"Medical Scholarship" question for the experts

[Hwy78dawg]

Earlier tonight I was scanning radio stations and apparently landed on the Rebel Yell show that was featuring Yancy giving a recruiting update. A caller asked about 4 specific currently uncommitted players (of course the plantation was in the lead for all of them) and he asked about the Dickens situation (he had to ask this one twice to get an answer). Yancy went through the injury story (which truly sounded horrific) he went on to say that he was still not cleared for football contact so they could not sign him at this point, but the staff (or maybe university) was looking at placing him on a medical hardship scholarship.

I may have mis-understood exactly what was said, but how in the world could they place someone on a medical scholarship that has never stepped foot on campus? Of course there was no mention of the word "drop" in the answer.

It does sound like the player had a serious injury and I hope everything works out for him.

[esplanade91]

No. No way.

[Quaoarsking]

Unless something has changed, putting some on medical scholarship clears up the scholarship but makes the player permanently ineligible. It exists so that people like Tyrone Prothro can finish their degree.

[esplanade91]

Keyword: finish, not start. If this was the case every university in the US would be looking for charity cases like that.

[CousinEddie]

Keyword: finish, not start. If this was the case every university in the US would be looking for charity cases like that.

so you'd rather Ole Miss just cut this kid loose and tell him to f off?

They are trying to do the right thing and honor the scholarship that they offered him..

I fail to see how anyone can think that this is a bad thing (if in fact its determined Dickens can't ever get cleared to play ball again)

This is an extenuating circumstance...it's not charity. It's not every year that a kid that is committed sustains a possible career ending injury.

I just don't understand some people

[sandwolf]

They are trying to do the right thing and honor the scholarship that they offered him..

And they absolutely can honor the scholarship that they offered him, if that is the route they want to take. They can sign him with the hope that he will eventually get cleared to play......and in the event he doesn't get cleared, then they can put him on a medical scholarship. But, signing him will still count against their 25 for this year's class.

[Hwy78dawg]

I just thought it was typical that Yancy would not come out and say that the guy was injured so they were going in a different direction. Instead he posed an impossible solution that made OM sound like Saints.

I just did not think they could just give him a medical scholarship without him counting in the class.

[esplanade91]

so you'd rather Ole Miss just cut this kid loose and tell him to f off?

They are trying to do the right thing and honor the scholarship that they offered him..

I fail to see how anyone can think that this is a bad thing (if in fact its determined Dickens can't ever get cleared to play ball again)

This is an extenuating circumstance...it's not charity. It's not every year that a kid that is committed sustains a possible career ending injury.

I just don't understand some people
I don't think YOU understand what's being said here.

Ole Miss isn't trying to bring him on straight out of high school to be a career ending medical redshirt. Yancy is trying to pump sunshine out of his ass that Ole Miss University is trying to give him a full ride to attend classes without ever playing football because of his injury to save face.

Unfortunately this guy had a bad injury. I'm sad to hear that. I wish him all the luck in the world and hope he can play football again. That being said, if he can't... The University of Ole Miss shouldn't sign him and that's 1000000000% reasonable. It's unfortunate for the young man involved, but injuries are a part of football. He isn't the first to lose out on a scholarship or an NFL contract because of injuries and won't be the last.

But to say that Ole Miss is "talking to the NCAA" about bringing him on board the flagship to be permanently ineligible but on scholarship without ever actually setting foot in a classroom is a slap in the face to this kid. It's not a possibility, 1, and 2 that's not what they're trying to do.

Like sandwolf says... if they were truly trying to get this kid a scholarship, which again they are not, they could sign him as part of their 25 and see if he pans out. A medical redshirt would then be a viable option and they'd be free to give the scholarship to someone else following that paperwork. They would first need to count him as part of their 85, and they're not going to do that. If his injury is as bad as it is, NO ONE would do that.

No one is bashing a university for wanting a kid to get an education. We're bashing a douchebag saying things that aren't true or even possible. Call it what it is, a school not signing a kid because he won't play football. Sad, but reality. If MSU was in the same boat I'd want the same thing.

ETA: We're signing a couple kids this year coming off of season ending injuries in high school. That scares me. ACL rehab has come a long way in a short amount of time, but there's a possibility that 1 or all of those kids don't reach the potential our staff initially saw in them that made them extend a scholarship. We're in a lot better place to take a shot on these guys than they are. Had Jackson, for example, also torn an MCL and/or an Achilles or something a lot more gruesome... we'd be doing the same thing.

[dawgclub99]

Id say you can blast OM for many things, but this isnt one of them.