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Steven Threet Decides to Transfer
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14 CommentsLate last week, rumors about Steven Threet’s future began to circulate on various message boards. At the time, the rumors came out of left field, as there was no reason to believe that Threet would actually consider leaving Michigan. After all, he was interviewed by the Toledo Blade and was looking ahead to next season only a month ago, and he has already transferred once before. The combination of those two things made the rumors seem very strange, but as we now know, they turned out to be true.
“I’ve decided to transfer from the University of Michigan,” Threet said, reciting from a prepared statement during a telephone conversation Sunday. “I have requested and received my release. I do not yet know where I will continue my collegiate career and will have no further comment until that decision is made.”
I am not sure why Threet has decided to transfer, and we probably won’t ever find out his exact reasons. Speculation obviously would first make you think that he saw the writing on the wall in regards to the quarterback position with Tate Forcier already being on campus. That was my first thought, but how much could Forcier have done in such little time? He hasn’t even gone through an official practice against an actual defense, so I don’t really understand how the writing could be on the wall already.
Even so, I’m guessing Threet has come to the realization that his playing time in the future will decrease drastically and/or this offense is simply not a good fit for him. Threet was a square peg and Michigan’s offense was a round hole. The two simply did not mesh, and although Threet did look decent at times last season, the spread simply is not for him.
Despite Threet’s struggles last season and the speculation that it was only a matter of time until Forcier became the starter, I think this is a huge loss for Michigan. Losing Threet means that the top of Michigan’s depth chart at QB next season will likely include two true freshmen and Nick Sheridan. Yes, Threet struggled last season and probably would have struggled in 2009 as well, but he was the best returning QB on the team. He was much better than Nick Sheridan, and I figured he would be the starting QB to open the season. Obviously Forcier and Threet would have competed for the starting job, but I thought Forcier would have become the starter only after gradually working his way into the lineup, not from the very beginning.
Regardless of who would have been the starter, it is necessary to have a solid backup in the spread offense. As we saw last season, injuries to the starting QB happen frequently, and in all likelihood the backup will get a decent amount of playing time. I would much rather have Forcier and Threet as the starter and backup (in no particular order) than Forcier and Sheridan. No offense to Sheridan, but I figured he would go back to being the third-string QB this season, which is the role that fits him best. That very well may happen once Denard Robinson gets on campus, but going into the first spring practice, Sheridan is technically the returning starter, though most expect Forcier to change that pretty quickly.
Aside from the effect Threet’s decision to leave has on the team, this is yet another negative publicity type of moment for the Michigan football program. There have been plenty since Rich Rodriguez was hired, and until he starts winning, there will be plenty more. It’s never usually good for a team’s image when players leave the program, but when a quarterback leaves, that negative publicity is even worse. Considering the quarterback leaving started last season and all of the other recent departures and I’m sure most will jump to negative conclusions pretty quickly.
As for Threet, I’m not sure where he is going to transfer. He already transferred from Georgia Tech to Michigan in the summer before his freshman season, meaning he can’t redshirt when he transfers again. That is, unless he decides to transfer to a non-Division I-A school. If he goes to I-AA or Division II, for example, he would be able to play immediately. I really don’t know where he will end up, but one school to keep an eye on is Eastern Michigan. With Ron English and many others with Michigan connections at EMU, it could be a realistic destination, especially since he would still be around his friends in Ann Arbor and wouldn’t be too far from Adrian, his hometown.
Hey now, don’t forget Denard Robinson.
my source that knows threet personally says that he is thinkin about washington and cal among others. obviously it is to early to tell tho
Washington, huh? Threet can’t hack it on a 3-9 team, maybe he can help an 0-11 team?
I almost feel bad cracking on the kid, but…he couldn’t have believed he was going to supplant Ryan Mallett when he came back to Michigan, regardless of whetehr he was foresighted enough to know the loyd Carr wasn’t going to stick around much longer. He couldn’t have known that Michigan was going to hire a spread coach, of course….but….he sees the writing on the wall, and he’s running away.
