Ringo: Smith Granted Release to USC Only

Smith informed coach Dan Hawkins of his decision to transfer more than a week ago. He said his motivation for leaving was because CU does not offer the music major or program he wants to study.

Colorado refused to grant Smith a blanket release, which would allow him to transfer to any school of his choosing.

Instead, Bohn granted the release to USC only because that school met the criteria Smith said he was most interested in — it is close to home (Moorpark, Calif.) and offers the music program.

"That is our practice with all of our student-athletes who are in good academic standing and are doing well on campus and within the program," Bohn said. "We don’t provide a release initially until we have all the information associated with their decision to transfer and any nuances associated with it.

"It’s because of the investment that is already placed in the student-athletes. We have a lot invested in them and just don’t allow people to transfer when we feel like we provided a very solid foundation for them to succeed academically and athletically."

over 2 years ago Bob_Bell 21 comments 0 recs |

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Saw that coming!

This shouldn’t be a problem if music is the real motivation. If wanting to play for a different team/different circumstances-then this strategy might have back fired…

Of course I’m biased (alumni) and I don’t pretend to know the circumstances behind his decision, but I’ve learned two things over my years; one: the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and two; mean what you say or run the risk of outsmarting yourself….

OK, three things; don’t run a draw out of the shotgun into a blitzing defense.

by BuffnBigD on Jun 2, 2009 7:11 PM MDT reply actions

See Kendrick Celestine on this one

one: the grass isn’t always greener on the other side

Yeah, circumstances caused him to leave but the grass was greener in Boulder

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by Bob_Bell on Jun 2, 2009 8:45 PM MDT up reply actions

hopefully we can bring him back into the fold

I’m not sure USC would offer him a scholarship (they’ve got SEVENTEEN receivers on the roster, including walk ons, plus another incoming freshman). I doubt his family wants to drop 40 grand on USC’s tuition, so I guess it remains to be seen whether or not he wants to walk on elsewhere or stick with us. C’mon, Josh- you can get a BA here and then a BFA or MFA elsewhere after your career if that’s what you want- and for a lot cheaper!

by Hallux Valgus on Jun 2, 2009 8:14 PM MDT reply actions

The question is how difficult do we want to be with Josh and his transfer wishes

while Darrell is still here. Is the CU administration playing with fire on this one or is Darrell Scott absolutely not leaving? Is CU baiting him to say that he wants out for a different reason?

I dont know if calling football players “investments” is the right term, especially for recruiting purposes. Might not have been the best choice of words. I know where Bohn is coming from as time, energy, scholarships have been put into Smith’s development but it’s not like football scholarships are guaranteed until you graduate.

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by Bob_Bell on Jun 2, 2009 8:50 PM MDT reply actions

really, the question is how much are they tied

It’s been the case since before Scott committed, and it is now. We’ve been tip toeing around this line for 2 years now. Is playing hardball with Smith going to make a difference? Maybe. What if it keeps Smith here? If Scott isn’t considering transferring, it shouldn’t make a difference.

What it comes down to is, this is delicate for the fans, coaches, administration, and players alike, but no one is above the program. We have to do what’s best for the program. Right now, I’m just not sure what THAT is.

And I think Bohn made a true statement. We did make an investment in an athlete. And while it’s true that scholarships aren’t guaranteed, it’s on a very rare occasion that a scholarship is pulled without cause (and frankly, I think this point affects the Devin Head situation more than this one).

by Hallux Valgus on Jun 2, 2009 8:56 PM MDT up reply actions

I just think of it like this...the Buffs got a bigtime WR in Toney Clemons via transfer from a bigtime school in Michigan

whats the difference? Is it because Smith decided so late? I don’t know the answer but transfers happen and frankly, in 2010, we got a pretty good swap of receivers. Michigan made an investment in Clemons, we made an investment in Smith, it is a wash.

It happens with every program but now every coach who recruits against Colorado will say “the Buffs think of you as an investment, not a person they want to grow into a man…they don’t care about anything but the investment and the payoff.” To me all of this sends the wrong message. I transferred schools due to athletics at one time, at a much smaller level than Josh Smith, but I wanted a different opportunity and to be closer to Colorado. I couldn’t imagine if someone told me I could only go to one school, especially of a caliber of USC.

If Josh Smith said he wanted to play somewhere else, would he have been released to go to any school? Do the Buffs think he is lying about the music career?

I think Bohn is flirting with a dangerous PR line. I do agree that Josh Smith left the Buffs high and dry on this one and it would have been much more P.C. for him to leave right after the 2008 season so we could have ample time to recruit. But when you are dealing with teenagers and 20 year olds, things like this happens. Thats the business the Buffs are in.

I would say block him from Big 12 teams and then let him go.

Its just not the best front to present right now for this program.

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by Bob_Bell on Jun 2, 2009 9:24 PM MDT up reply actions

you make some great points

I transferred for the same reasons, but of course, I never had a scholarship worth the money that CU has invested in Smith. I believe that the estimate over 4 years is something like $300,000. So that’s 150 grand invested in a kid that’s just gone.

I think that your pretend negative recruiting is disingenuous, but then, that’s the nature of recruiting, so I get it. I think Bohn is flirting with a dangerous line, but then, I think we’re in a pretty precarious position. The football and men’s basketball programs are hemorrhaging players right now, it seems, and for no apparent reason. For 2 programs that are unsuccessful both on the field (court) and at the box office, that’s a real problem.

Of course, part of this is the precarious position our WR spot is in, both before the transfer and since. But we’re not in the same position as Michigan. Toney Clemons committed with certain expectations as to how he would be utilized, and the offense underwent a radical transformation. Josh Smith is not the same.

