Where Are They Headed? U-M Has Lost 8 Players To Transfer Since September
Eight Michigan Wolverines football players have left the team since the season was originally supposed to kick off in September, with more undoubtedly to come over the ensuing months.
It's nothing to be concerned about, however, and is just simply the state of college football nowadays. Some of the departures have been key contributors (sophomore running back Zach Charbonnet, for example), while others were players who were buried on the depth chart.
Below is a closer look at each of the eight Wolverines who have departed since September, a quick recap of their careers and where they're headed.
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Freshman LB Osman Savage (Sept. 30)
He came to Michigan as one of the gems of the 2020 recruiting class, having signed with the Maize and Blue as a four-star prospect and the No. 159 overall player nationally.
Savage departed the program before the season even began, however, never having played in a game with the Wolverines. It was revealed Jan. 6 he would be transferring to Alabama A&M of the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision).
Transfer Destination: Alabama A&M
Redshirt freshman LB Charles Thomas (Oct. 19)
Like Savage, Thomas' career at Michigan was a short one. He redshirted as a freshman in 2019 while playing in two games, albeit on special teams against Middle Tennessee State and Michigan State.
The Atlanta native never racked up any stats during his brief time on the field though. It was revealed just before the start of the 2020 campaign (Oct. 19) that Thomas was no longer on the team, though he has yet to reveal his new destination.
Transfer Destination: Unknown
Redshirt freshman C Zach Carpenter (Dec. 10)
He redshirted as a freshman in 2019 and never saw game action, though his career began to take off in a big way toward the latter half of 2020. Carpenter competed in each of Michigan's first four games of the season, before eventually starting the final two contests against Rutgers and Penn State when fifth-year senior Andrew Vastardis went down with injury.
Thought to be one of the primary competitors for the starting center job next season, Carpenter surprisingly transferred Dec. 10, despite the fact the Wolverines were still thought to have at least one more game to play at that point.
The Cincinnati native announced Jan. 1 he'd be heading to Indiana.
Transfer Destination: Indiana
Fifth-year senior P Will Hart (Dec. 16)
He originally came to U-M as a walk-on, but was eventually put on scholarship while enjoying a successful Wolverine career. Hart endured a breakthrough redshirt sophomore campaign in 2018, taking home the Big Ten's Punter of the Year Award after averaging 47 yards per punt and booting 19 balls 50 yards or further.
He regressed slightly in 2019, but still averaged a stellar 44.2 yards per punt while starting all 13 games. Hart's regression continued in 2020, and he was benched in favor of redshirt junior Brad Robbins during the Oct. 31 loss to Michigan State and never reclaimed his job.
It's important to note next season will be Hart's sixth in college, and it's unknown whether or not he was even invited back by the Michigan coaches. This departure was likely 100 percent mutual and with no hard feelings on either side.
Transfer Destination: Unknown
Redshirt sophomore RB Christian Turner (Dec. 19)
He redshirted as a freshman in 2018, but showed decent potential while competing in three games and carrying 20 times for 99 yards. Turner was one of the club's primary backs when the 2019 campaign kicked off, with the then-redshirt freshman rushing 44 times for 171 yards on the year.
Fumbling issues saw his playing time decrease dramatically as the season went on though, and he fell out of favor in a big way. The Buford, Ga., native was spotted on crutches at the team's annual end-of-the-year banquet in December, before opting out of the 2020 season altogether.
Turner opted back in once the Big Ten reversed its decision and decided to play a fall campaign, though the Wisconsin game Nov. 14 was his only appearance of the year. He announced Jan. 18 he'd be heading to Wake Forest, where he'll once again be a redshirt sophomore in 2021.
Transfer Destination: Wake Forest
Sophomore RB Zach Charbonnet (Jan. 18)
Charbonnet's departure is arguably the biggest blow of the eight players on this list. He showed signs of greatness as a freshman in 2019, leading the team with 726 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
His 11 scores on the ground were an all-time freshman rushing record at U-M. The Camarillo, Calif., native was expected to be one of the primary rushers once again heading into 2020, but things did not go as planned.
Though his 19 carries were the third most among the team's running backs, the sophomore only ran for 124 yards and one touchdown on the year. It's also worth noting 70 of those 124 yards came on one carry in the Oct. 24 win at Minnesota.
Charbonnet has yet to announce his new destination.
Transfer Destination: Unknown
Redshirt junior DE Luiji Vilain (Jan. 19)
Injuries were the name of the game for Luiji Vilain during his four years at Michigan, with the Ottawa, Ontario, native seldom able to stay healthy. He did not see any action in the 2017 or 2018 seasons, before appearing in seven games as a backup as a redshirt sophomore in 2019.
Vilain took on by far the biggest role he had ever seen at Michigan this past year, thanks in large part to injuries to senior defensive end Kwity Paye and junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
The redshirt junior played at least 22 snaps in each of U-M's three games from Nov. 7-21, but nevertheless failed to make much of an impact, finishing the year with just four tackles, no sacks and no tackles for loss.
Vilain's departure did not come as a surprise, especially with Hutchinson returning to Ann Arbor next year.
Transfer Destination: Wake Forest
Redshirt junior QB Dylan McCaffrey (Jan. 21)
Many people pegged him as the likely starter for the Wolverines heading into 2020, but he instead was beaten out by redshirt sophomore Joe Milton and apparently redshirt freshman Cade McNamara as well.
In a sudden turn of events, it was revealed Sept. 16 McCaffrey would be opting out of the 2020 season altogether. He apparently stayed in school though, and as a result didn't enter his name into the transfer portal until Jan. 21.
"What could have been" will be the lasting legacy for McCaffrey at Michigan. He showed outstanding potential on multiple occasions when he saw the field, but apparently wasn't able to put it all together in 2020 fall camp.
McCaffrey wrapped up his tenure with a 51 career completion percentage, 242 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and 166 rushing yards in 13 games.
Transfer Destination: Unknown
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