FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Heftylefty]

Middlebury with another D1 Qb transfer from University of Illinois

[middhoops]

Vandy74 alerted me to this.  MJ Rivers looks like a serious athlete. 
Welcome to Vermont, Mr. Rivers!

[lumbercat]

For the first time in a number of years the QB situation at Middlebury was looking a little sketchy. Joe Willie Jernigan seemed capable but maybe not in a class with his all conference predecessors. Last time it was UNLV now Ritter snipes a QB from the Fighting Illini. Air Ritter thrives for at least another 3 years. Houdini does it again.

[nescac1]

MJ Rivers is the son of former NFL TE Marcellus Rivers (who was an absolutely monster, in terms of his physical frame, I recall him from his NY Giants days).  He STARTED three games as a frosh in the Big 10.  Ummmm, so yeah, I'd say he is pretty legit.  NESCAC has had its share of high profile D1 QBs transfer in over the past decade or so, but no one with those sort of credentials.  When you consider all the skill talent Midd has returning, the very QB-friendly system, and being able to (presumably) move Jernigan to a skill position (where he should thrive), Midd's offense suddenly looks very scary. 

[amh63]

Some random thoughts on the latest Midd QB transfer.  Yes, he is from a major football conference...but how has the Un. Of ILL. Football program been doing in the Big 10 or whatever it is called now?  Was he injured...and lost his starting position?
Interesting that Wes lost a fine starting basketball player....just transferred to the the Un. Of ILL.

[NCF]

Some random thoughts on the latest Midd QB transfer.  Yes, he is from a major football conference...but how has the Un. Of ILL. Football program been doing in the Big 10 or whatever it is called now?  Was he injured...and lost his starting position?
Interesting that Wes lost a fine starting basketball player....just transferred to the the Un. Of ILL.

While U of I football is not very good (and that's being nice) there are some good players on that team. Take for example, Nick Allegretti from Lincoln-Way East ( my high school district). He was drafted by the Chiefs in the 7th round. So don't discount a player because the school he plays for isn't great. I'm not an Illini fan at all with two daughters and a son-in-law that are Purdue grads, but the kid looks like a great transfer for Midd. And, yes, the conference is still called the Big 10.

[Vandy74]

As the person whose initial research caused this thread to continue beyond the original post that interestingly omitted the name of the QB transfer in question, perhaps I should be the one to step in and suggest we've been duped.   MJ Rivers has transferred from IU but I find no reference to Middlebury College as his new home away from home.  I believe his new school is New Mexico.  The Lobos were among the programs that recruited him when he opted for Illinois.  They renewed the full scholarship offer more recently and on August 1 Rivers tweeted that he was very happy about it.  Three days later he officially announced his plans to change schools.  The following day he was interviewed about his decision.  What can be found online is only a thirty second cut from it  and he doesn't name the school, but he does say his decision is based on a desire to be closer to home and his support group because of personal issues.  He's from Frisco, Texas.  There is a Texas Falls recreation area in nearby Hancock, VT but I suspect in this case it's irrelevant.  I hope I'm wrong.  I often am.  But.........

[amh63]

NCF....Thanks for the info.  Have a number of Purdue Friends.  Worked with them at Crane.  Fine engineers.  One even joined me for an Amherst athletic event during midweek.  We were working at Pittsfield, Ma.....many years ago .

[nescac1]

Right U, wrong QB.  Charlie Reinkemeyer.

https://fightingillini.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7473

[lumbercat]

The happiest guy in the world today is one Joe Willie Jernigan.

[Vandy74]

Right U, wrong QB.  Charlie Reinkemeyer.

https://fightingillini.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7473

That's a nice piece of research nescac1, considering the MC roster isn't up yet.  I hope young Mr. Reinkemeyer fully enjoys his Middlebury College experience both on and off the field.

[monjmafb]

Was Reinkemeyer a scholarship player?    Based on his size, he looks like he may have been a walk on.  And the "Ordinary People" town of Lake Forest is more in line with Middlebury than Champaign.

[Vandy74]

Was Reinkemeyer a scholarship player?    Based on his size, he looks like he may have been a walk on.  And the "Ordinary People" town of Lake Forest is more in line with Middlebury than Champaign.

Reinkemeyer was a redshirt last season.  I assume he was the recipient of a "redshirt scholarship", commonly used in DI football and basketball to allow an incoming student time to physically prepare for the new level of competition without losing a season's eligibility.   

[quicksilver]

Was Reinkemeyer a scholarship player?    Based on his size, he looks like he may have been a walk on.  And the "Ordinary People" town of Lake Forest is more in line with Middlebury than Champaign.

Reinkemeyer was a walk-on at UofI . . . He was listed as a redshirt freshman for the 2017 UofI season but, as best as I can determine, was not on the roster in his second year (2018) at Illinois . .

[Vandy74]

Was Reinkemeyer a scholarship player?    Based on his size, he looks like he may have been a walk on.  And the "Ordinary People" town of Lake Forest is more in line with Middlebury than Champaign.

Reinkemeyer was a walk-on at UofI . . . He was listed as a redshirt freshman for the 2017 UofI season but, as best as I can determine, was not on the roster in his second year (2018) at Illinois . .

I'd assumed the redshirt season was 2018.  My attention to detail isn't what it used to be.   It's a quibbling point but I assume he had to be on scholarship in 2017 to be given redshirt status.  Scholarships are one-year agreements.  His wasn't renewed for the 2018 season.  He tried to walk-on, didn't make the team and began looking for a school where he'd have a better chance to play.