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September 5, 2008
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Witherspoon left to wonder by Michigan[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
By KEVIN MINNICK
Courier-Post Staff [/FONT]For two months, Marcus Witherspoon was just like any other freshman student-athlete at the University of Michigan.
After graduating from Holy Spirit High School, the 2007 Courier-Post Defensive Player of the Year went to Ann Arbor to begin the next phase of his life. As an All-State linebacker, he got to school as early as possible to prepare for his first college football season.
Everything was going well. He took summer classes, spent time working out with strength and conditioning coaches and lived in a dorm. He was on the depth chart and looking to make an impact.
The players were great. Everything was good. "I didn't have any problems," he said.
Then came July 28, and his world as a newcomer with one of the nation's most historic programs came to a crashing halt.
"I was there for two months -- two months," Witherspoon said from his Atlantic City home. "Then they tell me out of nowhere that something was wrong. That's what I don't understand."
Michigan said Witherspoon was ineligible, that he had failed to meet the NCAA's initial qualifying standards and had not been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Despite being on campus, attending classes and being treated like any other football player on scholarship, he was no longer allowed to stay.
"It will probably come as a shock, but (head coach Rich Rodriguez) didn't say anything to me," Witherspoon said. "The assistant coaches told me.
"It wasn't fair with what happened. I was supposed to take some classes, and everything would be good and I could go back. That wasn't even the case.
"I was told to do certain things. I did them -- everything they asked me to do -- and still, at the end, it didn't go through. It was crazy."
Witherspoon was told he needed to take an additional online course (affiliated with Brigham Young University) and that the course needed to be taken in New Jersey. He returned to South Jersey while the rest of the team was in preseason camp, completed the course and was prepared to return to school just as training camp was wrapping up.
While his status with the program was now uncertain, Witherspoon was prepared for whatever the coaching staff would decide. Having missed so much time, he knew it was possible he might have to redshirt this season.
But in the days leading up to his return trip to campus, Witherspoon was told by Michigan officials that he could not come back until he was ruled eligible by the clearinghouse.
He hasn't been back, and even more bizarre is that Witherspoon has had no communication with the staff. No one from Michigan was available for comment.
"When I came home, I didn't hear from (Rodriguez) or any other coach. I tried calling him. I guess with the season ahead -- I don't know," Witherspoon said. "Somebody could have called, informed me. I didn't get any response. They haven't called me yet. He still hasn't called me to this day. It's out, I'm transferring, and he still hasn't called me."
Now, Witherspoon is trying to decide between Rutgers and Tennessee. He plans to enroll in one of the two schools next semester and play football next fall.
"Things didn't work out (at Michigan), but I still have two good options," he said.
Reach Kevin Minnick at kminnick@courierpostonline.com
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Witherspoon left to wonder by Michigan[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
By KEVIN MINNICK
Courier-Post Staff [/FONT]For two months, Marcus Witherspoon was just like any other freshman student-athlete at the University of Michigan.
After graduating from Holy Spirit High School, the 2007 Courier-Post Defensive Player of the Year went to Ann Arbor to begin the next phase of his life. As an All-State linebacker, he got to school as early as possible to prepare for his first college football season.
Everything was going well. He took summer classes, spent time working out with strength and conditioning coaches and lived in a dorm. He was on the depth chart and looking to make an impact.
The players were great. Everything was good. "I didn't have any problems," he said.
Then came July 28, and his world as a newcomer with one of the nation's most historic programs came to a crashing halt.
"I was there for two months -- two months," Witherspoon said from his Atlantic City home. "Then they tell me out of nowhere that something was wrong. That's what I don't understand."
Michigan said Witherspoon was ineligible, that he had failed to meet the NCAA's initial qualifying standards and had not been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Despite being on campus, attending classes and being treated like any other football player on scholarship, he was no longer allowed to stay.
"It will probably come as a shock, but (head coach Rich Rodriguez) didn't say anything to me," Witherspoon said. "The assistant coaches told me.
"It wasn't fair with what happened. I was supposed to take some classes, and everything would be good and I could go back. That wasn't even the case.
"I was told to do certain things. I did them -- everything they asked me to do -- and still, at the end, it didn't go through. It was crazy."
Witherspoon was told he needed to take an additional online course (affiliated with Brigham Young University) and that the course needed to be taken in New Jersey. He returned to South Jersey while the rest of the team was in preseason camp, completed the course and was prepared to return to school just as training camp was wrapping up.
While his status with the program was now uncertain, Witherspoon was prepared for whatever the coaching staff would decide. Having missed so much time, he knew it was possible he might have to redshirt this season.
But in the days leading up to his return trip to campus, Witherspoon was told by Michigan officials that he could not come back until he was ruled eligible by the clearinghouse.
He hasn't been back, and even more bizarre is that Witherspoon has had no communication with the staff. No one from Michigan was available for comment.
"When I came home, I didn't hear from (Rodriguez) or any other coach. I tried calling him. I guess with the season ahead -- I don't know," Witherspoon said. "Somebody could have called, informed me. I didn't get any response. They haven't called me yet. He still hasn't called me to this day. It's out, I'm transferring, and he still hasn't called me."
Now, Witherspoon is trying to decide between Rutgers and Tennessee. He plans to enroll in one of the two schools next semester and play football next fall.
"Things didn't work out (at Michigan), but I still have two good options," he said.
Reach Kevin Minnick at kminnick@courierpostonline.com
