A Promise Kept

[GoshenGipper]

I know on a couple of recruit profiles I've talked about how much I like Mac Brown, and I just ran across this story and I thought you guys might find it interesting.

A Promise Kept: High School Football Player To Become UT 'Longhorn' Even Though Permanently Sidelined

Last Update: Feb 8, 2007 4:23 PM
Posted By: Vickie Jean Summers

A high school football player is getting a football scholarship despite the fact he can no longer play the game.

Matt Nader was one of the best high school football players in the state. In September, the Austin Westlake offensive lineman collapsed during a game and his heart stopped. He was revived, but can never play football again.

University of Texas Head Football Coach Mac Brown still plans to honor a promise he made. Matt is still getting a full-ride to the 'longhorn' campus. He won't play football; he'll be a student coach.

 

[nthurman]

That is a very cool and classy move my mack brown. Is that going to count against their schollies, or is NCAA not going to count that?

 

[Stalking_Eagle]

This is actually a pretty cool story. Although we are always battling Texas for recruits, I do have respect for him because of this.

 

[BestBIrish47]

Good story, I live in Waco, Texas so yea in UT land but Irish all the way. Texas has like 70000 students.....I am sure that he isn't taking from the football schollies

 

[brownkj002]

I don't want to be Debbie Downer but doesn't Texas have to honor the scholarship for only one year. Unlike ND, I believe Texas goes by year to year with their ships (this is why they get 25+ recruits a year). This kid will get his ship for one year and then they will boot him. It's still nice that he gets his ship for one year. I will wait and see if they give him a 4 year ride before I will ever call Mac Brown classy.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I don't want to be Debbie Downer but doesn't Texas have to honor the scholarship for only one year. Unlike ND, I believe Texas goes by year to year with their ships (this is why they get 25+ recruits a year). This kid will get his ship for one year and then they will boot him. It's still nice that he gets his ship for one year. I will wait and see if they give him a 4 year ride before I will ever call Mac Brown classy.

ND is year-to-year as well.

 

[FleaFlicker]

I don't want to be Debbie Downer but doesn't Texas have to honor the scholarship for only one year. Unlike ND, I believe Texas goes by year to year with their ships (this is why they get 25+ recruits a year). This kid will get his ship for one year and then they will boot him. It's still nice that he gets his ship for one year. I will wait and see if they give him a 4 year ride before I will ever call Mac Brown classy.

I seriously doubt they will boot him. That would look horrible. You really think 1 scholarship is going to be worth Mack losing a lot of the respect that he has? No way.

 

[ShivaIrish]

That is a very cool and classy move my mack brown. Is that going to count against their schollies, or is NCAA not going to count that?

Doesn't it have to? Brown can't be giving out academic scholarships after all.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Doesn't it have to? Brown can't be giving out academic scholarships after all.

He doesn't give them out, but let's not fool ourselves...there was most likely a call from his office to the President's office about this.

 

[TexasNDFan]

I seriously doubt they will boot him. That would look horrible. You really think 1 scholarship is going to be worth Mack losing a lot of the respect that he has? No way.

Your right, can you imagine the negative recruiting if he was to pull his scholarship. I wouldn't go as far as to say it was a classy move, because it would have been stupid of him to pull it. This way he could probably sway a couple of recruits his way, with this story.

 

[kjones]

I think my heart for texas just grew three sizes.

 

[RI Domer]

I have always loved Texas. I have much family there. This type of thing is just part of that states overall attitude. Props to Mack Brown.

 

[brownkj002]

ND is year-to-year as well.

I have never heard of ND pulling a kids ship once he is at ND. If you are not playing well at Texas, they will take your ship away and give it to someone else. This is why they have huge classes every year. I am sure that they will give this kid a one year ride and use his ship on someone next year (just like they do for the guys who don't pan out).

 

[IrishSanDiego]

That is a very cool and classy move my mack brown. Is that going to count against their schollies, or is NCAA not going to count that?

Universities can put injured players on a medical scholarship without it counting against 85 man maximum. ND did this with Abdel Banda recently. Im pretty sure thats what Brown is doing with Nader.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I have never heard of ND pulling a kids ship once he is at ND. If you are not playing well at Texas, they will take your ship away and give it to someone else. This is why they have huge classes every year. I am sure that they will give this kid a one year ride and use his ship on someone next year (just like they do for the guys who don't pan out).

I would think it rare that ND pull a scholarship...but conversely, coaches have awarded them on a year-by-year basis to walk-ons.

 

[kjones]

Travis Leitko lost his scholarship, and had to rejoin as a walk-on. So did Julius Jones, but he didn't try out as a walk-on. There's more, but hopefully that will jog people's memories. While it is a rarity, some student-athletes don't quite make it without problems. Mostly loss of schollie also accompanies leaving the university, as it is usually academic related, but it DOES occur.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Now that we are all warm and fuzzy about Texas, I'm going to start my own Longhorn Envy website.

 

[BGIF]

That is a very cool and classy move my mack brown. Is that going to count against their schollies, or is NCAA not going to count that?

No he's not an athlete. He will not be participating in games.

 

[BGIF]

ND is year-to-year as well.

NCAA Athletic Scholarships are one year at a time. It's not ND nor Texas. It's the NCAA.