This is the third in a weekly series on the progression of injured
running back Lee Suggs' road to recovery. The redshirt junior from
Roanoke injured his left knee against Connecticut on Sept. 1 and is
lost for the year. This week's update comes courtesy of Tim Parker,
assistant director of athletics for compliance. Check back here each
week for updates from head athletic trainer Mike Goforth, his
physical therapist and others on TD Lee's progression.
October 11, 2001
Q: What's being done from your end with Lee?
TP: Right now, we're trying to lay the groundwork, so that whichever
decision Lee and Coach Beamer make, we'll be ready to go in that
direction. I've talked to Mike Goforth and we're preparing the
medical documents for the end of the season. That's when we apply for
the medical hardship waiver. We send that in at the conclusion of the
season and get the medical hardship waiver approved. At that point,
we try to get the five-year clock extension.
Q: What is a medical redshirt as opposed to a regular redshirt?
TP: What's normally referred to as a redshirt is when an eligible
player is held out of all competition. It saves them from using up
one of their four seasons of competitive eligibility. It's a
conscious decision made in combination with the coaching staff and
player. A medical hardship waiver, which is commonly referred to as a
medical redshirt, is when there is limited competition, but a
season-ending injury occurs prior to the 20 percent point of the
season. Then, every school has the option to make an appeal to the
conference office for a medical hardship waiver to get that year of
competitive eligibility back.
Q: How often does the NCAA grant a medical redshirt?
TP: Actually, the NCAA does not grant medical hardship waivers, the
conferences do. The NCAA office only grants them for independent
schools. As long as the documentation is there from medical doctors
and the training staff, they're almost always granted.
Q: What have to be the qualifications to receive one?
TP: It's just a matter of the athlete meeting the criteria. As long
as the injury occurs within the first 20 percent of the season and
all of that competition occurs in the first half of the season, the
athlete is good. You can not have competed beyond the halfway point
of the season. It's 20 percent of the total games. Let's say there
are 10 games. You can play in two of those and they have to be two of
the first five games. But most teams play 11 games, so you can play
in three games and be okay. So you can play in the first game, the
fourth and the fifth games and still be eligible to get that year
back. The 20 percent deal can be a little confusing because most
teams play 11 games and 20 percent of 11 is 2.2. But the NCAA states
that anything with a "point" behind it, when dealing with the 20
percent issue, is bumped up. So 2.2 games played becomes three games
played. And once you meet the criteria, and you have the medical
documentation, it's almost always granted.
Q: What are the chances of Lee getting a medical redshirt and why is
he a good candidate?
TP: His situation is a perfect example of meeting all the criteria.
He's had surgery, so it's easy to get the medical documentation. So
it's a 100 percent certainty he will receive the medical hardship
waiver once we file for it.
Q: Explain why getting a medical redshirt doesn't guarantee him a sixth year?
TP: Once a student-athlete enrolls as a full-time student, what we
call the "five-year clock" starts to tick. They have five years from
that point in which to complete their four years of eligibility.
Since Lee redshirted as a freshman, the 2002 football season will be
his fifth year. His "clock" will expire prior to the 2003 football
season. Therefore, once we get this season of competitive eligibility
back through the medical hardship waiver, he will need a sixth year
in which to use that because his "clock" will expire in August of
2003. So that's where we go to the NCAA, if that's what Lee and his
family want, and ask for the "clock extension" and try to get that
sixth year to use his regained eligibility in.
Q: What are the timetable and steps taken on that process?
TP: The first step is getting the medical hardship waiver and we have
to wait until this season is over. The BIG EAST will not review any
requests for medical hardship waivers until after the bowl games are
over. At that point, once we get that, we will go to the NCAA and
petition for the "clock extension" and we should know within two
months after that. How often is it granted? I'd say one out of every
four requests are granted. It's a pretty strict standard and it's not
easy to get. But we feel we have enough medical documentation to get
it, should that be the route they want to take.
Q: So if everything goes like we hope, Lee will have two years of
eligibility left come next year?
TP: Right. If that's the decision Lee, his family and Coach Beamer
make, plus we're successful on both counts, then he'll be a junior,
eligibility-wise, come next fall.
Q: And even if he never plays another down, what is Lee's
NCAA-approved insurance policy look like?
TP: Lee had a one million dollar policy. So if he's deemed by
independent medical examiners to be unable to participate in the
sport of football, he would receive one million dollars paid out
through his disability insurance policy.
Q: And finally, what do you think the chances are of everything going
as planned?
TP: If that's what the staff, Lee and his family want to do, I feel
like we have a little better than a 50-50 shot of being successful.
