A 6-3, 320-pound 5-star d-lineman to WSU?

[YakiCoug]

Michigan has given Ondre Pipkins a release and permission to talk to WSU and several other schools about a transfer. Pipkins says Harbaugh and staff pressured him to sign a medical form bringing about his retirement from football, due to injuries he's had at Michigan (torn ACL, concussion). He refused to sign and, thus, seeks a transfer.
http://espn.go.com/college-football...rines-coach-jim-harbaugh-staff-pressured-quit

 

[SaveFerris]

Michigan has given Ondre Pipkins a release and permission to talk to WSU and several other schools about a transfer. Pipkins says Harbaugh and staff pressured him to sign a medical form bringing about his retirement from football, due to injuries he's had at Michigan (torn ACL, concussion). He refused to sign and, thus, seeks a transfer.
http://espn.go.com/college-football...rines-coach-jim-harbaugh-staff-pressured-quit

He was participating in spring ball but at some point they wanted him to sign the medical deal. Unfortunately we are only getting Pipkins side of the story at this point and who knows whether he would get cleared to play. He does have a redshirt year unless he was allowed to play immediately.

Something we should and I'm sure will look into. A healthy Pipkins that could play in the fall would be a nice add to our interior d-line.

 

[Cougzz]

With a bad knee, torn ligaments and a history of concussion, the phrase "5-star" no longer applies. A college @ D-1 level would give a two year slot for only one year of possible play. He isn't James Darling.

 

[Cougatron]

Well it really depends on how many years he has left. If he applies for the "forced out" exemption then he could get to play immediately and have two years of play. Then I think this is good. But if he has to sit out well it's a one and done scenario.

 

[kayak15]

The kid is a senior. He is one and done. Do not know more than I have read but it might be that Michigan has a good case. He has a history of concussions, ligament damage and arthritis and has been advised by a physician to take at least six months off from athletics. Some of the SEC schools have been notorious for transferring recruiting "busts" onto medical scholarships in order to regain the spot for a better looking prospect but I have not heard of Michigan traveling this sleazy route.

 

[YakiCoug]

The kid is a senior. He is one and done. Do not know more than I have read but it might be that Michigan has a good case. He has a history of concussions, ligament damage and arthritis and has been advised by a physician to take at least six months off from athletics. Some of the SEC schools have been notorious for transferring recruiting "busts" onto medical scholarships in order to regain the spot for a better looking prospect but I have not heard of Michigan traveling this sleazy route.

Thought I read he has 2 to play 1.If there's any hope that a year off will make him 100 percent, even if it's just one year, I'd bring him in. He might just blow up into the player many projected him to be coming out of high school as a top 5 d-lineman and 5-star recruit.

 

[ElComanche]

Michigan,under Harbaugh will set new highs,i mean lows, for recruiting and treatment of players.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

If I understand the situation correctly, it could play out one of two ways.

If he applies for a transfer and petitions the NCAA, they may rule that Harbaugh, et al, ran him off. If so, then he can play his one year immediately. Or, if he does not petition but simply transfers, he has to sit out a year. That is a viable possibility, because he played as a true freshman and therefore as an incoming senior transfer would have 2 to play 1.

Given the questions about his knee and at least two diagnosed concussions, the transfer redshirt year would seem to make sense, regardless of whether he petitions to play immediately and regardless of whether the NCAA actually bothers to rule on it before fall camp begins.

Ultimately, he will need to convince a staff somewhere that he is worth a 2 year scholarship risk.

I think if I were a head coach, I'd want the redshirt year to permit time after the concussions and also to continue the knee rehab. That also gives him time to fit into your defense, so his one playing year can be productive.

 

[chinookpirate]

With Harbaugh and Michigan on record saying this kid is too injured to play at Michigan, ever again, he's going o be hard pressed to find another doctor willing to overrule that, I'd bet

 

[kayak15]

Thought I read he has 2 to play 1.If there's any hope that a year off will make him 100 percent, even if it's just one year, I'd bring him in. He might just blow up into the player many projected him to be coming out of high school as a top 5 d-lineman and 5-star recruit.

