Extra Scholarship?

Keith7 · April 3, 2010

I read on facebook that Collin Mangrum is graduating this year and going to grad school elsewhere next year. Could this be an extra scholarship for us?

CMJ · April 3, 2010

Man, that's a scoop! I'll miss Mangrum, but good luck to him if that's really his plan

ADLER · April 3, 2010

That's a pretty good deal for him if that is the case. I'd love to see him still here, but he can get a year of grad school paid for at his choice of schools if he transfers. Players that graduate with eligibility remaining don't have to sit out if they go to another college for a graduate program. He has been on the academic honor roll and should have quite a selection of options depending on his graduate degree program.

Congratulations Collin! Two NCAA Tourney's in three years of play and then graduating with honors. Not bad, not bad at all.

TheTastyGreek · April 3, 2010

If this is true, and there's no reason not to believe it given that Mangrum has been an academic all-star at every honors ceremony I've ever attended AND he's already spent 4 years in school because of his injury/redshirt situation... This is a win-win-win for Mangrum, the program, and whoever picks up the scholarship that would otherwise have to go to an inferior team.

Mangrum gets some grad school paid for AND he gets a chance to play somewhere that minutes won't be so scarce. We get to reach out to one of the big name transfers or one of the few state HS recruits that aren't committed elsewhere, and ease the transition pain we're facing after next season.

If he ends up leaving, I'll be sad to see him go. He's gone through a lot to contribute to this team, and his shooting and defensive tenacity will be missed. But he'll have a chance to do what Dez Willingham did when he came here 2 years ago- Find a situation where he can play and contribute more than he might have gotten the chance to do here, AND work on his graduate education.

I just wish he'd had a chance to get his well deserved round of applause at senior night.

Also, big +1 for the find. Thanks for posting it here.

Edited April 3, 2010 by TheTastyGreek

CMJ · April 3, 2010

I just wish he'd had a chance to get his well deserved round of applause at senior night.

Indeed. He literally gave his health for this program.

chrisfisher · April 3, 2010

Thanks Mangrum for your dedication to the Mean Green. You are a class act and will never be forgotten.

chrisfisher · April 3, 2010

Please let this extra scholly go to J'mison Morgan....Please let this extra scholly go to J'mison Morgan....Please let this extra scholly go to J'mison Morgan....Please let this extra scholly go to J'mison Morgan.... Please... :rolleyes:

GrandGreen · April 3, 2010

Some are excited about the idea of another scholarship but I would hate to see Mangrum leave. Based on the play at the end, I think he could have a real shot at starting next year. I don't see JJ starting two small guards again, so I think Johnson will probably be coming off the bench. Mangrum appeared close to beating out Shorter at the end of the year, and if he stays I would expect a real competition between those two and McGhee for one wing position with Thompson at the other.

Visions of McCombs, Morgan or Babb are great, but how realistic signing any of them is unknown. Trading a senior with only one year eligibility left for a two year player with great potential sounds good, but giving up Mangrum's senior year would be costly.

CMJ · April 3, 2010

I'm not anxious to see Mangrum leave at all. He's the only player we've ever had to be on two NCAA tournament teams, and I believe would go down as the all-time winningest in school history if he played next year.

TheTastyGreek · April 3, 2010

Some are excited about the idea of another scholarship but I would hate to see Mangrum leave. Based on the play at the end, I think he could have a real shot at starting next year. I don't see JJ starting two small guards again, so I think Johnson will probably be coming off the bench. Mangrum appeared close to beating out Shorter at the end of the year, and if he stays I would expect a real competition between those two and McGhee for one wing position with Thompson at the other.

Visions of McCombs, Morgan or Babb are great, but how realistic signing any of them is unknown. Trading a senior with only one year eligibility left for a two year player with great potential sounds good, but giving up Mangrum's senior year would be costly.

I'd hate to see him leave, too. But we don't lose any guards, and actually we're adding two to the rotation already in the return of Dom and the commit from McGhee. Considering how scarce minutes are already going to be, and the fact that we can sub Shorter to cover for what we lose in Mangrum's defensive skills or McGhee for what we lose in his shooting... We should be able to compensate for his loss with the guys already on the roster.

I wouldn't have wanted to see him let go involuntarily or anything... But if he can get some grad work done elsewhere (and I think the graduate transfer rule only applies when the school you're leaving doesn't offer the program you want, but the school you're going to does) and he's wanting to leave, then at least we're getting a chance to lock in someone who can help us ease the transition after the big class graduates next year.

If we weren't getting McGhee in here, I'd be pretty nervous about losing Mangrum and the potential hit to our depth. But McGhee is supposedly going to be good enough to press for minutes in the rotation next year, and he's already as tall as Mangrum is. We've got a defensive stopper with size already in Shorter, and McGhee can be a tall scoring guard (and none of us know whether he'll surprise us and have the skills to defend like Alzee did as a freshman).

He's a great kid and a talented player, but if we have to lose him, we should be able to handle it without losing a step and also gird ourselves for the 2011-12 lineup changeover.

Green P1 · April 3, 2010

I hope he sticks around, but I'll wait for an official announcement to tell everyone what we don't need up in here.

Edited April 3, 2010 by Green P1

emmitt01 · April 3, 2010

I hope the rumors are true. Let me preface by saying I don't dislike Mangrum or particularly want him gone. If he can get a free year of grad school and we can get a young player to help ease the transition then I see this as a huge WIN WIN.