UM possibly pursuing Rice grad transfer OT

Submitted by Term on
Calvin Anderson, a 6'5" 300 lb. LT and 2 time all-conference USA, is grad transferring from Rice, and Michigan is apparently interested. I know the general consensus of the board is 'no' to grad transfer OL, but I feel like this is different. He's not a guy who lost a job or could never win a job at a bigger school. He seems like a guy trying to play up in competition for his last year, a la Jaaron Simmons in basketball. I know that hasn't work out great, but the majority of us were pretty excited at the time. Could be good insurance for Newsome not coming back, and any competition at OT is good

TrueBlue2003

January 11th, 2018 at 11:47 PM ^

than a lotto ticket, since he's a four-year known entity and the NFL isn't a viable option.

But yes, will take a moderate floor guy when the known floor is JBB/Ulizio/Runyan - not even moderate.

EDIT: Nevermind. OP is very misleading and I took it as truth.  He's a two time HM which they give to 16 (!!!) OL.  Meaning he's somewhere between the 11th and 26th best OL in C-USA.

I'd be shocked if the coaches did anything more than kick the tires here.

TrueBlue2003

January 12th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^

Brian's post that PFF thought he was good and underrated (I'll take their word over All-Conf voters), I'm back to saying, yes please.  Also if the coaches are pursuing him hard (as are other top programs), it tells me they like him a lot and also, unfortunately, tells me they don't have a ton of confidence in our existing OTs (not a shocker, but was hoping two of the RS frosh would be ready and this is another sign that Newsome probably isn't coming back).

Skiptoomylou22

January 12th, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^

MotownGoBlue

January 12th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^

So, at least two of those teams won't make his first cut assuming he only takes OVs, and that's not a list from Anderson, himself.

Not to be pessimistic here, but we never land OL grad transfers, and I have yet to read where Anderson is actually interested in Michigan.

Seems an extreme longshot.

plaidflannel

January 11th, 2018 at 10:36 PM ^

Honorable mention all-conference, not 1st or 2nd team all-conference.

With that said, he has good size at 6'5" 300 lbs and is definitely a smart guy (major at Rice was Mathematical Economic Analysis).

Pepto Bismol

January 12th, 2018 at 10:21 AM ^

Has any program ever brought in like a 5'11", 250 lb. tackle? 

Of course he has good size. He's an FBS Tackle.  I randomly selected CMU.  Let's look at the height/weights of the upper-class linemen on their roster:  6'4"-307; 6'6"-290; 6'4-295; 6'4"-320; 6'6" 276; 6'5"-305; 6'4"-294; etc.

All have good size!  What are the odds?

 

(Disclosure: This is probably left over irritation over Daniel Faalele - the 8-foot, 600 pound demigod that caused everybody to poop their pants with excitement despite not having the native athletic ability to, ya know, actually play football.)

mfan92

January 11th, 2018 at 10:41 PM ^

I'm for anything that'll make the team better. OL and QB are weak points. The QB position has been addressed so maybe it'll help the OL next year.

Killer Khakis

January 11th, 2018 at 10:42 PM ^

He adds depth and experience to a line that has neither. Hopefully if he transfers he contributes and plays. Can't be worse than Ulizio or the Outback Bowl performance right?

StephenRKass

January 11th, 2018 at 10:59 PM ^

Source? Someone on the team, or close to the team? Pay message boards? Other?

I have been watching and reading, but have not seen a single thing on where JBB was and what happened. Also haven't heard a thing about Newsome. The thought of Runyan or Ulizio or redshirt freshmen at the tackle positions is literally horrifying. How can this be? Smh.

ToledoWolverine

January 12th, 2018 at 12:49 AM ^

That.



All due respect, and I am saying all due respect to Runyan and anyone else working hard for their team, but how is it we are at the “he wasn’t that bad” point. For fucks sake this team used to kick out NFL offensive lineman 2 at a time it seems. Maybe I’m romanticizing but shit, we can do better than “he wasn’t that bad” amirite?



Im gonna quit drinking and, ah fuck, you all know the rest.

Jasper

January 12th, 2018 at 6:31 AM ^

Your memory is good. There was the Schofield + Lewan year (2013). Before that, I think you have to go all the way back to 2000/2001 (the year where four guys wound up starting at least one game in the NFL the next year ... Hutchinson, Backus, Williams, and some other guy).

Arb lover

January 12th, 2018 at 9:28 AM ^

The only thing I've seen that even remotely resembles a source about JBB and Newsome is when UMBig11 said here earlier this week that JBB and Newsome were out. I haven't seen anything elsewhere though, so we will have to wait and see. 

Rice is a decent academic school, and the guy appears qualified for some grad programs here and probably tuition forgiveness. If the NFL isn't going to work out for him, Grad school at Michigan sounds like a good fit, and who knows, he might work out. 

Ezeh-E

January 12th, 2018 at 11:33 AM ^

But it is easier for private schools to climb the USNWR rankings since they don't have a limit on how many out of state students they can accept. There is little in those rankings that pertains to the quality of classes other than class size, which is again easier to control at private school which is not at the mercy of the state for many administrative and strategic decisions.

The underlying point that he should be able to succeed academically at UM holds.

Killer Khakis

January 12th, 2018 at 9:49 AM ^

I saw it posted on the board a few days ago, sorry for the late response. I also know umbig11 posted something about that and he's a pretty reliable source on inside things like this (broke the Outback bowl injuries before it was released for example). As stated it's a rumor I saw, don't know if it's true but it is something to think about. 

1VaBlue1

January 12th, 2018 at 7:43 AM ^

Yeah, need a source on this.  I do recall umbig11 saying that JBB coming back wasn't a sure thing, but no news other than that.  So far as I can see (which isn't far), my take is that if JBB doesn't come back, the coaches are happy with whoever is already on the roster to replace him.  Given that Ulizio is not likely to be that guy, maybe Runyan or one of the freshmen (soph?) is showing stuff.  Probably two of those guys would be showing stuff.  

I doubt Harbaugh would ex a viable tackle if the replacements aren't already even with him.  Yeah, his pass pro sucked, but that was a whole OL thing.  He mashed the crap out of a lot of people when run blocking.  Whoever would replace him would already be doing that, and showing some improved pass pro, or there's no handshake.

This includes a viable option at LT, also.  If there were only one guy at his level, he'd stay.  But he isn't gone yet, so stop with the rumours...

M Ascending

January 12th, 2018 at 7:57 AM ^

"I doubt Harbaugh would ex a viable tackle if the replacements aren't already even with him."

Don't you think it all depends on knowing what JBB might have done (or not done enough of) before you can make a statement like that?  I have not seen any explanation of why he didn't play in the bowl game or what his future holds.

StephenRKass

January 11th, 2018 at 10:54 PM ^

I am still wondering about roster space. I don't want to speculate on names (bad taste,) but given the 16 LOI, 3 additional commitments, and current roster, I thought we were currently 2 over. And that's not counting Petite- Frere, or OL Patterson, or Friday, or a rice grad transfer. Maybe the reality is that the ship is sailing on Friday and Petite-Frere and Patterson, or that the goal is to keep options open. But however you do it, someone is going to have to leave the roster before September. And like at least 3 or 4 someones.