Taylor Landfair has entered the transfer portal.

So is getting stuffed too often better than hitting shots too often? Not being snarky. It's a legitimate philosophic question.

Also, there are a LOT of 6ro OHs in the game, most of whom struggle at times. Elite DSs are few and far between. Not every program is Nebraska. Passing is a VERY difficult skill.

Finally, unless we know the reasons, all of this is just speculation. Calling her and others "lazy" is just wrong.
 

So is getting stuffed too often better than hitting shots too often? Not being snarky. It's a legitimate philosophic question.

Also, there are a LOT of 6ro OHs in the game, most of whom struggle at times. Elite DSs are few and far between. Not every program is Nebraska. Passing is a VERY difficult skill.

Finally, unless we know the reasons, all of this is just speculation. Calling her and others "lazy" is just wrong.
She is the slowest, most lethargic looking volleyball player I've ever seen at a high level. The weakness she employs at times in "attempting" to get the ball over the net just makes you laugh. Or cry. I tend to laugh.

Anyone with eyes can see that for themselves.

Whether or not she actually is lazy is irrelevant to that.
 



I’ll beat the horse as long as I desire.

I’m pleased she’s transferring.

I wish her well at her new school. Without significant correcting, I don’t think she has a future in significant pro or national volleyball.
 


Far be it from me to apply for the job of your conscience. I have my own faults, God knows.
 


This coaching staff had their work cut out for them for the upcoming off season, but this decision by Landfair has really added to that. IDK if they saw this coming or not.

Hugh's coaching style and KCook's just have not meshed well at all. You need scholarships and/or NIL money to make significant changes to this roster. This present roster needs that more than ever to become better.

We really really really do need to hear some very positive news more than ever. The next few weeks are very crucial for this program.
 

Agreed MPLS Gopher your rants about Shaffmaster are both tiresome and repetitive. Stop being an obtuse pogue. The setter isn't nearly the problem you make her out to be.
Shaff's setting quality is absolutely an enormous liability. Enormous. I don't believe Stella will be the second coming, but I'm convinced that the good things Melani does aside from setting are not as useful as somebody placing the ball consistently and accurately to all of her hitters. Gophers need that to change in '24.
 



I am sorry to hear that Landfair is leaving. Contrary to the Gopher Hole Gurus, I think she is better than 90% of the OH in D1. Yes, her production was down this year but was still great by most players' standards. I think it is the sign of the times. She has seen that Booth and Wenaas were able to go to teams that made it to the final four. She also knows that schools like Texas have much NIL monies and can buy a good team every year. As much as I hate the transfer portal free agency system, I hope she lands a good opportunity.
 

If Landfair didn't get injured her sophomore year and if Covid hadn't happened, this would have been her last year.

That was the premise when Hugh recruited Hanson.

All this doom and gloom is a bit misplaced.
 

Except, other than the Swensons, the 2024 recruiting class is non-existent. I think the D&G is warranted, personally. I also think Julia is a fine player, but she was not the #1 recruit in her class. The ONLY thing that saves the program from a major dip in the years to come are transfers and that is very very hit and miss. AND if they don't arrive until this summer then they will have their 2023 problem all over again in 2024.

They need:

1) Hanson and/or Schnichels to be very good
2) Wucherer to take a major step forward
3) The setting to vastly improve
4) A libero or an excellent DS (assuming Z stays and is also very good)
5) At least one more middle, preferably an elite one

That's asking for a lot. Rag on Taylor's passing all you want, but they have -- again -- lost 2/3 of their primary passing.

Just yikes.
 

Landfair and Wicherer were ranked number 1, so that obviously means jack S.

Neither are anywhere near the best OH in college vball.


No elite middle is coming here with a setter who can’t set middles.
 



No one has commented either her or on VolleyTalk that Keegan's streak of never having a player transfer has come to an end. It was probably inevitable. I suppose one might still say he has never had a player transfer during their first four years, or maybe no player he recruited has transferred.
 