2 transfers, a mediocre career when he is on the field, it’s not like his pro prospects are particularly high at the moment. I wish the best for him, but….he’s the guy behind the worst Michigan football season I’ve ever seen, and he can’t run away from that label…
I don’t think for a second that he is even considering schools like UW or Cal. He would lose a year and the prospects of him getting on the field at those schools during his last 2 years would be slim to none.
He seems like a good kid, but I think he saw the hand writing on the wall… I am guessing he ends up at one of the D-II schools in the state. Nothing wrong with that. But lets be real, he would not make the 2 deep at Western, Central, or Eastern, let alone UW or Cal.
Threet could start for a MAC school…he’s got three years eligbility
He wont be at a Division 1 school. He would have to sit out another year, there by losing a year of eligibility. Look for somethin like a Grand Valley st or something along those lines.
Threet only will have two years left.
2007: Redshirted
2008: Freshman
2009: Sophomore (can’t play)
2010: Junior (now eligible)
2011: Senior
Not for any Mac school in this state…
People calling out Threet for transferring are sad pathetic fools who have nothing better to do other than to second guess a 20 year old’s decision. He decided to go for whatever reason….and he is more connected to the coaches and program than you and I..so that’s that.
This is a huge blow as we are left with a Frosh, Sheridan and Coner as the only scholarship QBs. I am not counting on DRob…..i think he is just a faster and more athletic Feagin…..people who think he might come start and give a solid contribution as a Qb are smoking something really good.
Heck Young and White red-shirted..and these two are probably two of the best college QBs of all time….i would be over the moon if DRob can take a few snaps and run a few change of pace plays..a la Bass in 05, i think he ends up at CB (Justin King, except running some QB plays on O)..we need speed and athleticism there.
Plus Forcier is 180 soaking wet..even spring/summer with Barwis isn’t gonna make him 210/220…we might end up throwing more due to lack of a viable back up if Forcier gets injured…..unless you want Sheridan getting on the field.
“…unless you want Sheridan getting on the field.”
Criticize people for calling out Threet, then turn around and take a gratuitous shot at Sheridan? Yeah, smart: let’s see if we can dive him away too. Say what you want about Sheridan: he gave us the Minnesota game when we really, really needed it. Threet won 2 of 8 starts; Sheridan won 1 of 4 starts.
Sheridan’s a hard worker. His dad is defensive coordinator for the NY Giants. He played his guts out last year. He wasn’t up to the job, but let’s be honest: neither was anybody else. Could we maybe quit smacking him all the time?
Dude…..i am not passing judgment on his character like you and others have done….he is not a Div I starting QB….nothing wrong in stating that. I didn’t call him a pussy or what the fuck you freaks would like to call THreet or McGuffie or any player that leaves this program or doesn’t pick our school.
Get a life…..and don’t say that his father is a DC/former player…or whatever, doesn’t mean he needs to play or whatever. If a kid is not great talent, that’s what it exactly means…i did not booo him like other folks when he was forced to play. Seriously knock off your BS.
The fact that a kid transfers is in and of itself an admission that he made a wrong decision in the first place, for whatever reason. In the case of Steven Threet, he’s now made two wrong decisions. As it affects the football team I root for, I have no qualms whatsoever about criticizing him for this decision. I’m not ragging on his character in any way, I haven’t called him any names, etc. Just sayin’…
Seriously knock off my BS? What BS? I just said it makes no sense to tell people to lay off Threet and then turn around and take a pot-shot at Sheridan for no reason. I have no problem with your first post except for that gratuitous put-down in the last eight words. You don’t have to praise Sheridan or predict he’ll be a first round draft pick to make me happy; just quit bashing a kid who tried hard and who’s sticking around.
Now, if you’d like to show me where in my post I call Threet or McGuffie names, rag on potential recruits who elect to play elsewhere, or demonstrate that I have no life, I’ll be happy to retract. Seriously, “dude,” I don’t know who you’re ranting at, but it’s not me.
Threet transferred because of 2 coaching changes. The first being G Tech, going to an almost exclusive running atttack, and now Michigan going to the spread. He simply chose the wrong school at the wrong times. And to the guys up there arguing up there about Sheridan. He SUCKS…Period!..hahaha But then again anyone with eye balls saw that last year. I hate Michigan, and I hope he starts against the Bucks again next year!!!