It is always disappointing when attrition occurs, but it is what it is. Maddux was a solid contributor before he got hurt, but Rackstraw has really improved a ton. He is faster and more physical--although Aaron did very well. There is the unwritten rule about returning after injury, but it is just that--unwritten. Certainly, a player cannot make huge waves in handling the situation. I can't blame him for not wanting to be a back-up, however the question is whether he will thrive at his new destination?? Also, we have to remember, entering the portal does not automatically mean the player leaves. Perhaps cooler heads may prevail, and Maddux and the CU staff will stay in touch. This sounds like high emotions, and the dust needs to settle.
Jones was always a lost talent on me. When HCMM recruited him, it was understood he would have opportunities. For whatever reason, those never materialized under HCMM and he got soundly beat out before the season. With his measurables, I did not predict this. I thought Harris would start, but he would be in the 2 TE sets. I would have loved to have seen him be a weapon in the slot or with his size run block. Obviously, neither of these seemed to come together. It will be interesting to see if his career is done.
For this thread, we should not be reading player's tweets and reporting on them. These are 18-22 year old athletes with a ton of stuff going through their heads. They are college kids. I am glad that Perry is seeing the field and his experience will probably dictate what he does. We should never speculate on what a college athlete is thinking week to week. Who knows, with Maddux departing, Perry may move into his natural safety spot and thrive. Taylor will be difficult to replace at Star Backer, but MT will recruit this.
I am impressed that MT is playing so many kids. The best thing for a coaching staff to do for recruits or players is to be honest where things stand. Given all the injuries at DB, it would have been nice if Ronnie Blackmon stayed, but if the staff was honest with him, they were protecting the player. Same goes with Trey Udoffia, if him red-shirting this year makes him a better fit in this new defense, then that is a good move.