these kids. I think the numbers I saw were something like only 52% of D1 transfer portal entries ended up on a roster the next year?

My worry for these guys is that, yea, they may have been pretty good for GV, but they may find that even at Kent State or Ball State or wherever they're going, they're probably going to be buried on the depth chart. Are their NFL prospects really that much better as a backup on a mid-level FBS team than being a star on a D2 team? If they get a Big Ten offer, then absolutely, go for it. But I'm not sure why these kids would transfer to a MAC school when GV is recruiting kids with MAC offers to begin with. I assume the same MAC teams offering these kids right now probably also offered them out of high school in most cases, and they opted for GV.

They would only leave because they think they will start and be a "star" at the MAC level. Which we both know is highly unlikely. But at the end of the day if they do become the guy at a ball state, their chances at the NFL are much higher then at GV. It comes down to having 7-10 games of film vs real opponents compared to 1-2 at GV. Tape matters and the more "good" tape you have, the better chance you get to the NFL. (EX: NMU tape means NOTHING in scouts eyes)

Ill be honest, from my time playing at GV, the guys that were "Offered" from MAC schools either couldn't commit or were actually PWO. For sure a handful of guys but I know 2/3 that will end up leaving didn't have any regardless of what Rivals tells you. GV isnt directly competing with WMU, EMU, CMU for recruits. They steal 1 every couple of years.


My worry for the program as a whole, is that I kind of assumed that the whole point of hiring from within in the first place was that it would keep the core of the team together and keep something good going. But if the hire came from within, and GV is still losing arguably their top three returning players? That seems strange.

I get worried because at the very least, they should have known the two WRs would follow coach Roundtree to Mcknese. He took over for the worst WR coach in all of football and developed a tight bond with those guys. Not shocking both have an offer from there. Tillman will probably end up there, JW will end up in P5 so that transfer makes sense I guess.

[GV Retired Bum]

I have to believe it comes down to money. The kid sees a full ride vs what he's currently getting. I suspect a D2 school can get creative for scholly money outside of athletics, but I don't know it will ever compete with the D1 scene. Not to mention that some NIL dollars are also in play. So you're in your late teens/early 20's. Are you going to turn those dollars down? And add in the sell job a transfer will be getting. There's no downside for an institution to offer the moon and stroke the guy like crazy.. only to have him bench sit after he transfers. This is pointing to a policy that says if you enter the portal, you're not coming back. No best strategy IMO...for the team that is.

I wonder if the way the schollies are given out in D2 will change... more players getting full rides and less players getting a few bucks? Still, there's likely not enough money there to pull that off.

Looking the other way, I always wonder why a d1 guy transfers to a D2 school. Maybe they're getting enough dollars from other sources to make up the difference?

The decision is 90% wanting to get the best chance at the NFL. Being a producer at the D1 level will give you that, but we all know how likely that is. Obviously having a full-ride helps, but these star players are usually on close to full tuition.

[KleShreen]

I have to believe it comes down to money. The kid sees a full ride vs what he's currently getting. I suspect a D2 school can get creative for scholly money outside of athletics, but I don't know it will ever compete with the D1 scene. Not to mention that some NIL dollars are also in play. So you're in your late teens/early 20's. Are you going to turn those dollars down? And add in the sell job a transfer will be getting. There's no downside for an institution to offer the moon and stroke the guy like crazy.. only to have him bench sit after he transfers. This is pointing to a policy that says if you enter the portal, you're not coming back. No best strategy IMO...for the team that is.

I wonder if the way the schollies are given out in D2 will change... more players getting full rides and less players getting a few bucks? Still, there's likely not enough money there to pull that off.

Looking the other way, I always wonder why a d1 guy transfers to a D2 school. Maybe they're getting enough dollars from other sources to make up the difference?

I have no knowledge, but I would venture a very confident guess that all three of these guys were on full rides at GV.

[bigmrg74]

Sooner or later, the NCAA is going to have to put some sort of cap on just how many transfers a team can take in over a year or 2. If say the big power schools have a total of say 16 total transfers on the roster at any point, then there's not going as much movement to the portal as guys at a decent group of 5 school ain't going to find much room for them at say an SEC school.

[DawgUp]

Wow was sorry to see this, but as they say....$h!+ rolls down hill...All those mid-majors are complaining about how they're basically a farm system for the Power 5s to come in and scoop up their best players. Well guess what those mid-majors do, go and scoop up the top tier talent at the D2 level and the left over D1 kids. Can't blame the kids, but man the whole thing just sucks the life out of a team.

[GV Retired Bum]

Wow was sorry to see this, but as they say....$h!+ rolls down hill...All those mid-majors are complaining about how they're basically a farm system for the Power 5s to come in and scoop up their best players. Well guess what those mid-majors do, go and scoop up the top tier talent at the D2 level and the left over D1 kids. Can't blame the kids, but man the whole thing just sucks the life out of a team.

Surprised more Ferris players didnt jump ship when your guys Middle backer got 20 offers

[DawgUp]

Surprised more Ferris players didnt jump ship when your guys Middle backer got 20 offers

Same here. In the future, no one is going to be able to keep top talent. It's going to cause a lot of parity at the d2 level. All those mid tier d2 teams who keep all their guys are going to start becoming factors in playoffs and conf. championships.

[champgymusa]

It pretty simple really...they get a full ride and open training table and they move. Will they get as much playing time? most likely no.will that hurt their NFL looks? yea...most likely will ...but I get it...chase the money...and please dear lord finish the degree. 52% that go into the portal have already played their last game...they just dont know it. This door is just opening...its gonna be a shot show for all the best teams,,,I am glad GVSU has a ton of depth right now...next man up. Lets F ing GO.

[BeachinLaker]

Wow was sorry to see this, but as they say....$h!+ rolls down hill...All those mid-majors are complaining about how they're basically a farm system for the Power 5s to come in and scoop up their best players. Well guess what those mid-majors do, go and scoop up the top tier talent at the D2 level and the left over D1 kids. Can't blame the kids, but man the whole thing just sucks the life out of a team.

In the old system, we had the opposite flow. D2 was the beneficiary of D1 players wanting to get playing time and get it immediately. Now that you can transfer up or laterally without penalty, that really hurts Division II.