His Eligibility:
I just want to clarify some misconceptions Pitt fans may have regarding our star running back James Conner’s eligibility if he sits out the rest of the year due to his knee injury and subsequent surgery. We have been reading comment questions about whether or not James Conner can use this season as an automatic “injury redshirt“. Here are a few things to understand as this term is misleading.
There really is no such thing as a ‘injury redshirt” per se… there are just regular redshirt seasons with a possible medical waiver at the end of his four years – once that is granted that additional year is called a “Medical Waiver year”. What can and does happen sometimes is that a player can petition the NCAA for a 5th year if in one of his four years (not counting his redshirt year) he gets hurt before the team played 30% of its regular season.
Here is what Conner is looking at right now. If he sits out this season 2015 (this year) it will be treated as a regular year of eligibility used because he played in a regular season game. Since he also played games in 2013 & ’14 and this season if he chooses to come back in 2016 he will be a Senior. This cannot be a redshirt year at all.
Now, if he gets to the close of his 4th year next year in 2016 then he can petition the NCAA for a “medical waiver” that would, in essence, restore his 2015 season and allow him to get a 5th year of eligibility, and play in, in 2017. Then he’ll be a rsSR. But again – only if the NCAA grants that medical waiver if Conner even decides to apply for it. Which they most probably would grant given that he didn’t even last a full half of the futurist game.
“A special case involves the eligibility of a player who loses the majority of a season to injury. Popularly known as a medical redshirt, a hardship waiver may be granted to athletes who appear in fewer than 30% of team competitions (none after the midpoint of the season) then suffers a season-ending injury. A player granted such a waiver is treated for the purposes of eligibility as though they did not compete in that season.”
To return or not return:
On the other more issue, one close to Pitt fans hearts and minds, is his pending decision to either return to play out this season, play for Pitt next season or leaving us and declaring to the 2016 NFL Draft. Here is something for us fans to think about when discussing this touchy situation Conner’s in.
Should Conner decide to return to Pitt and resume being a Panther he’ll most likely buy, if he already hasn’t purchased one, an insurance policy through the NCAA that is underwritten by independent insurance agencies such as the HCC Specialty Insurance company.
Here is a page describing what they cover for athletes. These policies basically cover death, disability and loss of future earnings due to injury. Here is the NCAA website and here is the intro to the subject.
Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Insurance Program
The NCAA also sponsors a disability insurance program for exceptional student-athletes at NCAA institutions in the sports of football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and men’s ice hockey.
The program enables qualifying student-athletes, as approved by the program administrator, to purchase disability insurance contracts with preapproved financing, if necessary. This program will provide the student-athlete with the opportunity to protect against future loss of earnings as a professional athlete, due to a disabling injury or sickness that may occur during the collegiate career.
As far as paying those bigger premiums on this type of policy the NCAA has an arrangement for the student-athletes to get a low interest loan for to pay them.
Premium Financing:
Student-athletes approved for this program are automatically eligible for a loan, if necessary, through U.S. Bank, N.A., Sports Division, in Cincinnati Ohio. The interest rate is very competitive and a co-signer is not required. The student-athlete is obligated to repay the loan in full when any of the following occurs: (1) the student-athlete signs a professional contract, (2) the disability benefits become available due to a covered injury or sickness or (3) the coverage is no longer in effect and the loan note matures.
I wrote about this subject back in the middle of the 2008 when LeSean McCoy was burning up the turf and was about to finish his two years of eligibility at Pitt. After 2007 and 2008 he could declare for the draft in two years because he had gone to a Prep School in between his HS and Pitt. He hadn’t one of those “Exceptional Student-Athlete” policies and that probably helped to sway his decision to leave Pitt and get as much money as soon as possible.
However, Jame Conner can do the opposite. Those “Exceptional Student-Athlete” policies are usually written for big money and it would cover any amount of a rookie NFL contract. Now, does that make up for big future NFL money if he gets hurt at PITT now? Yes, I believe so and it actually could be way more financially beneficial for him to do so. First of it the benefit awarded doesn’t have any agent fees taken out which is 3% of the contract plus the athlete has major Federal, State and local taxes taken out and his NFL players union dues.
Those dues add up, as of 2015 a player’s dues are $15,000 in 2014 and 3.75% of the rookie minimum salary. So after all these expenses are deducted, agent, taxes and dues, a one million dollar per year contract looks like it will actually put about $550K into the athlete’s hands.
A hefty insurance policy will cover that and a whole lot more, especially if the premiums are paid by the player himself, if the player in question can’t play in the NFL.
