Mario Ojemudia Fifth Year?

Submitted by Toby Flenderson on

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/201…

Sorry if this was already posted. I know there have been talks on the board with the concesus that he has already passed the deadline for a medical redshirt. However, it says that Harbaugh wants to gather more information and possibly see if there are any exceptions. Thoughts?

SAMgO

October 13th, 2015 at 4:56 PM ^

Give it a shot, but the rule is pretty cut and dry. The only way I see him maybe getting another year is if we play in the B1G Championship game and a bowl game that pushes the percentage of total games played for him under the limit. Not sure if it's just for regular season though.

Mr Miggle

October 13th, 2015 at 5:03 PM ^

but I can't see any possible exceptions. I don't think he had ever missed any time due to injury and he played a lot every game this season. What grounds could there be?

Wolverine Devotee

October 13th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^

DG also played his freshman year in 2010. He got a retroactive medical redshirt in 2013 due to his "back problems" in 2010.

I put quotation marks around that because he was fine that year. He was listed as the backup QB in the (alleged) Gator Bowl (that did not happen) due to Forcier being academically ineligible. 

He got the redshirt because he played in only two games in 2010 which is obviously less than 20%.

tjohn7

October 13th, 2015 at 5:17 PM ^

I keep looking at the rules but don't see anything that would allow Mario to get the waiver.  But still worth a shot, I guess.  Would be great if he could get it.

maizenbluenc

October 13th, 2015 at 6:30 PM ^

http://statsarchive.ath.umich.edu/VS-Football/footstart.php

And unlike Devin who had a past season with only two games, Mario has played more than 3.5 games (or 30%) all four seasons.

I guess, as you say, if they go after the less than 30% play participation in the games angle, maybe. But I am not seeing it.

And I agree with Durkin - here is a kid who could really use an additional season to show what he can do.

BlueinLansing

October 13th, 2015 at 5:45 PM ^

of a couple times the NCAA has not follwed its own guidlelines here, and thats over a nearly 30 year period.

 

I wouldn't hold out hope that Ojemudia gets a 5th year.

jabberwock

October 13th, 2015 at 5:47 PM ^

Just play him next year.

The NCAA doesn't care about illegal benefits, violations, cheating, child molestation coverups etc.



They've proven themselves to be toothless pussies unable to enforce their own rules for the last 20 years.

Just play him for the whole year and say "oops" after next years National Championship Game and get slapped with a stern finger wag.

treetown

October 13th, 2015 at 6:39 PM ^

In a way, you point out exactly why the NCAA won't grant the waiver. Because they don't really want to look into things like real cheating, envelopes with cash, molestation coverups, illegal benefits, hookers alive or dead, etc. Which means of course they'll crash down on this because it is the only thing they do pursue.

TruBluMich

October 13th, 2015 at 5:53 PM ^

The way I read the rule they can count the conference championship game regardless if they are in it or not.  The playoff is the key.  If they are in the Top 4 they will then be included in a single elimination tournament and be able to count the Semi Final and the NC Game assuming they win the semi-final.  But based off the following rules it wont matter they just need to be able to count the Bowl Game.

12.8.4.3.6.1.1 Team Sports. The denominator in the institution’s percent calculation shall be based on the institution’s number of scheduled or completed varsity contests or dates of competition [see Bylaw 12.8.4-(c)] as computed for playing and practice season purposes in Bylaw 17 for the applicable sport. [Note: Exempted events in Bylaw 17 are included in the percent calculation, except as provided in Bylaw 12.8.4-(c).] An institution participating in a single-elimination event may only count the actual contests in which the institution participates (as opposed to the number of contests scheduled in the event) in determining the number of scheduled or completed contests in the denominator.

Now here's the sticking point in my eyes, since 4 teams are able to count one extra game that is no different than any other Bowl Game, will the Big Ten look at the Bowl game as a single elimination tournament for all teams?  If they do, then using this rule;

12.8.4.3.6.2 Fraction in Percent Computation. Any computation of the percent limitation that results in a fractional portion of a contest or date of competition shall be rounded to the next whole number.

Based off those rules, Mario would be eligible for a medical hardship waiver if the Big Ten Confrence allows them to count the bowl game just like the 4 teams in the playoff can count their Bowl Game.  Would make for an interesting argument.

LSAClassOf2000

October 13th, 2015 at 6:10 PM ^

The rules on waivers which extend the five-year eligibility window (or add the fifth year, in this case, as Ojemudia didn't redshirt) revolve around mostly medical circumstances, so if they can provide sufficient documentation and the NCAA believes it meets the waiver criteria, it is entirely possible to get the fifth year. I think the snag here has always been the timeline for the decision, which seems interminably long.

Erik_in_Dayton

October 13th, 2015 at 6:16 PM ^

The "medical redshirt" (a term that does not appear in the NCAA rules, I think) is itself a medical hardship waiver, subject to the rules we've all been talking about.  I'm not sure there is a waiver for those rules (a waiver within the waiver), though it's certainly worth exploring if you're Michigan.

TruBluMich

October 13th, 2015 at 6:23 PM ^

I'm not sure since the playoff is only in it's second year if there is a precedent or not in football.

The other thing is, it's not the NCAA call to make.  The Big Ten makes the call and if it's denied then the university/student can appeal to the NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement.  Then there's this rule that basically opens everything up.

12.8.4.2.1 Review of Denied Waiver. A conference that denies an institution’s hardship waiver may submit the waiver to the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement. The committee shall have the authority to review and determine whether to approve the waiver based on circumstances that may warrant relief from the application of the legislated waiver criteria. (Adopted: 4/20/09, Revised: 7/31/14)

TruBluMich

October 13th, 2015 at 6:27 PM ^

"In team sports, the injury or illness occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than..."



From my understandng it's he must have played in more than 30% of the games counted.  So if they count the Bowl game thats 14 games.



30% of 14 (12 reg season, 1 CCG, 1BG) is 4.2, when rounded up is 5 games which makes him eligible for the waiver.