Now that the season is over, there has been a lot of talk about how this year doesn't count towards eligibility. So with that, which seniors would you like to see back for a 5th/6th year next fall? I don't think we know yet how that will effect scholarships for next year, so put that aside. Who would you like to see back and who would you not mind if they left be it just ready to move on for whatever reason or Creighton not extended an offer?

On defense the only two I'd really like to see back are Rush and Myrick. We really don't have a ton of seniors playing on defense. Lafleur, Hubbard, and McGee had nice years, but I think with all the young DBs we have we'd be okay there. Our pass rush has struggle some since Maxx and Harris left, Rush is our best (although Ramirez appears to be close). As has been mentioned our LBs really struggle, with Myrick being the lone bright spot, plus he seems to be a leader out there. Add a solid JUCO or two to go along with Myrick and the LB group could be much better.

On offense I don't see a huge need for anyone to come back. Don't get me wrong, Van Hoeven (as we saw today when Bates came in) and Donnellon have both been great players the past few years and I wouldn't be mad about either coming back, but with some of the guys we have recruited (Rewolinski, Jordan, Howie, Racely, Smith, Douglas, Eaton, and McAdams) I think there will be a great competition for those two starting spots and I'd feel comfortable saying we'd replace them. The spot that I'm torn on is TE. Cannon and Odukoya both had some moments, but neither were major parts of the offense. Part of that is the offense and part of that is having Hutchinson at QB who doesn't seem to utilized his TEs a ton (which is fine). We also have some young TEs (Jackson, Luft, Hartsfield, Oakes, and Getzinger) so if they both left it wouldn't bother me too much. Of the two I'd probably prefer Odukoya to come back just because of his ability as a blocker, I think that has helped with the run game quite a bit.

Lastly, I'd love to see Julien back. He's been a bit of a secret weapon these past few years.

Odukoya is one of the more valuable players on the team to me. I wish we’d throw it to him more, but he’s such a good blocker that he impacts the game without even needing the ball. I’d love to have him back.

Julien too. Not having to worry about the punting game is nice.

While I wouldn’t mind having everyone else back, I think we have the depth to replace them. We need changes on defense, and maybe these kids on the bench will be an improvement with another year of practice and strength training under their belts.

My view: Any senior starter who wants to come back should be offered the opportunity to do so. We owe them that chance if we are indeed a quality program. We are a merit based, competitive operation and they as a result are not guaranteed a starting spot next year however. I simply cannot cut any senior starter loose, none of them will ever play football again, they deserve to finish their careers in a far better season than this if they choose to do so. One with an actual homecoming game and a real parents night, it is only fair.

The real question is how many will really want to come back? They all should be eligible for a grad transfer and that includes many red-shirt juniors like Preston Hutchinson.

I don't think any of the players should be run away from the program, however, if a player graduates he should then play as a non-scholarship player. EMU shouldn't have to foot the bill for a 6th year player.

The way I understand it is that the coach and the player both have to be in agreement to return, correct?

I'm all for honoring these Seniors as they chose to come to the school and program I root for. However, we may see that some Seniors may want to play ball at a different school or at a lower level for one last hurrah. The good thing is that even if we had Seniors who wanted to leave, we have the 18th youngest team in FBS and this season gave us the chance to get these guys reps.

I'm split because I think these guys deserve the proper send off, but at the same time, I'm really looking forward to seeing the younger linemen get reps, DB's continue to grow, etc.

My take: We have ONLY 14 players listed as seniors according to the EMU roster produced by Sports Info. Fourteen is a relatively small senior class.

Yes, for a player to come back he needs to be offered a scholarship for next season and accept it.

As far as I know I (me, my thoughts only) would go about guessing if I were writing an article for a newspaper:

1). Is the player in the 2-deeps? How many games did he appear in this season? Most importantly, how many 2020 starts? These are good 'performance metrics.'

2). What is the nature of the position? E.g., QB and kickers don't typically need a lot of players as punters and kickers don't get 'gassed' kicking the ball. Unlike Daniel Jones, N.Y. Giants QB who got gassed on his big run earlier this year. Hutch took all of the snaps as QB. If I were say 4th on the depth chart at QB, I'd be...

3). Will the player have his degree this April. If not, invite back for next year to complete degree and play.

4). What opportunity does the player have elsewhere? We had a few grad transfer attrition after 2019.

5). We haven't gone hog wild on verbals so numbers aren't as much a problem as at other schoo,s,

6). And here I have NO idea, are all the seniors 'happy campers' and in good graces of the coaching staff.

7). To the athletic department I assume all scholarships are 'costed' the same. As far as dollars are concerned it is the same to keep a senior and sign one less new recruit (one scholarship year). I wouldn't let a senior simply walk away... If he can play I'd want him back.

