Michigan Wolverines’ New Transfer Portal Entrant Refuses To Abandon Team Ahead Of 2nd Straight CFP Appearance – Gridiron Heroics
The Michigan Wolverines will have depth in the running back room as they go into the College Football Playoffs for the second straight year due to the fact that transferring running back C.J. Stokes announced that he will travel with the team to the Rose Bowl.
In a player-friendly move, head coach Jim Harbaugh has allowed members of his team to enter the transfer portal and remain part of the team for the postseason.
Harbaugh realizes that it is important for players to get into the portal as soon as possible to maximize their chances of landing at a spot that is beneficial to their future.
It is this player-friendly nature that is likely a large factor in the fact that Stokes is still the only Wolverine scholarship player to enter the portal thus far.
Although star running back Donovan Edwards has not announced his plans for the future, the sharing of the spotlight with fellow star running back Blake Corum bodes well for a return.
Stokes got some playing time early in his freshman year, but has since been relegated to a deep position on the depth chart. On top of Edwards and Corum, converted linebacker Kalel Mullings and even walk-ons have seen the field ahead of Stokes.
Unlike the Michigan Wolverines, other transfers from CFP teams will not be with the team
Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) celebrates the Longhorns’ 49-21 win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship game at AT&T stadium on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 in Arlington.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy announced that he will be transferring from Texas, and unlike Stokes will not be with his team for the College Football Playoffs.
Murphy is not departing with Texas on bad terms, and he is not abandoning his teammates due to any ill will. He is being forced to abandon his team due to the way the college football schedule is set up. In an On3 Sports article, head coach Steve Sarkisian details the tough position in which Murphy was put.
“We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Maalik,” Sarkisian said Wednesday night. “He won two games for us. But I also understand this day and age of college football. That’s unfortunate that he’s been put in this situation, this position to where he’s trying to look out for his future.
“He was part of a team that’s competing for a national championship. This structure of how our seasons go throughout the year in college football is not perfect.
We’re all learning as we go with now the transfer portal, the early signing period, the College Football Playoff, and what it’s going to look like next year when we go to 12 teams and managing that. And managing that for our own current players and for our future players.
“We’ve got to continue to adapt.”
The idea is that the preparation involved with a college football game does not jive with the visit schedule of a potential transfer. If this is the case, it is unclear why Stokes is able to balance the schedule and stay with his team and Murphy is not.
Majority of fans have no ill will towards Michigan Wolverines’ transfer running back C.J. Stokes
Michigan Wolverines running back C.J. Stokes (23) on the field before the Big Ten championship game against Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022. Michiganbig 120322 Kd 1712Fans understand that Stokes is in the midst of one of the deepest running back rooms in the country, and the path to playing time is bleak. Stokes is being commended for his choice to stay with the team for the rest of the year, and he is not often being chastised for his decision to leave.
While a lot of fans respect Murphy’s decision to part ways with the team early, some are saying he could stick with the team if Stokes is managing to do just that.
One potential difference between the two players is that Stokes has a much slimmer chance of seeing the field, and would have a lot less important role if he were to be thrust into action.
It might be in the Longhorn’s best interest to have a backup quarterback that is giving the team his full attention, rather than a quarterback that is half-focused on where he will be playing next year.