I understand your points, and I recognize that, if it were, say, Chappelle Brown transferring, it wouldn’t be as big an issue given the depth. I guess this one just cuts a little bit closer to the bone.

I guess I would release him outside of any team we play in the next 3 years, but I wouldn’t be happy about it. (I’d also like to make him ineligible to play us in a bowl game, but I doubt that’s possible.)

by Hallux Valgus on Jun 2, 2009 9:43 PM MDT up reply actions

Its a great topic for debate, I see the point on both sides

I guess we don’t know the story entirely, just like with Devin Head…definitely more to the story on that one.

If Smith would have come out and said, “I am not playing enough on the offensive end, I want to go somewhere else with a solid quarterback in a defined pro-style offense with a foundation set” I wonder what the reaction would have been. He may have not earned the right to play in the past two years but it isn’t like he has been the best position to excel and you couldn’t exactly say he was lying…similar to Toney Clemons.

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by Bob_Bell on Jun 2, 2009 9:54 PM MDT up reply actions

I don't even want to get into the Head issue

He’s best friends with my cousin. I just feel like, were I to get into it, nothing good would become of it. I know Head’s academic reputation from high school was good. I know his best friend (my cousin) is a fantastic student. I know that, were he to stay on scholarship and get eligible, it would benefit both Devin and the program (no hit to the APR).

Adding all that up, I think it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie in that case.

by Hallux Valgus on Jun 2, 2009 10:02 PM MDT up reply actions

I disagree with your perception of the situation

I don’t think we limited Smith’s choices to USC. I think he did based on what he told us he wanted to do with his life. If he was honest with our staff, which is all we should ever ask for out of our student athletes when it comes to these types of situations, then he shouldn’t have any issues at all with our limiting his release to the one school of his choice.

I agree with your semantics argument on the choice to use “investment” in the discussion. Perception if reality and we have no control over how other programs will twist Bohn’s words outside of our presence. He’s technically correct, but it’s not always good to be “dead right”.

by Buff-in-CA on Jun 3, 2009 3:29 PM MDT up reply actions

man why couldn't we just have a normal off-season

This move is really strange. I’m on the side who cares at this point. If he wants to leave thats fine, just make sure its not to a Big 12 team or anyone the buffs will play, but why get hung up in the details of everything.

Just let him go, move on and focus on your team

by roxbombers on Jun 2, 2009 11:03 PM MDT reply actions

in non-related Colorado High School News

Stanford is just a beast right now. they picked up a 3* QB recruit, giving Kain a little more competition out there.

by roxbombers on Jun 2, 2009 11:08 PM MDT up reply actions

15th commit for Stanford this cycle

Hawkins has 1 from an in-state kid. Harbaugh is plucking kids from all across the country. Something just does not add up with the way Hawkins recruits early on. It seems completely lazy.

Sorry to completely go off topic.

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by Zach Bell on Jun 2, 2009 11:13 PM MDT up reply actions

It's insane

how good of a recruiter he is and has teh benefits of a Stanford education to recruit too

by roxbombers on Jun 3, 2009 11:05 AM MDT up reply actions

this could get really ugly

and like irish said hopefully it doesn’t piss Darrell off. No way USC gives Josh a scholarship.

by nebraskasux on Jun 2, 2009 11:23 PM MDT reply actions

Agreed

There too deep, and though he kicks ass, I don’t know if hes kick ass enough to warrant a scholarship there. I’m hoping this is a case of just being wishy washy. I mean, how many times when you guys where in college did you think of transferring? I’m at about plus or minus 3 and never ended up leaving this fine institution.

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by 303buff on Jun 3, 2009 12:16 AM MDT up reply actions

well

only once for me, but I was all accepted into the other school and ready to move out of town when I changed my mind at the last second. I won’t bore anyone with the details but if I did I think most people would understand my decision. I wasn’t a scholarship athlete though and my move would of made a huge difference in my career possibilities after college. I know I’m beating a dead horse but that’s still why Josh’s move makes no sense to me. It would be like if I was on full academic scholarship at CU majoring in philosophy (or some other major that has very little to do with an actual job skill) and I decided to transfer to BYU and pay 40k a year in tuition so I could major in religious philosophy or something. I would expect my friends and/or parents to smack me across the face and tell me "you’ve got a good thing here, that is the stupidest idea ever."

I know, way to much analysis, but if this is just Josh being “wishy washy” someone needs to straighten his ass out :-)

by nebraskasux on Jun 3, 2009 1:08 AM MDT up reply actions

very well said there

at the end n-sux. For the record, I never once thought about leaving Boulder, I had to be pried out of that place.

by buffsnbruins on Jun 3, 2009 11:49 AM MDT reply actions

I have to question, I assume that this only means D-I schools

I am guessing he could transfer to a D-II program, which maybe would be the best for him, if he can find a good music program at say Cal State school and get to play ball and not pay tuition. But I agree, unless USC has it on good authority that they can get D. Scott for giving Jos Smith a scholarship, then it is doubtful USC would offer him one.

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by Broncoman on Jun 3, 2009 4:53 PM MDT reply actions

This saga might get even more weird

DS is thinking that Josh Smith might still be a Buff:

http://buffzone.pmpblogs.com/2009/06/03/no-worries-with-darrell-scott/

Plus, very encouraging comments re: DS sticking around.

I don’t think that this soap opera resonates very well with 18 year olds in 2009… I think kids these days would first ask how something like this could/would impact them before they consider how it impacts the team…

by BuffsFan99 on Jun 4, 2009 10:21 AM MDT reply actions