(12-12-2020 05:49 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  I simply cannot cut any senior starter loose, none of them will ever play football again, they deserve to finish their careers in a far better season than this if they choose to do so. One with an actual homecoming game and a real parents night, it is only fair.

While I agree with much of what's been said in this thread so far, as the parent of a player, if my son were a senior this year I'd feel we missed a lot. To me, Jerry's points about homecoming and parents' night are big. It would be nice for these guys who have knocked themselves out for this program for four or five years to have the opportunity to celebrate it and be celebrated.

The Seniors Are: Rush, Scott, Holford, Cannon, Donnellon, Van Hoeven, Smith, Myric, Julien, Hubbard, McGee, LaFleur, Odukoya, Steibeling

(12-13-2020 10:47 AM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(12-12-2020 05:49 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  I simply cannot cut any senior starter loose, none of them will ever play football again, they deserve to finish their careers in a far better season than this if they choose to do so. One with an actual homecoming game and a real parents night, it is only fair.

While I agree with much of what's been said in this thread so far, as the parent of a player, if my son were a senior this year I'd feel we missed a lot. To me, Jerry's points about homecoming and parents' night are big. It would be nice for these guys who have knocked themselves out for this program for four or five years to have the opportunity to celebrate it and be celebrated.

Agree 100%. College student-athletes are not pro athletes and should not be treated like such.

Those who follow pro sports like tend to treat athletes like chattel. That is not fair for college athletes because they are also students, not pro athletes.

(12-13-2020 11:01 AM)dansplaining Wrote:  The Seniors Are: Rush, Scott, Holford, Cannon, Donnellon, Van Hoeven, Smith, Myric, Julien, Hubbard, McGee, LaFleur, Odukoya, Steibeling

What's the story on Holford?

(12-13-2020 11:01 AM)dansplaining Wrote:  The Seniors Are: Rush, Scott, Holford, Cannon, Donnellon, Van Hoeven, Smith, Myric, Julien, Hubbard, McGee, LaFleur, Odukoya, Steibeling

All of those guys are on-field contributors with the exception of Steibling.

He is my case in point. Four years ago he was the backup to Brogan Roback and helped us beat BGSU in the season finale. Since then most of his game contribution has been wearing the orange vest and hand signaling plays. He does not have a D1 arm, yet he returned to EMU this season for his fifth year.

I have no clue why he would come back for a sixth year, but the decision on whether he comes back next season needs solely to be made by Isaac. Anyone who has invested this much in EMU deserves nothing less. Just my opinion.

(12-13-2020 06:09 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-13-2020 11:01 AM)dansplaining Wrote:  The Seniors Are: Rush, Scott, Holford, Cannon, Donnellon, Van Hoeven, Smith, Myric, Julien, Hubbard, McGee, LaFleur, Odukoya, Steibeling

All of those guys are on-field contributors with the exception of Steibling.

He is my case in point. Four years ago he was the backup to Brogan Roback and helped us beat BGSU in the season finale. Since then most of his game contribution has been wearing the orange vest and hand signaling plays. He does not have a D1 arm, yet he returned to EMU this season for his fifth year.

I have no clue why he would come back for a sixth year, but the decision on whether he comes back next season needs solely to be made by Isaac. Anyone who has invested this much in EMU deserves nothing less. Just my opinion.

There's going to be some tough decisions and as much as it pains me to say.....We need to focus on what's best for the team opposed to focusing on honoring seniors. I'm all for respecting these guys so long as they are contributors in '21. I personally think the guys who decide to stay would be warmly greeted but I trust this does not prohibit the growth of the guys ready to step in. I know this may sound callous to some, some but I want the best players putting us in the best position to win in '21 and I dont care if its a 6th yr senior or redshirt frosh. I appreciate all the seniors, just want to make sure we arent slowing progress for what I think will be a GREAT '21 season.

(12-13-2020 10:17 PM)steve4840 Wrote:  

(12-13-2020 06:09 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-13-2020 11:01 AM)dansplaining Wrote:  The Seniors Are: Rush, Scott, Holford, Cannon, Donnellon, Van Hoeven, Smith, Myric, Julien, Hubbard, McGee, LaFleur, Odukoya, Steibeling

All of those guys are on-field contributors with the exception of Steibling.

He is my case in point. Four years ago he was the backup to Brogan Roback and helped us beat BGSU in the season finale. Since then most of his game contribution has been wearing the orange vest and hand signaling plays. He does not have a D1 arm, yet he returned to EMU this season for his fifth year.

