jeremy clark
departures

Jeremy Clark Not Granted Sixth Year Comment Count

Ace


[Eric Upchurch]

According to Inside The Huddle's Michael Spath, the NCAA has denied Jeremy Clark's petition for a sixth year of eligibility:

Clark started seven games at cornerback in 2015 and three in 2016 before tearing his ACL against Penn State. The former three-star safety recruit was a critical component to the last couple secondaries, battling Channing Stribling to a relatively even draw for playing time until the injury.

Without Clark, Michigan will be very inexperienced at cornerback in 2017. Redshirt junior Brandon Watson, who's seen scattered snaps at nickel, is the only upperclassman at the position. Sophomore Lavert Hill and David Long are the favorites to earn starting spots; they'll compete with redshirt sophomore Keith Washington and freshmen Ambry Thomas and Benjamin St-Juste. Unless Michigan picks up another corner in the 2017 class—it looks like they'll get one more—that is the entire group of scholarship corners for next season.

Comments

3xWlvrn

January 23rd, 2017 at 3:55 PM ^

In this case, the two are intrinsically linked, albeit more due to coincidence than intention. If Clark had been given his 6th year, it would be good for both the team (presumably) and Clark. Therefore, complaining that he didn't receive his 6th year is effective equivalent to wanting the best for Clark.

The NCAA is good at one thing: polarizing an otherwise like-minded group of individuals against themselves.

Joined: 10/25/2016

MGoPoints: 65

Wolverine 73

January 23rd, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^

NCAA, Roger Goodell, they don't play the games, they don't coach the games, but they seem to delight in the seemingly arbitrary exercise of their power. Rules are rules and all that, but the granting of "exceptions" to those rules is where the abuse occurs. No appeals, just executive fiat. No explanation, no requirement they be consistent.

Joined: 08/03/2009

MGoPoints: 27239

ChiCityWolverine

January 23rd, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^

Just 9 seniors on Team 138, a major shift after this year's loaded group. And that number may drop lower still with Drake Johnson's 6th year up in the air and no public statements about the status of a couple more fifth year guys. Will need a ton of leadership from Hill, Cole, Hurst, and McCray as well as a similarly thin junior class. 

It's not unlikely that Michigan has fewer than 10 returning seniors again in 2018 with just 15 players left on the roster. There are a few candidates for firm handshakes after next year if they don't make an impact and Perry/Newsome both remain wildcards for very different reasons. The 2016 kids are going to have to grow up fast. 

Joined: 07/08/2011

MGoPoints: 3757

ChiCityWolverine

January 23rd, 2017 at 1:39 PM ^

Fair, but those teams are loaded with NFL early-entry candidates. Name a strong candidate of the redshirt sophs, "true" juniors, and redshirt juniors to bolt for a high draft selection and NFL riches a year from now. I'll wait. 

It's not crazy to expect one or two players to break out, but of the premier players in that group (thinking say Mone/Winovich/Kinnel), it would be a surprise for any to become even a consensus All-B1G first team type player by next year. 

Joined: 07/08/2011

MGoPoints: 3757

MadMatt

January 23rd, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^

1) Confirmation from an official source as to the actual decision.  We have tweet from an individual with usually reliable sources.  That's fine, but not the final word.

2) When we have (1), some explanation of the basis for the decision.  We can critique the actual decision when we have it.  Until then, all the rest is just freaking out.

Joined: 11/06/2013

MGoPoints: 13910

BlueHills

January 23rd, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^

These controversies could be avoided simply by taking any discretionary judgment calls away from the NCAA. You play X games, you're no longer eligible. Less than X games, you're still eligible. The number of seasons You're eligible could simply be a cap, i.e., six seasons to get in those X games.

Joined: 10/31/2010

MGoPoints: 7468

NRK

January 23rd, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^

They do have that, it just comes down the actual application of those rules where it gets hazy.

 

For some players you're talking about 3-4 years ago when the player redshirted and whether or not that person had a qualifying condition that exempted them from the 5 year rule. And that is where they are wildly inconsistent.

Joined: 02/20/2009

MGoPoints: 6411

Judge Smails

January 23rd, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^

Has Michigan football ever had a 6th year granted?  And if so, was that player actually a contributor?

I'll note that not one, but two of the Illinois starting five on Saturday were 6th year guys.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason to these decisions, unless you resort to saying that the NCAA is out to screw Michigan.  Unreal.

Joined: 05/02/2009

MGoPoints: 3298

philthy66

January 23rd, 2017 at 2:41 PM ^

The NCAA are a bunch of Blue-haters.  They've changed 4 rules since Harbaugh (Spring break, hiring staffers assoc with high schoolers, talking to people at satellite camps and restricting satellite camps).  No surprise that Clark wouldn't get a 5th year, because I believe politics rule their decisions...not to benefit the student-athletes, but to benefit their biases.  Good luck to Jeremy.  From gray-shirt to the NFL.  Get paid son

Joined: 07/29/2010

MGoPoints: 974

CoverZero

January 23rd, 2017 at 3:08 PM ^

The NCAA has it in for Jim Harbaugh.  

They do not like him and will do whatever they can to block his efforts to win going forward.

Joined: 08/30/2014

MGoPoints: 14571

Goggles Paisano

January 23rd, 2017 at 7:38 PM ^

Who is the NCAA?  We always refer to "they" and "them" but who really are they and how many of them are there?  Who specifically makes these decisions?  Does anyone know how the NCAA is structured?  

Joined: 07/30/2011

MGoPoints: 41232

Bp6

January 24th, 2017 at 12:18 AM ^

While I never put any good faith in the NCAA, I will admit that I got my hopes up a bit regarding Jeremy Clark. I wish Jeremy the absolute best, I think he could sneak into a roster somewhere



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Joined: 01/14/2017

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