Pipkins To Transfer, Says He Was Pressured To Sign Medical Hardship Papers
Pipkins got on the field late in the opener last year [Bryan Fuller]
Ondre Pipkins will attempt to use his last year(s) of eligibility elsewhere and he is not happy about it:
"I feel I'm healthy and ready to play," said Pipkins, who played last season after he was cleared to return from a torn knee ligament. "I don't want to sign the form. I wanted to play for my seniors and for the team. Coach Harbaugh said, 'I recommend you take the medical.'"
Pipkins said he felt constant pressure to retire. …
Harbaugh told him that he wanted "to make sure you graduate from Michigan" and that the coach did not plan to invite him to fall camp due in part to medical concerns. The lineman added that Harbaugh told him that he did not believe he would be drafted into the NFL for medical reasons.
"I feel bad I wasn't able to complete this journey with my classmates," Pipkins told ESPN. "I feel I am healthy and without pain. I believe Michigan wanted to free up the scholarship. I felt I was practicing well and could compete at a high level at the nose tackle and tackle positions."
First off, good for Pipkins for saying something about it—and apparently painting Harbaugh in a somewhat sympathetic light.
But this is a strange situation for a lot of reasons. I can't really figure out why Harbaugh would want to run Pipkins out of town:
- He was scheduled to be a senior and Michigan is at 85 scholarships right now, with the three former walk-ons (Kerridge, Glasgow, Glasgow) we think will get scholarships in 2015 accounted for.
- Pipkins thus doesn't impact the numbers in the 2016 class; the only reason he'd need to go this year is if Michigan was going to bring in yet more transfers.
- ND DE transfer Jhonathan Williams was just told no by Michigan.
- I'm sure at least one other player has a very legit medical hardship-inducing injury they haven't announced yet.
There were some rumors Michigan was looking at fifth year wide receivers that haven't come to fruition as of yet, but none of this really makes sense. Michigan seems to have room for him, and the move would appear to be a redshirt (that he should have gotten as a freshman /shakes fist at Hoke) so that he can be a fifth year somewhere else after getting his degree. That is unless he actually shouldn't play football.
Pipkins asserts in the article that Michigan wanted the scholarship… but for what?
1) We will never, ever know the "truth" on this. It involves a person's medical information and inherently subjective opinions by coaches and doctors. Those folks aren't going to talk about the situation in public, nor should they. It may also involve things like personality and attitude. We can speculate our asses off, but that is all it is since we will only get one side of the story.
2) The above also applies to other cases at other schools. At present this is one case and we can take some solace in that. However, our ability to cast stones at the LSUs and Indiana Basketballs of the world just took a hit, even if it is a small one. We can not say that it has never happened at Michigan as there is now someone who says he was forced to transfer or sign a medical against his will due to scholarship numbers.
3) Can you imagine the shit-storm if Rich Rod had done this?
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"3) Can you imagine the shit-storm if Rich Rod had done this?"
RichRod did do this. And he was right, too.
At least he wasnt obliterated by a rushing defensive end while throwing on the run, then wobbling on his way back to the huddle only to be left in the game. What if JH has his best interest in mind? And maybe, just maybe, this is our program returning to people who are actually competent in their work.
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Without judgment one way or the other on this particular issue, I will say this has been the most interesting off season in Michigan Football in quite some time.
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Pipkins had no chance of seeing the field under Harbaugh due to his injuries and low production.
He should take this as a Blessing in Disguise, and ramp up to get the degree or if he truly thinks he can play in the NFL...go to another program and try to play
Its a win win for both sides.
Because he could get re-injured in practice as easily as in a game. The odds that Harbaugh is going to over-rule the medical staff are zero.
No, that's my point to those who are arguing there is something nefarious here. You could keep Pipkins out of practice, off the field, and it wouldn't be any different than removing him from the team as it relates to scholarship count. Harbaugh telling him he could transfer or sign a medical, knowing he'd still count against a non-pressed cap, is what is weird if the notion remains that Harbaugh is driving him out.
If it's truly arthritis in his knee, he needs to look at life in the big picture. His odds of getting drafted in the first place with his production was minimal at best. Now with a chronic injury like that, his odds of going to the NFL are essentially 0 with only a 100% chance for him to make his knees worse.
Just get your degree, man. There's bigger things to life than football.
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Not sure if this has been said in all the pages on this thread, but:
Do you think another school is really going to take a chance on him? An underperforming senior who's coming off a serious knee injury and two concussions - and who didn't exactly set the world on fire when he was healthy? If I were another coach, I'd take a look at his medical history and Harbaugh's opinion of his football future, and conclude, "Nope, we'll pass."
