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Freshman Tenn. Vol O-Lineman Taking Medical Retirement
Posted on 6/15/19 at 3:53 am
Posted on 6/15/19 at 3:53 am
Saw this article - it's 2 days old now, but it kinda shocked me.
LINK
UTjr. is really dealing with issues along their OL, so I know this has to be a blow for the depth for 2019. Don't know how much McBride would've played this season, being a true freshman. But this extra part of the linked article was what really shocked me:
What the hell! What is going on in Knoxville? I knew there was attrition, but this is insane.....
quote:
Melvin McBride won't suit up in a Tennessee football uniform.
The freshman offensive lineman is retiring due a medical issue, he announced on Twitter and Tennessee announced later Wednesday.
LINK
UTjr. is really dealing with issues along their OL, so I know this has to be a blow for the depth for 2019. Don't know how much McBride would've played this season, being a true freshman. But this extra part of the linked article was what really shocked me:
quote:
McBride, who signed with Tennessee in December and enrolled in May, is the FIFTH UT offensive lineman to take a medical disqualification this offseason.
Offensive linemen Devante Brooks, Chance Hall, Tanner Antonutti and Eric Crosby already moved onto medical exemption scholarship.
What the hell! What is going on in Knoxville? I knew there was attrition, but this is insane.....
3
Posted on 6/15/19 at 4:44 am to ConwayGamecock
Same thing that is going on in Columbia, Athens, Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa. Recruit the best athletes you can find and coach them the best you can. UT has, as do the others, first class staff and facilities and support. Football is a rough, physical sport with injuries running in cycles. Bama for instance lost 6 starting linebackers off the '17 squad, 4 in one game and was reduced to playing with walkons and players from other positions most of the year and had some more problems there last year. These things run in cycles. OL tend to be bigger kids with a ton of bulk and make violent contact every play so there you go.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 5:10 am to jimdog
quote:
Same thing that is going on in Columbia, Athens, Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa. Recruit the best athletes you can find and coach them the best you can. UT has, as do the others, first class staff and facilities and support. Football is a rough, physical sport with injuries running in cycles. Bama for instance lost 6 starting linebackers off the '17 squad, 4 in one game and was reduced to playing with walkons and players from other positions most of the year and had some more problems there last year. These things run in cycles. OL tend to be bigger kids with a ton of bulk and make violent contact every play so there you go.
Seez I'd agree if it was just simple injuries that yaknow, kept them out for a few weeks or maybe a year. But that's 7 players that had to Medically Retire in the past year. 5 offensive lineman, a linebacker, and a tight end.
I personally think Tennessee is cursed. It seems like every year they take out a few good players at their home field
Posted on 6/15/19 at 5:36 am to ConwayGamecock
Bama gave a scholarship to Elisha Shaw. He was never cleared to play, but Bama honored his scholarship.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 7:38 am to LSUdude247
quote:
7 players that had to Medically Retire in the past year. 5 offensive lineman, a linebacker, and a tight end.
That is a staggering amount of players, roughly a third of an average recruiting class.
You will always get some that have to medically retire; the stud athlete you recruited turns out to have a hidden heart murmur when you get him to campus and have first class doctors examine him sort of thing. 7 in one year, including 5 O-linemen, does sound like a curse though.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:15 am to Arksulli
Damn Vols, that sucks for both the kids and the program. Just when I thought you were making headway back to competitive this happens. This may sound crazy but I gotta ask; it doesn’t make any sense considering UT’s depth issues especially along the front but is any of this just roster management by Pruitt?
Didn’t know butt chugging was so rough on the body!
Didn’t know butt chugging was so rough on the body!
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:19 am to phil4bama
Fulmer cursed the program for 50 years after he went after Bama in cooperation with the NCAA. It will only start to get marginally better after his death.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:30 am to ConwayGamecock
I was listening to "Full Ride" on XM yesterday and Rick Neuheisel was speculating that the high incidence of retirements due to medical reasons was that Pruitt was simply making room for guys that are a better fit for his program. He cited Saban and a few other coaches made similar moves when they took over their respective programs. The kids are told they aren't going to play, but if they retire due to medical reasons they keep their scholarship. I'm not sure how valid his opinion is, but I suppose we'll know if some of these guys eventually pop up at other schools to play ball again. 
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:34 am to Parrish_Dawg
I might agree with Neuheisel’s assessment and even posed the same question above, but that’s suicide at a position of shaky depth to begin with. Hes gonna be left with freshmen and walkons for depth.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:38 am to Parrish_Dawg
Most of those were for medical reasons.....Knees....spine issues...and heart issues. Also add Trey Smith on that list if he doesn't play again and he was, if healthy a top 12 NFL draft talent.
It's why the last 2 seasons UT finished the season having to play walkons and pulling redshirts to field a OL.
It's why the last 2 seasons UT finished the season having to play walkons and pulling redshirts to field a OL.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:40 am to phil4bama
Vols fans: Can you tell us what their place was on the depth chart? Projected starters? How many on the 2-deep?
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:42 am to genuineLSUtiger
quote:
Fulmer cursed the program for 50 years after he went after Bama in cooperation with the NCAA. It will only start to get marginally better after his death.
He also stabbed Johnny Majors in the back. Another 50 years.
Posted on 6/15/19 at 9:42 am to phil4bama
I agree, and sorry I missed your original post. At least you know there are others in the industry that clearly think your question is valid. 
Posted on 6/15/19 at 5:14 pm to Parrish_Dawg
quote:
I was listening to "Full Ride" on XM yesterday and Rick Neuheisel was speculating that the high incidence of retirements due to medical reasons was that Pruitt was simply making room for guys that are a better fit for his program. He cited Saban and a few other coaches made similar moves when they took over their respective programs. The kids are told they aren't going to play, but if they retire due to medical reasons they keep their scholarship. I'm not sure how valid his opinion is, but I suppose we'll know if some of these guys eventually pop up at other schools to play ball again.
That might have been a valid (and cheesy) tactic for a staff to use back in the '80s and '90s, and even 5 years ago I guess, but with the transfer portal being the way it is today, to just accept that you're a perfectly fine Div I prep FB talent, but to be forced into accepting a medical hardship scholarship just to stay in school, when you can easily transfer these days to another program that really honestly could use you, and you STILL get that free education? Several of these kids were freshmen and sophomores at UTjr.
Neuheisel sounds a little full of it, to me....
This post was edited on 6/15/19 at 5:16 pm
Posted on 6/15/19 at 5:48 pm to LSUdude247
quote:
7 players that had to Medically Retire in the past year
the numbers work themselves out
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