Xzavian Brandon

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Both Xzavian Brandon and Devin Crawford-Tufts are listed on the official roster with number 80. I have looked for Brandon at practice and at scrimmages and have not been able to spot him. My question is does anybody know what his status is? He has had an unfortunate history of injuries and there has been some question if he will return. Maybe because of this, he was not included in the list of the 105 who were to participate in fall camp.

Then my question becomes if he is not able to physically perform long term will his scholarship be opened up for another player? I read that if you can show the NCAA that the player cannot perform physically long term they will allow you to continue to give that player a scholarship but they won't count him against your total scholarship number.

This becomes important since it does not appear that we are going to be losing "the up to ten" players from fall camp. Any thoughts on this?
 

About a week ago

he was going to Atlanta to visit his parents so I would guess his career at the U never got going. Too bad. He really seemed to put effort into it.
 

I believe that, not only are players whose careers are ended by injury able to stay on scholarship, the NCAA pays the tab. If they do get the NCAA scholarship they forfeit their eligibility.
 

Thanks nsmike

nsmike said:
I believe that, not only are players whose careers are ended by injury able to stay on scholarship, the NCAA pays the tab. If they do get the NCAA scholarship they forfeit their eligibility.
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Thanks for your clarification.
 

Because we can only 105 practicing before school starts...he may simply be inactive because he is not ready to practice at full speed and Kill needed to get some of the young players in the mix...especially if he is not going to be ready till week 3 or 4. Or he might be done...but I have not read that anywhere or from any source.
 


He was listed on the roster given out at the scrimmage. I'm not sure what that means, but it would seem strange to list him there if he were not planning to return to the team at some point.
 

He has not been able to play for over a year, if my memory serves me correctly. Seems most likely the situation is one where he just can't give up the dream of playing college ball, despite a long term back injury. I hope I am wrong, especially since he seems like a good kid, but if he has been out this long it is hard to believe his back will ever let him take the abuse a B1G football player takes. Even WRs need to have good backs.
 

After checking around the U has some options, 1. He can stay on scholarship, and count, keeping his eligibility. 2. He can be released from his football scholarship, stay on a medical hardship scholarship, and not count, losing his eligibility. 3. He can be released from his football scholarship and not kept on a medical hardship scholarship. The NCAA has a backup scholarship fund for these cases. The big catch seems to be in cases where the school chooses the medical hardship route, they appoint a medical board, and that boards decision is final.
 

Has he been practicing this season and counted against the 105 or is he on a leave of absence from the squad ?
 



Brandon read this thread and tweeted:

Saw alot of rumors about me and my status on @GopherHole, I'll clear em up soon...
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So we'll all hopefully find out soon.
 

He had a promising career ahead of him as a freshman. Its been tough to watch him struggle with injuries all his years here. He seems like a good guy
 

Is Brandon still on the team or will come back during the fall ?
 

Yeah, I definitely echo the sentiments on this board. I would love to see the kid come back and be able to play football. It's always hard to see a kid who puts the effort in and is a good representative for Gopher football not be able to play because of injury.

Either way, good luck Xzavian, hope to see you back out there. If you can't, come back and get your degree at the U.
 



Tweet from Brandon:

"Puttin all my focus into the books and my training for the 8 months I have left in Minnesota, been on break long enough.. #NoDaysOff..."

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Tweet from Brandon:

"Puttin all my focus into the books and my training for the 8 months I have left in Minnesota, been on break long enough.. #NoDaysOff..."

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

He was a freshman in 2008, so he could be graduating next spring with seeing the field for only 4 games, all in his first season. With injuries keeping him off the field, he easily could have given up. That he didn't, is testament to a strong character. Best wishes Brandon.
 

WAGopher said:
He was a freshman in 2008, so he could be graduating next spring with seeing the field for only 4 games, all in his first season. With injuries keeping him off the field, he easily could have given up. That he didn't, is testament to a strong character. Best wishes Brandon.
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If he can't play, I hope this is the case. That way at least he can leave here with something of real tangible value.
 

I have always heard he is a good kid, if he has managed to stay on course for a degree through all of this great for him.
ls
 

Good luck Xavier hitting the books. I'm assuming he can stay on the medical scholarship this year at the U and not count against the 85 schollys. Believe he would have two years left of eligibility and maybe a grad school somewhere.
 

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