I could see a coach offering him a scholarship if the circumstances were right, such as a belief that there was a good chance Pipkins would be healthy enough to provide quality minutes by at least the middle of the season, that there was a great enough need on the d-line, and of course, if there were scholarships available. It probably would not be a top echelon school in one of the power 5 conferences, but there has to be at least a few schools somewhat desperate for help on the d-line who would be willing to take a chance on him.
Not if the full medical record is shared. Too much liability.
It's odd that Pipkins thinks this is a scholarship issue, but Harbaugh is not going to waste a scholarship (ie a walk on would use it.) This is clearly a serious medical issue (probably concussion related) and Pipkins is not aware of the risk. The fact that he feels fine is not relevant.
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First, front story on Yahoo.com is:
"Report: Michigan DL says he was pressured to retire"
Doesn't look good.
All available information is quite clear he WAS pressured to retire. Nobody denies this. It's the genuine "why" that may forever be the topic of conversation. If some other CFB program picks up Ondre, after the staff considers the medical evidence, and Ondre goes onto a productive, uninjured football career and non-disabled life, then I suppose Harbaugh will be damned by some, perhaps appropriately. At this juncture, however, all available evidence points to a young man who has been severely injured multiple occurences over time and probably should never play competitive football again for his own wellbeing.
UM does NOT need his scholarship. Link
The more I think about this...and having read Pips most recent statement... I am FUCKING GLAD that he will not be part of the team.
Sour Grapes and not looking at Reality... he should go have a beer with Boren.
Is simple, he got cut, guys get cut all the time from teams. I got cut from HS baseball, oh well, too bad, so sad, it was the coaches discretion. Harbaugh has been in coaching a long time, I'm sure he knows more than the players and internet speculators what is needed for his team. If he feels the guy has had too many injuries, that's his professional opinion. Guy was given a full academic scholarship so whatver, go cry with Boren.
Could've lost 50lbs., rehab'd at UM medical and absorbed everything from he could Harbaugh and the staff over the next year and a half. Than maybe he's able to get back up to playing weight with a fully repaired knee and fully healed head; next, since he would have made a powerful ally with the 68th most influential person in the NFL, he would've had plenty of help getting a camp tryout. Maybe in.............., I don't know, lets say, Baltimore? Just spitballing
But really? He goes all the way to ESPN to spill?
I mean we didn't even see a cryptic tweet or hear any Sam Webb rumblings?
TThat's calculated.
Certainly have not read all the posts, but we must keep in mind that it is not only his ability and safety while playing in a game, but also his safety during practice. Many injuries and reinjuries occur during practice. My grey/white hair will attest to an article in the Wall Street Journal years ago pertaining to Bo and UM running backs.
The NFL GMs were hesitant to draft Michigan running backs high as they calculated at the time that UM backs were not as durable due to their tough and gruesome practices were akin to adding an additional year of actual playing. I beleive Rob Lytle was one back mentioned.
As a physician, Harbaugh is making the correct, albeit difficult and perhaps unpopular decision by offering him a medical. The risk of another injury even during practice is too high and will have lifelong ramifications. My guess is that over time Pipkins will come to understand and may even thank JH.
He seems like a well spoken, intelligent fellow and I would strongly encourage to accept the offer and obtain a Michigan degree.
with the disingenuous comments supporting pipkins public complaining about this. Do you want a winning program or do you want to continue the charade. You had the nice clean image guy with hoke and guess what you ran him out of town. If you want to win then quit with the ivory tower routine and let harbaugh do what he has to do. Pipkins was a 5 star that has not lived up to the billing and he is being offered his degree through a medical and is being told the truth about his pro prospects. He should listen to harbaugh and get his degree and move on to the real world. If you can't deal with today's college football realities then either find something else to do or get out of the way.
Before we have to believe there was wrongdoing here, a clear benefit must be demonstrated. Otherwise, we have to believe that JH is just being mean as an end in and of itself. This is like accusing somebody of breaking and entering without stealing anything or hurting anybody. Just does not make sense.
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Always liked him. Good luck to you Ondre
It's amazing...we endured the pain of a major transition in philosophy (from Country Club to Hard Edge) under Rodriguez and then promptly undid all of that to go right back to the Country Club mentality. Dave Brandon truly had no business being AD. Let alone getting the contract he did. I don't know how he got the Toys R Us gig after his massive failure here.
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