Willie Tatum

[Chris Monter]

I spoke to Willie Tatum this evening. I had got to know him during his recruitment and had talked to him during his visit. He said that he left school one week after Coach Brewster was fired.

He said that he is not sure where he is going to end up and is "keeping his options open." He said that "he is contacting all the schools in Ohio, whether it is MAC school or Ohio State to let them know he is leaving the University of Minnesota."

Tatum left because "I didn't feel it was the right fit for me."

"I may be looking towards going to a juco just to see whatever schools I might get (interest from)."

He was a former teammate and friend of newest Gopher recruit Tamani Carter.

He said that "I talked to him earlier before I left (about Minnesota) when I first got there. I told him that he had a good chance to play there."

I asked him if he thought that Minnesota would still be a good place for him and Tatum responded "Yes. It is a good up-and-coming team. He is a pretty good player and I think that he will fit in there."

I asked him if he was leaving on a good feeling about Minnesota or if he wishes things would have been different and he responded "I wish that I would have put more into (my decision) and not just jumped on since it was biggest offer at that point. Maybe I would have went about it differently, but there is still a good feeling there.

Chris Monter

 

[MaxyJR1]

Good stuff. I'm still glad he gave it a try.

 

[gophergrad]

Thanks for the update Chris. Shame about Willie, our LB unit is strong and I'm not sure we'll miss him a ton. So i'm going to wish him the best.

 

[CDH27]

I wish Willie had stayed through the coaching change. He may have had a different opinion about where the program is headed.

 

[Formo]

Meh. Sounds like he didn't put much thought or heart in his decision. Good luck to him, but at the same time, I'm over him like 2 weeks ago.

 

[ulfr]

Tatum wasn't a recruit I was gushing over when he came in, but I can understand the kids frustrations (though I cannot imagine a situation that will land him at tOSU unless it is as a not-so-preferred walk-on). I wish the kid would have waited to see what the future staff had to offer but getting a new start is going to be easiest for him the sooner he does it, so maybe that was as good as a time as any (though finishing the semester academically may have been advantageous if he wanted to land at a 4-year versus a JUCO).

That all being said if this is as bad as it gets, so be it. At least it comes at one of the few positions we seem to be fairly well stocked. Hopefully the defections will be minimal, especially at positions of need like the secondary (looking at you Michael Carter). Anybody hear anything else about Tauefa or Perry or any of the other rumored departures?

 

[50PoundHead]

Meh. Sounds like he didn't put much thought or heart in his decision. Good luck to him, but at the same time, I'm over him like 2 weeks ago.

Sure, they end up getting a free education, but I still have some semblance of empathy with these kids when they are being recruited. It's obvious Tatum was blown away by the Gophers' offer and rather than think about it for awhile, he committed.

It was difficult enough for me as an 18-year-old low those many years ago to figure out what college would be the best one for me and I wasn't being recruited for much of anything. I can only imagine what it would be like to be getting mail and phone calls every day telling you why this choice or that choice would be the one for you.

Good luck Willie. Hope your next choice is one you make with a bit more discernment and ends up fitting what you believe to be your athletic and academic goals more suitably.

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

Good luck to Tatum! I liked his athleticism & had hopes he could turn into a nice player given time. I suspect (pure speculation) that he realized he'd be more happy playing for a MAC team closer to home. Ohio U, Ball St et al would seem like nice fits for the young man.