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Montana to Montana?

E

EWURanger

Moderator
Staff member
Not sure if anyone's seen this. Kinda interesting. Our Eags might get a chance to beat up on both of Joe's sons next season :thumb: - although it looks like the Griz might have asked this one to play safety - along with the 20 or so safeties they signed with this year's recruiting class. :ohno:

http://www.egriz.com/grizboard/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=49291" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Transfer U.

Fail at your previous school ? Come to Montana.

This might also be known as the "Tate Forcier-didn't-come-here-backup-plan."
 
Wow. Please remember we too, have a QB that "dropped down". And a few "new" fellas from UW. Might not want to be too critical of Joe's boy just yet.
 
Fair point.

But on the flip side, throughout the years, they've definitely been known as a program that brings in tons of transfers......that's not even arguable. Pflu doesn't seem to be making a departure from that pattern, so I think that's where Dopa was going with that. Could have been due to their late start in recruiting last year, but they seemed to be bringing in every and any transfer they could. The notion of Montana's program being made up of "hired guns" is not that far off-base.

That said, transfers aren't always a bad thing. I do think you need that good balance of 4 and 5 year kids that have come up through the program and transfers, whether they be JC, "drop-downs", or whatever. I think Eastern has that balance right, as we've always been a program that's relied on developing high school kids first, while on occasion taking a chance on a transfer. Some of those transfers have been damn good players for us. (Josh Blankenship, Ryan Kelly, Bo Levi Mitchell), while some of them have been complete flops that never saw the field due to baggage they've brought with them, or just flat out not being good enough. It's definitely a risk-reward situation, even if the kid is coming in as a walk-on with a chance to earn a scholarship later on. Bottom line is that you never know how a transfer is going to work out. The same is true of high school kids, but in that case at least they have 4 or 5 years to grow and develop. If you spend a schollie on a kid that is only going to be there a couple years and he ends up flopping, well then you're just sort of stuck with him.

It's a fact that Montana has relied heavily on transfers - some of them have worked out well (Craig Chambers from UW), while many haven't (see Kavario Middleton from UW). It's not a stretch at all to be calling them "transfer U". It's a fact. A big part of why they may have to rely so heavily on transfers is because there are nowhere near as many Division I level players in Montana as there are in Washington. People wonder how we can compete with schools with bigger recruiting budgets than us. Well, that's how. We don't have to go far to find talent, and we cultivate the talent that's in our own back yard to a very high level.

FWIW, the Montana kid is walking on. I don't think it was a bad move at all for UM - even if all they get out of it is some media exposure. Having a high profile parent of a player does not hurt, either.
 
Of course he's walking on. He doesn't have the talent that his brother and pops have, and why waste a scholarship when his dad is loaded? :lol:
 
I'm not knocking tranfers, everybody has them. It's just that most schools don't float their whole program on transfers like Montana does. It seems like they bring in 5-6 per year... most schools bring in 1 or 2.

And their success rate really isn't any better than anyone else's with these kids... just like at EWU, for every B.L. Mitchell there is a Terry Mixon. For every Josh Blankenship, there is a George Lane.
 
Whatever happened with Mixon, anyway....I don't remember him actually ever playing - did he? Seem to recall something about weight.
 
Mixon played but never really was much of a factor--- strange considering he was a 4-star kid. I think he did crack the starting line-up in 2007 for a few games. He was kicked off the team come playoff time though for an incident where he broke into a guy's apartment and attacked him when he was in bed sleeping. It was an absolutely ridiculous stunt on his part and definitely warranted him getting kicked off the team. I think, but am not certain, that he did jail time for the B & E and assault.
 
Ummmm......ouch?

http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_79577d56-8de1-11e0-b440-001cc4c002e0.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"University of Montana quarterback Nathaniel Joseph Montana has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Montana was arrested shortly before 4 a.m. Friday morning. He was released from jail after posting $685 bond.

Montana is the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. Montana in February transferred from Notre Dame to the University of Montana where he is vying for the starting quarterback spot.

Montana due in Missoula Justice Court at 2:30 p.m. before Judge John Odlin."
 
Montana does seem to have a lot of kids getting into trouble just about every year. Not sure what the deal is, but it seems there is definitely a discipline problem with the program. Not saying it's the case with the Montana kid, but their overall track record with kids getting into trouble with the law may have something to do with the caliber of student-athletes they are willing to accept in order to win in football. I seem to remember a handful of players getting charged with various things last year.

I think it speaks volumes about our coaches and the type of kids EWU recruits that we don't have a problem with this stuff (knock on wood).
 
Let me start by saying that Montana has some truly great, enthusastic, and knowledgable fans.

That being said, based soley on personal experience, when comparing Montana fans with the fans of other Big Sky programs, if you stand out at Montana as possibly having a problem with alcohol, you should take that very seriously.
 
LDopaPDX said:
I'm not knocking tranfers, everybody has them. It's just that most schools don't float their whole program on transfers like Montana does. It seems like they bring in 5-6 per year... most schools bring in 1 or 2.

And their success rate really isn't any better than anyone else's with these kids... just like at EWU, for every B.L. Mitchell there is a Terry Mixon. For every Josh Blankenship, there is a George Lane.
Click to expand...
These kids transfer from FBS programs where the facilities and attendance are big, loud and inspiring. Schools with fewer transfers/drop down players also attract less transfer/drop down interest. That's why Montana has more transfers. All players want an opportunity to play. Coaches and recruiters must determine what kind of player they want and why. Montana, more than most FCS programs, appeal to the kids' vanity. Good coaching and recruiting determine the success of a transfer player more than anything else.
 
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