The player-paid-for policies referenced above are separate from the regular NCAA-provided insurance coverage that pays out to all NCAA athletes who become disabled or die from participating the their NCAA sanctioned sport. Those premiums are paid out of the schools’ NCAA membership fees but do not cover future earnings at all.
Not everyone agrees with college players obtaining these policies because of the odds that they won’t ever have to need it. Here is an excellent 2013 The Atlantic Monthly article that addresses just these questions. But as I stated above what it does is give Conner and his family the chance to explore ALL the options in front of him before he makes an irrevocable decision.
Also if Conner pays for the policy himself (via a loan), should he receive insurance proceeds.
The proceeds are not taxed.
And NFL players are in the highest tax bracket so he would actually come out substantially ahead.
Thanks, job well done.
Now if somebody can just convince that it would be in his own best interest to come back for his Senior season,, please SOMEBODY make it happen!
In any case, Hail to Conner!
Nah, I didn’t think so either.
Sam Werner @SWernerPG
#Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi on RB James Conner: “He tells me he’s coming back in five weeks. He’s crazy. He’s out for the year.”
Pitt will certainly have lowered expectations without JC.
If we thought 6-6 before (as many of us did), what is it now ?
Emel, let’s see how Ollison does this week and next. If he is bottled up, I think expectations for this year are considerably lowered and 6-6 could be the upper end vs. the lower.
James or Ollison ?
James was 2nd on the depth chart I believe. And they say he’s ok, health wise.
would expect Ollison to get bulk with James and Hall seeing action
“He doesn’t want the offense to miss a beat when it comes to running the ball,” Ollison said.
And Ollison intends to do so in a bruising manner, similar to Conner’s. In fact, Ollison recalled that when he came in as a freshman, Conner gave him advice on the finer points of a good stiff arm.
“You can talk about schemes or concepts, but, at the end of the day, it’s you lining up in front of the guy across from you,” Ollison said. “Who’s going to be the bigger man at the end of the day? That’s really football.”
Beast Mode II
HTP!
To James Conmor:
Thanks for 2 terrific seasons. You represented
the university well and made Pitt FB
exciting. Selfishly would like you to return
to Pitt; however, post rehab prepare
yourself for the NFL. Your future and time
to earn big money is finite. Stay close to
Pitt FB after you go turn pro we need people
like you.
Get the degree and get healthy and start diving your nose in the Defense’s playbook. This is about money now and his future since he got injured. Come back as a Stud LB and get the NFL scouts drooling over you in a role you can excel. RB in the NFL will not be an area to excel. The money and longevity is as a LB.
I think he uses the bowl and the all star games to showcase his health. He will need to keep the weight down as he rehabs.
As far as insurance policies, operationally speaking, underclassmen ask the nfl to provide them with documentation of their projected draft status as a junior. They get insurance based on the slotting/earning potential of that draft position and the difference in where they are actually drafted after an injury. It’s an interesting analysis and I have seen a few recently where I was shocked at how low some of these guys are projected as sophomores and juniors.
One thing I can promise you is that he won’t be a LB. I agree, he’d make a good one but you have to want to do it. He wants to be a RB.
On second thought, why don’t we all just honor his decision, whatever it may be.
Runningbacks have so much “life-span.”
Ideally… if Conner can MAKE IT BACK this Season for a game or two to put up his typical BIG Numbers… he will ERASE ANY DOUBTS that NFL Scouts might have about his ability to be the kind of Back he has shown himself to be the last two years.
If the kid is healthy, why shouldn’t he make a “go of it.”
The fact of the matter, though, is that he will be looked at as a 250 lb abnormality of a back, coming off of a “minor” knee injury that happened on a seemingly innocuous play. Plenty of reasons for concern as an NFL GM.
There was a $16 million difference in the rookie contract between the first pick and the last pick of just the first round. The difference between rookie contracts in round 2 and round 3 is Grand Canyon-like.
TJ Yeldon, 2nd round, 4 year contract, $6 million, $3.2 million guaranteed
Duke Johnson, third round, 4 years, $3.1 million, $750,000 guaranteed.
Cameron Artis-Payne, 5th round, 4-year, $2.4 million deal with $170,000 guaranteed.
That is why JC wants (and needs) to get back on the field.
Ollison/James will replicate or Better the yardage by Conner but not the TD numbers.
Guys, every Pitt player who could leave early has jumped at the chance. The only difference here is the injury. If I was to bet I’d say he’s gone but this situation is a different animal.
Prediction thread up toward the evening… anyone actually comfortable about this Akron game??
We’ll see but the reason I’m kind of blase about this is that I was blown away watching Ollison in last year’s fall camp so I knew he’d be a good one.
