In the immediate aftermath of Michigan’s first round NCAA Tournament loss to Notre Dame, John Beilein learned he would lose a couple players via transfer, Spike Albrecht and Ricky Doyle.
Initially both players had restrictions on where they could transfer, mainly that they couldn’t go anywhere else in the Big Ten. After that announcement was met with harsh criticism and blowback, Beilein has lifted those restrictions.
Full statement from Beilein pic.twitter.com/NnaUyCHJAo
— Josh Henschke (@JoshHenschke) April 1, 2016
Albrecht is completing his undergraduate degree this semester, and even though he has another year of eligibility left since he redshirted this season to have double hip surgery, Beilein made it clear Albrecht was not in his plans for next year. Originally, he and the conference were going to stick to their guns in preventing Albrecht from transferring within.
“There are 334 other schools he can go to,” Beilein told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, almost getting the math right on 351 minus the other 13 Big Ten members. “He has a lot of choices.”
Michigan did the same last season with grad transfer Max Bielfeldt, who later won his case on appeal and was able to play for Indiana immediately. Albrecht is an Indiana native.
It’s a pleasant surprise to see Beilein change his tune on this issue, but the major structural problems behind this rule are still there in all of their unpleasant glory.
