When will we know if Otule was granted a Medical Redshirt?

[DiaperDandy]

I have a question regarding Otule and his medical redshirt.  I know there was talk that he would apply at the end of the season.  I am just curious when we will learn if he was in fact granted an extra year of elegibilty for his injuries.  I know he was practicing and warming up with the team at the end of the season but was not cleared to play in any games.  People on this board were speculating that a redshirt was not a for sure thing as the NCAA could rule against allowing Chris another year to play at MU.  Can someone clarify this for me.  Thanks.

[brewcity77]

Not been around long enough to remember that discussion, but looked around a bit online and saw no indications that his medical redshirt wouldn't be granted. Based on the number of games played, he is eligible to apply for the redshirt and retain the year of eligibility he would have lost.

[dwaderoy2004]

Well one of the rules for the medical redshirt is that the player must be incapable of playing for the rest of the season because of the injury.  Even though Otule was practicing, not sure he was ever actually cleared to play in games.  If you meet the max game requirements, i've never heard of anyone being turned down.  I remember a few years back, Jason Fraser (i think) on nova was thinking of coming back for the ncaa tourney the year they started foye, ray, nardi and lowry.  It was widely reported that it was a tough decision as to whether he should give up is last year of eligibility to possibly play in 6 games and win an ncaa title.  IN other words, he was clearly healthy enough to play, but he didn't and was granted the redshirt.

[LA]

Well one of the rules for the medical redshirt is that the player must be incapable of playing for the rest of the season because of the injury.  Even though Otule was practicing, not sure he was ever actually cleared to play in games.  If you meet the max game requirements, i've never heard of anyone being turned down.  I remember a few years back, Jason Fraser (i think) on nova was thinking of coming back for the ncaa tourney the year they started foye, ray, nardi and lowry.  It was widely reported that it was a tough decision as to whether he should give up is last year of eligibility to possibly play in 6 games and win an ncaa title.  IN other words, he was clearly healthy enough to play, but he didn't and was granted the redshirt.

It was probably similar to D James coming back to play in the tourney. Hey clearly wasn't 100% and under normal circumstances most likely wouldn't have been cleared by a doctor. I'm guessing it was a similar situation.

[Litehouse]

It was probably similar to D James coming back to play in the tourney. Hey clearly wasn't 100% and under normal circumstances most likely wouldn't have been cleared by a doctor. I'm guessing it was a similar situation.

Not quite the same, since James easily exceeded the number of allowed games and the injury happened late in the year.  James had no chance of a medical redshirt due to games played.

[LA]

Completely understand that, I was just using his injury situation as a reference point. Obviously if Fraser was in James' situation he would have been on the court. I also think that if roles are reversed that James would have sat out and retained the year.

[The Man in Gold]

Well one of the rules for the medical redshirt is that the player must be incapable of playing for the rest of the season because of the injury.  Even though Otule was practicing, not sure he was ever actually cleared to play in games.  If you meet the max game requirements, i've never heard of anyone being turned down.  I remember a few years back, Jason Fraser (i think) on nova was thinking of coming back for the ncaa tourney the year they started foye, ray, nardi and lowry.  It was widely reported that it was a tough decision as to whether he should give up is last year of eligibility to possibly play in 6 games and win an ncaa title.  IN other words, he was clearly healthy enough to play, but he didn't and was granted the redshirt.

It was Curtis Sumpter, and man he could have made a big difference in that tourney.  Nova was stacked at every spot but the 5.

[Benny B]

It was probably similar to D James coming back to play in the tourney. Hey clearly wasn't 100% and under normal circumstances most likely wouldn't have been cleared by a doctor. I'm guessing it was a similar situation.

D James was cleared to play because the medical staff agreed that there was minimal, if any, risk of re-injury or further injury.  If this was indeed the case (and I have no reason to suspect otherwise), any doctor would have cleared him.

Very few doctors these days are going to risk their license by clearing someone who's not ready to play.  I don't think you're going to find one on MU's medical staff.

[dwaderoy2004]

It was Curtis Sumpter, and man he could have made a big difference in that tourney.  Nova was stacked at every spot but the 5.

ah yes, i knew frasor wasn't right, but i was too lazy to go look it up.

[TallTitan34]

Maybe someone can ask Todd this during his next Q & A session.

[Skatastrophy]

Maybe someone can ask Todd this during his next Q & A session.

I asked Todd during his Q&A session near the end of the season.  He ignored the implications that Otule's apparently ability to practice hard would have on his redshirt and said that "MU is planning on redshirting him."

Perhaps someone could word the question better than I did so that the response isn't boilerplate.

[Benny B]

Remember guys, there is a big difference between "medically cleared to practice" and "medically cleared to play."  Practice is a controlled environment where a coach can control the pace, intensity, etc. and adjust to accommodate a healing injury.  Just because you can "practice hard" doesn't mean you're anything close to being ready for a game.

Sure, we saw Chris running the layup line in the pre-games at the end of the season, and doing so without any obvious signs of injury... but that doesn't mean he was fully recovered.

My guess is that the NCAA has to rely on the team physician's evaluation and recommendation.  And I would think it's a safe assumption that Chris' paperwork says he was not ready to play on March 1st (or 10th, or 15th, or whatever the cutoff date is); otherwise, Buzz would have said something (or not said something) by now to indicate otherwise.

Even if someone were to suspect that a doctor forged a document or lied by saying he wasn't ready to play, there's only so far the NCAA can dig into someone's personal medical history before people start screaming "invasion of privacy."

As such, personally I'm 93% certain Chris is going to get his medical red-shirt.