He will be a national star by next season.
I really like Conner but no one is irreplaceable. ..
Pitt wins 31-23
Q4 gets stuffed early and Chris James carries the load for the first 3 qtrs, along with T.Boyd. Each scoring 1 TD.
The QB play improves for both – NP has better stats through the air and gets sacked twice. CV throws a TD pass to T.Boyd early in the game and runs for just under 100 yards.
Q4 does his best impression of “the Beast” with two 4th qtr TD’s. He and Chris James rush for over 100 yards each by games end. Hall catches a few passes out of the backfield to impress us for the future.
The D plays well enough with Freeze having another great game. Blair & Price with two sacks and a forced fumble (each), shows us the D coaches are having an impact.
The kicking game improves with several punts downed inside the 20 and Blewitt has a perfect day with 1 FG and 4 PAT’s.
HCPN let’s out a mild growl during the post-game presser to let the Blather know he keeps in touch and we are off to Iowa at 2-0.
Pedo State stumbles again – this time at home with Buffalo – during the 4th qtr, the stadium is half empty.
HTP!
Got a feeling Narduzzi’s opposition to Conner returning might DISSIPATE over time.
It won’t be five. But it will be WEEKS rather than NEVER or NEXT Year.
This beats the “wear and tear” that would come with playing a WHOLE other year.
I have always admired the Manning’s because they could have gone early to the NFL but stayed to play out their scholarship. Admittedly, the younger Manning cause quite a tiff by not going to play in the left coast where he was drafted.
Hail to Pitt. I predict a Pitt blowout this week.
Would love to see PANTHER BEAST MODE putting up 200 Yards and Three TDs against the PSU Defense.
That would be “One for the Ages.”
Keep in mind that Peterson knows everything there is to know about BLOCKING Akron’s front.
Imagine if Tyler Boyd goes down, now that would be disastrous. Would definitely cost us a number of games and probably a winning season.
Not really sure why Narduzzi reacted so strongly to Conner wanting to get back on the field. Shouldn’t it be up to the Doctors and Conner? Of course Conner should want to get back on the field, why wouldn’t Narduzzi at least support him verbally and say if he is healthy… Just seems a little knee jerk and premature. Why discourage the kid’s hopes and aspirations at this point?
I thought there was talk of Conner and the Heisman. I guess that’s history now.
It sure as hell is up to Narduzzi to decide if Conner gets back on the field or not… assuming Conner gets a OK from the doctors.
If Conner doesn’t want to play Narduzzi can’t make him. Conversely, if Conner wants to play Narduzzi doesn’t have to unless he wants to.
To tie this into my comment above let’s say Conner is able to come back between 5-7 weeks and play. First off no one can say for certain that he’ll be 100% healed and/or play with the same abandon. Don’t forget we have had Pitt players in the past who have basically refused to play games because of the fear of re-injuring themselves and lowering their draft status – Lucas Nix comes to mind.
Secondly, that time period takes us right up to around Oct 24th against SYR right in the heat of our ACC schedule. What if, as I think will happen, Ollison , James and Hall make up for, or play better during his absence than Conner would? What if Voytik gets into the groove and meets the challenge of producing more points with passing TDs vice rushing?
So here we have the offense clicking along and we are winning games… Does Narduzzi disrupt that on the basis that it will make Conner and the fans feel better about his injury? Or does Narduzzi look at the team first and Conner second and decide to 1) sit Conner for the sake of a smooth and productive offense 2) sit Conner to make sure his knee heals properly by not playing him.
Remember in 2012 when Chryst platooned Graham with Shell because Graham was coming off that serious knee injury. Graham averaged only 11 carries per game in the first half of that season. I don’t doubt Chryst would have sat Graham out of the games if he had a viable alternative other than a true FR.
The decision to play or not play the players isn’t up to the player. It is up to the HC unless either the doctors refuse to clear the player or the player refuses to going into the games. This isn’t as far fetched as it sounds and I’d be 100% behind Narduzzi to do this if it meant Pitt would continue winning football games without Conner.
But if the Doctors and Conner say he ready, and he practices well and is needed why rule it out now?
Why not say, we’ll see what happens?
The same as Narduzzi saying Conner was ok before he wasn’t. Just say he will be evaluated. Or saying he will be out for the year, before he really knows. It is great that he is forthcoming and definitive, but sometimes he should hedge his bets.
He’s kind of blundering around when he should be saying “we’ll address these decisions as things progress”.
Then he could shut up the media questions about the injury and concentrate on the team’s growth.
He’s learning as he goes.
Just turn focus on what is here now, concentrate completely on the present.
link to nationalfootballpost.com