No one has commented either her or on VolleyTalk that Keegan's streak of never having a player transfer has come to an end. It was probably inevitable. I suppose one might still say he has never had a player transfer during their first four years, or maybe no player he recruited has transferred.
And next year, the Gophers will be playing Washington during the conference season. So when we play them, we will be looking at what Keegan mostly put in place there playing what Keegan is trying to put in place here.
 

Landfair and Wicherer were ranked number 1, so that obviously means jack S.

Neither are anywhere near the best OH in college vball.


No elite middle is coming here with a setter who can’t set middles.
Not sure why you need to be so negative. Sure this season wasn’t what everyone is accustomed to, but with huge transfer losses, new coach and system and lots of periods of lackluster play it provides a point to begin rebuilding the program under KCook. It will probably be more difficult with the constant portal activity and now that they’re allowing multiple transfers without sitting out a season. The one thing I do agree is that back row defense needs to be a priority.
 

4) A libero or an excellent DS (assuming Z stays and is also very good)

You give yourself away here as being a doom and gloom aficionado. There isn't even the slightest inkling that Z is leaving, yet you mention it.
 

I try not to read too much into social media, but TL not posting any sort of goodbye, but reposting the news of herself in the portal, while at the same time the rest of the team reposts "Grateful for another year of Gopher Volleyball" leads me to believe that something contentious went down.
 

Maybe coaching staff told her that she would only be welcomed back as a 3ro and she had a selfish tantrum? Wild guess
 

No one has commented either her or on VolleyTalk that Keegan's streak of never having a player transfer has come to an end. It was probably inevitable. I suppose one might still say he has never had a player transfer during their first four years, or maybe no player he recruited has transferred.
That’s (mostly) under the old system.

The new system is the Wild West
 

You give yourself away here as being a doom and gloom aficionado. There isn't even the slightest inkling that Z is leaving, yet you mention it.
I am definitely not an optimist but you are jumping to a bad conclusion. I don’t want to make any assumptions about a foreign player. I don’t expect her to leave but I have zero inside info and don’t want to sound like I do.
 

Landfair can't even carry Skinner's gym bag.

:ROFLMAO:
 


I try not to read too much into social media, but TL not posting any sort of goodbye, but reposting the news of herself in the portal, while at the same time the rest of the team reposts "Grateful for another year of Gopher Volleyball" leads me to believe that something contentious went down.
That is interesting. We will probably never know (and quite honestly, it should stay in the locker room anyway).

It will be interesting to see where she ends up and how she gels with her new team. Something seemed off this season and the normal team cohesiveness never really felt like it got going.
 



Jeff Day:


Keegan Cook came to Minnesota last December with a reputation for player retention and culture building that helped him lead a Pac-12 juggernaut over eight seasons at Washington.

Twelve months later, Cook is dealing with the first transfer of his career in his first year as Gophers coach. The impact figures to be gigantic.

The news that redshirt junior Taylor Landfair had entered the transfer portal Friday night was unexpected, according to sources inside the program who also said they don't expect anyone else to transfer.

Landfair posted on Instagram on Sunday morning: "Thank you again Gopher Nation for everything and no matter where I end up, I won't forget you all!! I loved being a Gopher over the past 4 years and I'll always keep being a Gopher close to my heart."

She went on to thank former Gophers coach Hugh McCutcheon, who recruited her to the program, for "the knowledge and wisdom he shared with me" but didn't mention her teammates or the current coaching staff.
Reached for comment, Landfair didn't respond immediately to questions about her decision to leave.
 

Signs are pointing toward Landfair landing in the cheesy place. Frustrating for fans.
 

Signs are pointing toward Landfair landing in the cheesy place. Frustrating for fans.
I really hope she doesn't. It's such a slap in the face to her teammates and fans to transfer to your top rival. There are so many other places you can go, it feels very gross to choose the one place that will hurt the most.

Even if you're hurt or angry at your teammates, just choose literally any other school.
 


Like it or not, Wisc is elite in volleyball. They have the #2 attendance behind Neb and are fully on board with paying players whatever it takes to make an all-star team and win nattys.

Until/unless the current system changes, there is zero reason to doubt that Neb, Texas, and Wisc won’t compile a new all-star transfer team every single year and that at least one of them will be in the FF every year.
 




Top Bottom