Makai Cope (Sacramento State) and Kenzel Lawler (Montana) have found new homes

This topic has 15 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 11 months, 1 week ago by 2008 National Champ.

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- 01/17/2024 at 10:06 AM #210147
  5
  
  WasatchRanger
  Participant
  
  Sources:
  Kenzel Lawler Instagram
  Makai Cope Instagram
  
  Hope both find good playing time at their new Big Sky schools.
- 01/17/2024 at 10:07 AM #210149
  
  WasatchRanger
  Participant
  
  Realized I spelled Makai wrong in the title, doesn’t seem I can edit.
  - 01/17/2024 at 12:58 PM #210169
    
    2008 National Champ
    Participant
    
    click edit on the first post. then you can change the title. if you try editing the actual title at the top, it doesn’t work.
- 01/17/2024 at 10:10 AM #210150
  
  pedro
  Participant
  
  Cope just couldn’t catch the dang ball. If he could, he would be starting here.
- 01/17/2024 at 10:20 AM #210153
  7
  
  Ute Dub
  Participant
  
  I’ll say it. Were these guys pushed out? So much hand-wringing on portal guys who leave but I wonder if there are some frank discussions with a few of the players, such as: Look, you’ve been here two years, and from what we’ve seen so far, there’s a very low likelihood that you will ever play more than a few snaps of football. Therefore, you can stay on the team, but we cannot promise a scholarship unless we have extras that are not being used. However, the likelihood is that all will be used by the time Fall school starts is very high.
  
  I know I’m just making s**t up, but this seems like a reasonable conversation.
  - 01/17/2024 at 10:33 AM #210154
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    The Miami Ute
    Participant
    
    During my time following the Utes, the only player I’ve seen go to an arguably better situation after transferring or entering the portal is Nate Johnson going to Vanderbilt. And I say arguably because of Vandy’s academic reputation and it’s membership in the SEC. Everyone else has gone to lesser P4/5 programs, G5, or FCS.
    - 01/17/2024 at 10:42 AM #210155
      3
      
      WasatchRanger
      Participant
      
      Should Kamo’i Latu (Wisconsin) also be on that list?
      - 01/17/2024 at 12:19 PM #210165
        
        The Miami Ute
        Participant
        
        Yeah, I guess you could add Latu to that list…but those Wisconsin teams he played in were pretty mediocre, going 14-12 during his two years there. He definitely got more playing time there but his stats were pretty ho-hum.
      - 01/17/2024 at 1:02 PM #210170
        
        2008 National Champ
        Participant
        
        Xavier Carlton is a starter at CAL.
        
        The bigger issue is that if they weren’t good enough to eventually start at Utah, and didn’t go somewhere else to be a starter, should they have been on the roster in the first place? Everyone likes to point out the recruiting successes while conveniently ignoring the failures when talking about Utah’s great development and ability to find diamonds in the rough.
        
        01/17/2024 at 1:17 PM #210171
        
        WasatchRanger
        Participant
        
        I thought about Carlton. Cal just hasn’t had the same football success so I considered it a downgrade.
        
        I realize Wisconsin hasn’t been awesome re: Kamo’i Latu, but I probably should have included Carlton as well.
        
        01/17/2024 at 5:58 PM #210181
        
        2008 National Champ
        Participant
        
        If a kid wants to go pro, getting on the field is what matters. The NFL will find you if you’ve got ability and/or measurables.
        
        Stevie Tuikolovatu (sic?) is an example of a Utah backup who transferred and became a draft pick. It was before the portal so I didn’t include him.
    - 01/17/2024 at 12:07 PM #210163
      1
      
      belli1976
      Participant
      
      Tuttle just got a Natty ring for riding the bench.
      
      Better than riding the bench at Utah and not getting a Natty.
      - 01/17/2024 at 12:17 PM #210164
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        DataUte
        Participant
        
        He was also familiar with Penix as he was backup (or 3rd) at Indiana the same time. Boy, he seems to have been around a long time to never start anywhere. 4*? nah
        
        01/17/2024 at 12:24 PM #210166
        
        The Miami Ute
        Participant
        
        Crazy that we’re still talking about a guy that was only in Utah for one semester plus…he couldn’t even win the starter’s job or get on the field consistently at Indiana, and that was even with Penix suffering season-ending injuries every season he was there. I will say that Tuttle is a very smart dude, book-wise, and is set for a civilian career having a BS from Indiana and Master’s from Michigan.
    - 01/17/2024 at 2:02 PM #210172
      1
      
      UrbanLiar
      Participant
      
      Ryan Smith transferred from the Utes to the Gators in 2006, earned 2nd or 3rd team All
      American honors, started all 14 games in 2006 for the Gators and was a 6th round pick by the Titans in the 2007 NFL draft.
  - 01/17/2024 at 12:29 PM #210167
    
    concerned
    Participant
    
    I would bet yes. At a minimum, they were told they were never going to play. Lawler had a horrible game ealry in the year, getting beat for a couple of touchdowns IIRC, and entered the portal soon afterward. He has been gone a long time.
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