The Bobcat Nation

Just as I typed a post on a different thread about depth, I saw this. Not starters, but sorry to see them gone. Best of luck to them...

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Montana State's defensive depth took a hit Monday
with the retirement of linebacker Grant Elliott and cornerback Eddie Smith.
Elliott, a senior from Fort Benton, was expected to challenge at
linebacker and continue his role as one of the Big Sky's top special teams
players this fall. Smith battled injury during his two years at MSU after
transferring from San Mateo Junior College. He was a highly-touted recruit
who, if healthy, could have challenged for time in the Bobcat secondary this
season.
Both players left the program with an eye on the future, Kramer
said. "Grant's decision has to do with quality-of-life issues relating to
on-going back injuries and his ability to function later in life. It's that
simple. He just doesn't feel it's worth risking his future health, and I
fully support his decision. He is a tough kid, and we'll miss him."
Smith, who earned his degree from MSU last spring, had planned to
return and enroll in graduate school, Kramer said. "In the process of
looking for a job this summer he was offered a permanent position (in the
finance industry) that was simply too good to pass up," Kramer said. "I
certainly wish him all the best. He is a success story for this program."
Kramer also indicated that incoming freshman linebacker Bubba Pugh,
who signed a letter-of-intent last winter, will not join the Bobcat program
this fall for academic reasons.
Bobcat players undergo a battery of tests, paperwork and physical
examinations on Tuesday before hitting the practice field on Wednesday.

-msu-

So Smith graduated as is going pro! Good for him. That's what it's all about!

Good for Smith, and sorry for Grant. I just noticed that Grant was on the poster for this season, so this must have been a recent development.

So will Pugh be academically eligible following this next semester or how will that work?

It could be a situation like Hoffenbacker where he'll come in and focus on academics for a year, then join the team in '07 if he gets his grades up...although from the article, it also sounds like he could potentially not be coming at all.

On Pugh, it's not the same as Hoff. If he never attends school, he isn't grey shirting at MSU. With Hoff, he grey shirted and his schooling was paid for by the football program. With Pugh, he will probaby go to a junior college in Calif and very possibly play football. MSU will release him from his scholarship (they may not even have to). This will allow Kramer to pick up someone else. (a late DI dropdown in the next month?). Pugh had to get through the NCAA clearinghouse (grades, SAT, and core subjects completed in high school), MSU doesn't do anything on high school kids, it's the clearinghouse. They can work with the Kid to clear it up (as they did with Groves), but they do not validate eligibility of HS players.

On Elliott, it is not recent. He had a major back problem much of last year. If I remember, it was thought he was going to retire last year, but then thought he would wait and see if anything happens. This is not a huge surprise to the coaches I would guess.

Bay Area Cat wrote:So Smith graduated as is going pro! Good for him. That's what it's all about!

Congrats to Smith that is what it is all about getting that degree and being able to walk without pain when your thirty.