Originally Posted by
Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"
What has to stop is calling it an epidemic as though it's a bad thing. Players transfer both up and down because of poor fits, coaching changes, exposure, and playing time, among other reasons. Coaches encourage players to transfer for similar reasons. The kid doesn't fit, new coaches, personality conflicts, to open scholarships, and often because it genuinely benefits both parties.
Looking back at the past decade, we've had Scott Christopherson, Trevor Mbakwe, Patrick Hazel, Jeronne Maymon, Erik Williams, Yous Mbao, Reggie Smith, Jamail Jones, Jamal Ferguson, Jameel McKay, Steve Taylor, John Dawson, Deonte Burton, Sandy Cohen, Traci Carter, and Duane Wilson transfer out. I may have missed some, but that's 15 transfers in 10 years. Of those, I'd say 6 (SC, TM, PH, STJr, JD, DB) were down to coaching changes and 5 (EW, YM, JJ, JF, SC) were players in over their head. Of the other 5, Maymon I'd blame on a helicopter father, Smith is still just inexplicable (though looking at his post MU career he probably was over his head), McKay had a different sort of helicopter, Carter felt recruited over, and Wilson seemed fairly amicable and understandable on both sides.
I'd guess Marquette is fairly average. 1.5 transfers per year and 80-90% for perfectly rational reasons that benefitted both sides. To me, Mbakwe and McKay are the only two where I look back and think "what the...".
The "transfer epidemic" isn't that at all. It's a positive that has allowed players to seek challenges appropriate to their level of play and allowed coaches to better tailor their rosters both through forced attrition and addition. Many programs like Gonzaga are realizing this is an opportunity to develop and improve their program. Marquette seems to be following suit. They are adjusting to the new dynamics. It's time the ones complaining start doing the same.