transfers and grad transfers

[originaloverthehilltop1]

seems like sonny is making much more effort to go after the transfers and grad transfers than coach morris ever did. (the trey quinn transfer is an outstanding exeption, but kind of thot he "followed" coach morris more than was recruited). generally, i guess more is known about how they have developed as college players and should be fewer "busts" than there are with hi school players, and the coach doesn't have to wait a year or two to realize that. the assumption here is that we were "depleted" talent wise after the tiki disaster, and might have benefited from some of those "developed" players.

its really a matter of strategy. discussion?

[horsemanx]

Agreed. Transfers didn't create enough of a full tilt boogie social media splash for Chad I imagine.

[ojaipony]

It's risky but in areas where you have youth it could be a good move, just depends on what you want to do. If you have a bunch of straight out of high school guys in positions where they need to redshirt and beef up (OL/DL), then transfers are good to fill the gaps. In other areas, I'd rather them get the experience if they are good enough (skill positions like CBs or WRs).

The biggest question is 'why are they transferring?' If they are second string junior defensive lineman at Alabama and just want to start somewhere and put some play on tape for the pros, then I take them all day long. If they have a major coaching change and don't fit the new coaching vision and their starting position is at risk at a school like LSU (ie Trey Quinn) where they got lots of good early playing time, then I take them. If they got stuck behind an All American at Tennessee, I take them. However, if they never got on the field at all for whatever reason and are about to be seniors at, say, a lower P5 or less, and are here for just one year, I'd question it. I like JUCOs in the defensive secondary and on the lines and a select number of transfers if they fit the above and in areas of immediate need (Nelson/Levingston/Denbow). I'm not a huge fan of GTs with one year of eligibility left unless emergency type filler (like the guy from TN last year).

[Stallion]

again, a lot of inaccurate BS being posted. SMU had 4 transfer starters last year plus a 5th later in the year

Trey Quinn
Raymond Epps
Will Hopkins
Mixon who got hurt and was replaced sometimes by ...
Tyeson Neals

Morris also recruited Richard Moore who will start this year
4 star QB transfers Rafe Peevey and D.J. Gillins were beaten out by his QB recruit Ben Hicks
He also had a trio of JUCOs scheduled to visit on the week he left

[Charleston Pony]

I think Chad got a DL transfer from SC his 1st year here. I would agree he took those opportunities to fill weak spots in the roster when they were available, as would any coach worth his salt.

[JasonB]

June had success with one guy, Gilbert. He brought in about one per year, but the rest of the GTs didn't really perform well - they were backups for a reason at the schools they attended.

Chad came in and was much more active in the transfer market overall. Epps and Mixon were starters last year as GTs, I wish Mixon hadn't gotten hurt. And from a pure transfer perspective, he pulled in guys who had started at SEC schools in Quinn and Moore, ,or were significant recruits at other P5 schools (Peevey, Gillins). He didn't put as much focus on JUCO, but that was primarily because he was filling classes with HS players in order to build the relationships with HS coaches.

The new staff has more experience, and thus more connections nationwide. So they have more contacts for GTs overall. They also have a lot of connections at JUCOs.

I suspect that when the staff came in, they looked at the size of our players and the alarm bells sounded. So they grabbed a handful of JUCOs in their first signing period and started talking about a ton of GTs (up to 11).

They may have assumed that there would be a lot of attrition once the kids were thrust into the new weight program. Which didn't happen. Or maybe they thought that the kids couldn't carry the weight, but they saw better than expected results in the new program. Or they have just flat out missed on some candidates.

The truth is probably somewhere in-between, but when I look at the roster right now, I'd love to see 1-2 WR and a DT. We are relying on a lot of youth and inexperience at those two spots.

[Whitwiki Pony]

McNeal was fairly successful as a transfer.

[ponyboy]

Great point. Miss that guy

[docabel]

The Gunslinger, Bo Levi Mitchell, was a pretty good transfer. Unfortunately, that was a transfer in the wrong direction...

[Monty_The_Mustang]

Kyle Padron had a solid career after transferring as well

[ponyboy]

The Gunslinger, Bo Levi Mitchell, was a pretty good transfer. Unfortunately, that was a transfer in the wrong direction...

We couldn’t stop Bo leaving

[PonySnob]

The Gunslinger, Bo Levi Mitchell, was a pretty good transfer. Unfortunately, that was a transfer in the wrong direction...

Josh McCown has done pretty well after transferring to Sam Houston State with career earnings north of $32 million.

[PonyPlayer4]

Dykes is just filling in the massive holes left by the lack of successful recruiting by Morris.

[leopold]

Dykes is just filling in the massive holes left by early departures to the NFL due to Morris’s success on offense.

FIFY

Put Courtland and Trey back on this team with Dykes offense - we’d all be licking our chops right now.

[AusTxPony]

Jason B makes a good point. These GTs will let Dykes redshirt more HS linemen he recruited this year. Even if these guys are only 2nd or 3rd deep, it keeps some freshmen off the field in case of injuries. And if they can earn a starting position, so much the better. I imagine that every coach would love to redshirt all their freshmen linemen.