I have no clue why he would come back for a sixth year, but the decision on whether he comes back next season needs solely to be made by Isaac. Anyone who has invested this much in EMU deserves nothing less. Just my opinion.

There's going to be some tough decisions and as much as it pains me to say.....We need to focus on what's best for the team opposed to focusing on honoring seniors. I'm all for respecting these guys so long as they are contributors in '21. I personally think the guys who decide to stay would be warmly greeted but I trust this does not prohibit the growth of the guys ready to step in. I know this may sound callous to some, some but I want the best players putting us in the best position to win in '21 and I dont care if its a 6th yr senior or redshirt frosh. I appreciate all the seniors, just want to make sure we arent slowing progress for what I think will be a GREAT '21 season.

This was kind of my point in starting the thread. I'd be perfectly happy if they all came back, my question was more who do we need next year.

(12-13-2020 06:09 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-13-2020 11:01 AM)dansplaining Wrote:  The Seniors Are: Rush, Scott, Holford, Cannon, Donnellon, Van Hoeven, Smith, Myric, Julien, Hubbard, McGee, LaFleur, Odukoya, Steibeling

All of those guys are on-field contributors with the exception of Steibling.

He is my case in point. Four years ago he was the backup to Brogan Roback and helped us beat BGSU in the season finale. Since then most of his game contribution has been wearing the orange vest and hand signaling plays. He does not have a D1 arm, yet he returned to EMU this season for his fifth year.

I have no clue why he would come back for a sixth year, but the decision on whether he comes back next season needs solely to be made by Isaac. Anyone who has invested this much in EMU deserves nothing less. Just my opinion.

He might come back if he has a future interest in coaching...

(12-13-2020 07:00 AM)emu steve Wrote:  My take: We have ONLY 14 players listed as seniors according to the EMU roster produced by Sports Info. Fourteen is a relatively small senior class.

Yes, for a player to come back he needs to be offered a scholarship for next season and accept it.

As far as I know I (me, my thoughts only) would go about guessing if I were writing an article for a newspaper:

1). Is the player in the 2-deeps? How many games did he appear in this season? Most importantly, how many 2020 starts? These are good 'performance metrics.'

2). What is the nature of the position? E.g., QB and kickers don't typically need a lot of players as punters and kickers don't get 'gassed' kicking the ball. Unlike Daniel Jones, N.Y. Giants QB who got gassed on his big run earlier this year. Hutch took all of the snaps as QB. If I were say 4th on the depth chart at QB, I'd be...

3). Will the player have his degree this April. If not, invite back for next year to complete degree and play.

4). What opportunity does the player have elsewhere? We had a few grad transfer attrition after 2019.

5). We haven't gone hog wild on verbals so numbers aren't as much a problem as at other schoo,s,

6). And here I have NO idea, are all the seniors 'happy campers' and in good graces of the coaching staff.

7). To the athletic department I assume all scholarships are 'costed' the same. As far as dollars are concerned it is the same to keep a senior and sign one less new recruit (one scholarship year). I wouldn't let a senior simply walk away... If he can play I'd want him back.

I want to 'amend' this post.

I was thinking more like the normal 5th year for a scholarship athlete, i.e., the team must offer and player accept the scholarship offer for next season.

As indicated by several posters, that isn't the best analogy. The better analogy is that this 'season never happened' and start from there.

As we know some MAC teams played 6 games; some less. Some deserving teams will lose bowl games. No family in stands. And so on...

The season was a big nothing burger. In a sense, we missed most of our spring ball 2020, so our 6 games were, in part, making up for missed spring ball.

As I have indicated elsewhere, I assume C.C. has a good idea which players may not come back. He can factor that into his scholarship offers Wednesday.

I am guessing CC has had those senior discussions and agree his signing class on Weds will reflect those decisions.

(12-14-2020 11:54 AM)emu79 Wrote:  I am guessing CC has had those senior discussions and agree his signing class on Weds will reflect those decisions.

Yeah...the whole "Ypsi Hustle" thing they've done on Twitter implies there will be some action on Wednesday. I agree CC and his recruiting team wouldn't go into that blindly unaware of how the Senior returnees might fit into the big picture.

If some seniors do decide to move on from a 5th/6th year, I would like to see us go after some veteran transfers using their scholarships. Getting 1-2 upperclassmen on the DL and in the LB spots that are game ready would help take this team to the next level. Stopping the run was a big weakness this year.

I'm still thinking that if a 5th year senior graduates but wants to return then let him do so as a non-scholarship player.

Holford was a 6th year player this year. Might he come back for year 7? Good grief, he could almost draw social security by the time he's done playing.

In his post-game interview after NIU, Turan Rush seemed to imply he's coming back next year.