SIAP: LJ Scott to Redshirt
LJ Scott has opted to shut himself down for the remainder of the season so he can take a redshirt. He's been hampered by an ankle injury and has only appeared in four games on the year—the maximum allowable under the new redshirt rule. Dantonio said the redshirt provides "an opportunity for him to come back, get his degree." If the extra year is, in fact, necessary for Scott to obtain his degree, a potential grad transfer would be off the table.
Scott's return could have a big impact on the division, given his talent ceiling and experience. He was a highly-touted prospect coming out of HS—the fourth highest ranked recruit Dantonio has signed to date, according to 24/7 Composite. He had a strong freshmen campaign (699 yards, 4.8 Y/A, 11 TD) and a promising sophomore season (994 yards, 5.4 Y/A, 6 TD) before taking a step back as a junior (898 yards, 4.5 Y/A, 8 TD). And he's played in 42 games so far.
Scott is 1-2 against Michigan.
[SIAP: I searched the board to make sure this wasn't posted but the search results weren't chronologically ordered, so I may have missed it.]
Article on redshirt: http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/25236804/lj-scott-michigan-state-spartans-running-back-redshirt-mark-dantonio-says
Scott's Stats: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/lj-scott-2.html
MSU all-time recruits: https://247sports.com/college/michigan-state/Sport/Football/AllTimeRecruits/
November 11th, 2018 at 7:06 AM ^
The dude has become the Robbie Hummel of college football.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:10 AM ^
I think that lately teams look at what Clemson is able to achieve with Hunter Renfrow, keeping him eligible in some form since about 1994, and then attempt to get similar results with players that they wish to keep around.
November 11th, 2018 at 9:41 AM ^
That's just not true. Robbie Hummel actually drives sober.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
Damn, thats brutal.
November 11th, 2018 at 7:08 AM ^
Haiku time with bonus extra line!
Scott is Redshirting
This is good for one reason
He will lose again
TO MICHIGAN!
November 11th, 2018 at 7:08 AM ^
So basically he’s shutting it down cuz state has nothing left to play for this season....
November 11th, 2018 at 8:09 AM ^
November 11th, 2018 at 9:37 AM ^
Or he's shutting it down because he's played 4 games now and that's the max you can play and still redshirt...
November 11th, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
All of the above. It was his fourth game but MSU was also mathematically in the division race before yesterday.
November 11th, 2018 at 7:14 AM ^
Perfect. We can have the record to 3-1. It also gives him time to work on his driving skills.
He is a good back but he is not going to reach his potential unless they dramatically improvd their OL play. It is going to be hard for him with DL play of Michigan, OSU and PSU. But worth the try I guess
November 11th, 2018 at 9:40 AM ^
He decided to redshirt because he can't leave campus on his own. He either has to hire Uber or take the bus for the next year. Can't get to the combine. So might as well stay in school for another year. He's on Dantonio's six-year graduation program.
November 11th, 2018 at 7:18 AM ^
He’s 2-2 against us. He was a freshman in 2015, so he’s been around as long as Harbaugh. Scored 2 TDs against us in the punt game.
Edit: He was injured for our game against them last year, so 1-2 in games he’s played in against us
November 11th, 2018 at 7:20 AM ^
WOTS is that he's sticking around so he can go to Driver's Ed
November 11th, 2018 at 9:21 AM ^
Dantonio even mentioned LJ getting a degree ... must be a pseudonym for license.
November 11th, 2018 at 7:36 AM ^
Come back for more moving violations. He’s chasing the record.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:12 AM ^
I think it's smart. He's staying in the place where he knows he can get away with breaking the law for another year.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:15 AM ^
MSU an early favorite for the 2019 Fulmer Cup
November 11th, 2018 at 8:19 AM ^
They’re like the Patriots of the Fulmer Cup. Always start with the best preseason odds.
November 11th, 2018 at 7:47 AM ^
Injuries or not, to me he's an overrated player who fumbles too much and worries more about what's best for LJ Scott than what's best for his team.
November 11th, 2018 at 7:52 AM ^
Based on your description seems like he’s a perfect fit as a spartan.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:05 AM ^
Learned from Leveon Bell, perhaps?
November 11th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
Except Le'Veon Bell was actually good. In 3 years he ran for 3346 yards (33 TDs) and had 531 yards in receptions (1 TD).
November 11th, 2018 at 1:22 PM ^
Yeah, Bell was a monster. He ran for 1,793 yards his junior year before going to the draft.
November 12th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^
They also gave him the ball 414 times that year. If Bell would have stayed another year at MSU they literally would have broken him.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:01 AM ^
Edited: thanks, I had read injury and redshirt and assumed he was claiming a medical.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:08 AM ^
Sounded as if this was a plain old redshirt, and not a medical redshirt. If he has never redshirted, he can do so for any reason at all, if he plays no more than four games, and at any point in his career, as I understand the rules. So this may be wholly above board.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:12 AM ^
It's not a medical redshirt. He hasn't taken a reshirt year so can do so this year as long as he doesn't play in more than 4 games. It is well within the rules.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:13 AM ^
He’s not going for a medical redshirt...
November 11th, 2018 at 8:15 AM ^
The new redshirt rules allow you to take a redshirt if you play in 4 games or less in a season. Hence all the monitoring of how many games the freshmen have played in. I guess that makes the medical redshirt moot, as the regular redshirt rules are less restrictive than the medical rules.
November 11th, 2018 at 9:14 AM ^
He'll probably somehow get one of those next year.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:04 AM ^
He might get to play for a better OC next year. Probably the best decision.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:10 AM ^
Still needs time to get his undergrad degree. The Michigan State Difference.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:13 AM ^
You should not be allowed a 5th year if you haven’t gotten a degree already... Most players now finish is 3 years because they take classes year round.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:16 AM ^
Yeah, but MSU classes are difficult, so take more time.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:36 AM ^
Remedial drivers ed is pretty challenging .
November 11th, 2018 at 8:22 AM ^
This is peak MSU. I look forward to discussing how bullshit his 6th year waiver is when it's granted in the summer of 2020.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:28 AM ^
Plenty of time for him to say hello to our linebacker corps. next season at home in Big House.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:31 AM ^
Can’t leave until he passes his drivers ed class
November 11th, 2018 at 9:19 AM ^
Dude will no drivers license and no tread on the tires for the NFL.
November 11th, 2018 at 9:19 AM ^
I heard he is also going to gray shirt in 2020
November 11th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^
In other news, ELPD just ordered several gross of traffic citation carbons, citing a significant increase in anticipated demand
November 11th, 2018 at 9:22 AM ^
Doesn’t the NCAA have to grant the redshirt or is this automatic?
November 11th, 2018 at 9:25 AM ^
Automatic.
November 11th, 2018 at 9:23 AM ^
Not sure why everyone is attacking the guy. He has missed a lot of time with injuries and no team is gonna draft him after a year like this. Only makes sense to shut it down and hope for a big year next year and get drafted.
November 11th, 2018 at 9:58 AM ^
I can see Cincinnati taking him. They have room for another criminal.
November 11th, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^
My thought, too. His draft stock has gone down. Might as well take an extra shot at raising it. Staying to get a degree? Yeah, whatevs.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
How about a certificate of accomplishment?
November 11th, 2018 at 9:46 AM ^
Big impact on the division? How? Where's the tyreat? Dude is decent but nothing to fear, especially with their offensive line issues that will not be completely fixed by next year. Sparty is back to an 8-4, 6-6, football team folks
November 11th, 2018 at 10:12 AM ^
Yeah, the world is back on-axis.