Monday, October 13, 2014

Start petitioning for Williams, Swigert 6th years now

Every NCAA student athlete is eligible to play in four seasons. However, things are not always that cut and dry. When you start your playing time plays a role in the NCAA's eligibility clock. The varied transfer and graduation rules also apply and then there is the issue of injuries and redshirts. Every once in a while the NCAA will grant a sixth year of eligibility to a student athlete who faced a unique injury or extenuating circumstances. As anyone who followed the Ifeanyi Momah case knows, getting that 6th year is a total crapshoot. Now we have two more guys -- Bobby Swigert and Harris Williams -- looking at a potential 6th year request.

Of the two, Swigert seems like the more likely guy to get a 6th year. In fact it is sort of implied in Addazio's update on Monday.
To me, the "this season or next" means that BC knows Swigert will get a 6th year. Based on his numerous infections and setbacks, I could understand why. All the issues essentially relate back to the initial injury (one of the NCAA's loose criteria). I hope Bobby waits. We are not a pass heavy team this year, so I don't know if he would have much of an impact. Next year he could be featured from the beginning of the season and could potentially play in all 12 games.

Harris Williams' case won't be rubber stamped by the NCAA. He only played one game this year, but he redshirted as a true freshman. Like Momah, the NCAA could very well rule that decision was elective. Even if BC comes up with something to explain that first redshirt, I don't know if the NCAA will care. Like Swigert, Williams might be even more valuable next year when so much of the line turnsover.

We won't know anything officially until after the season is over. The best aspect of all of this is that both guys have their degrees and BC is playing well without them. Let's hope they play again though because both have earned a better ending than the one they've had.

17 comments:

Big Jack Krack said...

Tough to come back from injuries like Harris, Bobby and Mehdi - and Tim Joy too.

I wish the best for them, and selfishly would like to see them back.

It's up to the NCAA - and the individuals themselves.

Go BC.

mod34b said...

do these guys really want to spend 6 years in college???

I think 5 years is enough for all concerned

Hoib said...

ATL

Can u think of any similar cases at other schools that got approval? It seems to me most of these get shot down.

Joseph said...

"do these guys really want to spend 6 years in college???

I think 5 years is enough for all concerned"

1st sentence: Sounds like Bobby does. Williams,?

Second sentence: which counts more your opinion or theirs?

colonel forbin said...

"Do these guys really want to spend 6 years in college???"

I would think so.. Cant imagine they are hell bent starting there carers at Northwestern Mutual..

Goberry said...

I have a hard enough time with the frequency of fifth year players in college football.

NEDofSavinHill said...

8 years ago a couple of mendacious types were covering a BC-VT game for ESPN. They said it was a down year for QBs in the ACC. The QB in that game was Matt Ryan the top QB in the nation. It is a down year in 2014 but not for the ACC with wins over Ohio St. USC and Okla. St. It is for the SEC EAST. Even one of the cheerleaders at ESPN said he wasn't impressed with the SEC EAST. Only Georgia looks like a strong team. Little discussion is held about Vanderbilt. They lost at home to Temple by four touchdowns. They beat UMass on the last play of the game. They are probably not in the top 100 in the country. Yet they almost beat S. Carolina. Remember the gurus who cover college football ranked S.C. number 9 in the land in the pre season. They were blown out by A&M ( is A&M any good?) in the first game giving up almost 700 yards. They have also lost to Missouri and Kentucky and played Vandy like UMass did. Their own coach said S. Carolina wasn't a good team. Tennessee has three loses . Florida has a one point win over the Vols and an OT win against Kentucky plus two losses, one a blowout at Bama. That division looks quite weak this year. CBS and ESPN are left to shill for the SEC WEST. How good are they? The top program over the last few years has been Bama. Yet over their last eight games they are 5-3. with a one point win over Arkansas and a close win over WVU. They played all their games in Dixie. Is the public to be impressed? LSU has two losses including a rout at Auburn and two close wins against Fla. and Wisconsin. All their games are played in Dixie. A&M has two losses and a close win over Arkansas. In retrospect their defeat of S. Carolina looks meaningless. Auburn has a loss and a narrow win over K-State only because of three missed field goals. At least Auburn played a real road game. Ole Miss has a valid non conference win over Boise St. but it was a turnover fest at home. Another SEC team that won't travel. The non conference schedule of the two Mississippi schools is pathetic. MSU plays Tenn. Martin, UAB, S. Alabama and S. Miss. all in Dixie. MSU should be disqualified from the playoffs with their impotent non conference opponents. The Media has done to the SEC what thirty years ago it did to Dukakis. Overhyped and grossly exaggerated. Where is the dominance ? Where is the superiority? They look like the other 4 conferences. Remember in the NFL draft this year the ACC produced 30 of the top 150. The SEC lagged behind with 25.

mod34b said...