Correct. He is a true senior with one year of eligibility and a possible red shirt year. He could go FCS or petition "run off status" and transfer to an FBS school and play immediately. It sounds to me that he needs a year off for recuperation so an FBS transfer with a year of sitting out makes the most sense, assuming that he decides to go that route. I would imagine that Leach has picked Manning's brain concerning any interest we may have in the kid. How serious are his injuries and would a red shirt year of rehabilitation restore him to full health and how good is he in the first place? Highly regarded coming out of high school but as another thread about Jake Heaps illustrates, this does not always pan out. I am sure that Leach will discuss this with Manning and the others on the defensive side of the staff and make the final determination. Two years on the squad with only a resultant "one and done" is a fairly high price. We are one of about half dozen potential landing spots for him and he may end up someplace else anyway.

ElC may be right about Harbaugh. He has a reputation of being somewhat cold-blooded about these decisions and running off failed prospects may be in Michigan's future. I hope that the U of M doesn't descend to this behavior. Something to watch.

 

[chinookpirate]

Every team runs off players.

Every. Single. One.

 

[kayak15]

Every team runs off players.

Every. Single. One.

There is a big difference between telling a player that if he wants playing time he needs to consider a transfer and just running the kid off. A big moral difference between a suggestion or even encouragement and just stripping the kid of his scholarship without regard for his opinion, wishes or interest.

 

[YakiCoug]

Correct. He is a true senior with one year of eligibility and a possible red shirt year. He could go FCS or petition "run off status" and transfer to an FBS school and play immediately. It sounds to me that he needs a year off for recuperation so an FBS transfer with a year of sitting out makes the most sense, assuming that he decides to go that route. I would imagine that Leach has picked Manning's brain concerning any interest we may have in the kid. How serious are his injuries and would a red shirt year of rehabilitation restore him to full health and how good is he in the first place? Highly regarded coming out of high school but as another thread about Jake Heaps illustrates, this does not always pan out. I am sure that Leach will discuss this with Manning and the others on the defensive side of the staff and make the final determination. Two years on the squad with only a resultant "one and done" is a fairly high price. We are one of about half dozen potential landing spots for him and he may end up someplace else anyway.

ElC may be right about Harbaugh. He has a reputation of being somewhat cold-blooded about these decisions and running off failed prospects may be in Michigan's future. I hope that the U of M doesn't descend to this behavior. Something to watch.

I doubt WSU would even be in the picture if not for Manning.

 

[chinookpirate]

25 X 5 = 125

85 scholarship limit.

Every coach runs off players.

Every. Single. One.

 

[GoldenCoug]

There is a big difference between telling a player that if he wants playing time he needs to consider a transfer and just running the kid off. A big moral difference between a suggestion or even encouragement and just stripping the kid of his scholarship without regard for his opinion, wishes or interest.

Kayak, I think you may be misinformed on this situation. First I think Harbaugh does want to remove the kid from the roster, and probably to make room for someone else in the near future. However he is not pulling the scholarship, it is simply shifting to a medical schollie so the kid can complete his education at Michigan.

Now this may be for very altruistic reasons like Harbaugh thinks there is a good chance the kid will suffer serious injury if he tries to play again.

Or it could be just he doesn't think the kid is good enough and wants to free up the position; and this happens all the time in Div 1 programs including WSU.

If Harbaugh was trying to run him off without a schollie I would criticize, but in this case with the facts we know I think not.

 

[Fab5Coug]

There is a big difference between telling a player that if he wants playing time he needs to consider a transfer and just running the kid off. A big moral difference between a suggestion or even encouragement and just stripping the kid of his scholarship without regard for his opinion, wishes or interest.

There's also a big difference between what actually happens in these situations and what we hear about it.

 

[kayak15]

Reconsidering my post I think you two are both right.

 

[kayak15]

I doubt WSU would even be in the picture if not for Manning.

Yes, I agree. That is almost certainly the connection.

 

[kayak15]

Rolling the numbers around in my head, I have a question for those of you more familiar with this than me. 25 scholarships per year for five years- assuming all players use a red shirt year- we have the 125 Chinook mentioned. 85 total scholarships at any one time me gives an attrition rate of 68%. This comes to an expected annual attrition rate of eight per class. Assume one signed LOI fails to matriculate. Another two leave school for academic reasons. Two careers are ended via injury. Another knucklehead is booted for disciplinary/behavior issues. Add one more who quits for other reasons- loses interest, needs more time for studies, etc. This comes to seven. We end up with one scholarship per year where the coaching staff may be desirous of and able to replace a non-performing player. Seven slots are open by normal attrition; one needs a push. Am I reading this right? I am just wondering the number of times in which the staff may need to give that extra push. How common is this "extra push" put into fruition as a percentage of the overall team number? For that matter, is my estimate of the normal attrition losses reasonable accurate?