Hoib - The most well-known recent case where a 6th year was granted was Houston's Casey Kenum in 2011 - he was also chasing some kind of passing record. I am sure there are many others Casey gets 6th year

Joseph: are you aware of why there is a comment section on a blog?

CT said...

Guess all those out of conference wins for the SEC don't count. Maybe that conference schedule might be responsible for seven of the last eight titles. What's the SEC/ACC head-to-head over the last decade (51-28)? BCS records (17-10 vs. 5-13)? Can Clemson ever beat SC? GT beat UGA?

But I'm sure all SEC teams cheat. You won't get an argument from me on that. Not like they would know anything about that at UNC, FSU, or Miami, or even GT, who had to vacate an ACC title. And if you don't think there are at least some shenanigans at your beloved alma mater...um, ok.

The reasons might be simple. Maybe it's the changing demographics of the country. The larger population footprint moving south. Maybe it's the passion and the carryover to resources. It is not ESPN. The proof is in the results. I do know this: there is no comparison anywhere in the country to the SEC. For better or for worse.

Really hoping the 11:09 guy starts watching football. Clipping articles and using the transitive property in football is actually a poor substitute for, you know, watching.

I'm rooting for ya'.

As for the sixth year thing, I would imagine it would be difficult to watch all your friends graduate and move on and be left to stick around another year (or two). Takes real commitment to the sport.

mod34b said...

CT (or in your jargon of alienation, the 3:43 pm guy), are you aware that most of us here watch SEC games every week just like you do and are well aware that the SEC is "the" power conference - except when FSU wins the crown?

But onto something we might agree on. Why doesn't NED of Savin Hill use paragraphs?

and, if we had a logic competition between NED of Savin Hill and JBQ, who would win?

Hoib said...

Ned & CT

Don't know how you got onto this in a post about 6 yr eligibility, but you did.

The good news is that college football has a playoff this year and some of these questions will finally start to be answered on the field.

Basketball has been way ahead in that regard. I don't think anyone would have been talking about how strong the AAC was at mid season last year, or that UCONN was the best team in the country, but because of the tourney everyone knows they were indisputably the best hoop team.

CT said...

Mod, as to watching, I don't think that's true. At all. You're assuming, of course, and, well, you know...

I think both of them got hurt in the past by the return key.

Joseph said...

"Joseph: are you aware of why there is a comment section on a blog"

Gee, I think so. That is why I commented. Problem with someone disagreeing with you? Are differing opinions ok with you, or is do you require pre-clearance?

Joseph said...

"CT (or in your jargon of alienation, the 3:43 pm guy), are you aware that most of us here watch SEC games every week just like you do and are well aware that the SEC is "the" power conference - except when FSU wins the crown?
But onto something we might agree on. Why doesn't NED of Savin Hill use paragraphs?

and, if we had a logic competition between NED of Savin Hill and JBQ, who would win?"

Is M34b aware that this is not a writing class and ned chooses to communicate in his own style. Is M34b ok with anything here? Did he take a poll about the TV habits or his "most" people just proof of the truism about assume.

CatabEagle said...

I find it hard to explain the 6th year. First, this remains college football. College is meant to be 4 years, maybe 5. The 5th gives people like Swigert etc. a chance to earn a graduate degree. The 6th is just excessive, and even further pulls the "college" away from "college athletics."

Bravesbill said...

There goes Ned again making no sense. Arkansas could probably beat every ACC team outside of FSU (and they'd probably give FSU a run for their money, esp. this year). The ACC is probably comparable to the putrid SEC East.

CT said...

This is the least friendly, everybody rooting for the same team blog I've experienced. Ha. Makes me laugh.