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View Full Version : Would Duke take a chance on Will Yeatman



CameronBornAndBred
12-16-2008, 11:50 AM
This guy is transferring from Notre Dame (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/chi-16-notre-dame-foot-chicagodec16,0,3730013.story), he plays both lacrosse and football and presumabley transfer to a school to do both again. It looks like he has some alcohol issues, and has been in trouble because of it. Just wondering if Duke would even bother looking at him. Obviously Kevin White would know his story pretty well.

dukelifer
12-16-2008, 11:58 AM
This guy is transferring from Notre Dame (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/chi-16-notre-dame-foot-chicagodec16,0,3730013.story), he plays both lacrosse and football and presumabley transfer to a school to do both again. It looks like he has some alcohol issues, and has been in trouble because of it. Just wondering if Duke would even bother looking at him. Obviously Kevin White would know his story pretty well.
I would think the last thing the Duke Lacrosse team needs is more scrutiny on its players. Maybe he is a great kid who made some bad choices- but I suspect that if that was the case, Notre Dame would be encouraging him to stick around. There is probably more here.

west_coast_devil
12-16-2008, 12:34 PM
The poor kid did make some unwise choices, but that comes with being 19. At Notre Dame, he received a DUI while driving a moped, and an under age drinking ticket from a large house party bust. I say give him a chance......

Devil in the Blue Dress
12-16-2008, 01:33 PM
This guy is transferring from Notre Dame (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/chi-16-notre-dame-foot-chicagodec16,0,3730013.story), he plays both lacrosse and football and presumabley transfer to a school to do both again. It looks like he has some alcohol issues, and has been in trouble because of it. Just wondering if Duke would even bother looking at him. Obviously Kevin White would know his story pretty well.
If the guy is willing to work hard and do what he's told, I know a football coach who could help him improve both his behavior off the field and his productivity on the field. He'd have a year to sit out and get acclimated academically.

CameronBornAndBred
12-16-2008, 01:36 PM
If the guy is willing to work hard and do what he's told, I know a football coach who could help him improve both his behavior off the field and his productivity on the field. He'd have a year to sit out and get acclimated academically.
Actually in lacrosse, their is an exemption for a one time transfer, and he could play that sport next year.

"There is a one-time transfer exception in lacrosse which, if granted, would allow Yeatman to play immediately at another school." --source (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/chi-16-notre-dame-foot-chicagodec16,0,3730013.story)

Devil in the Blue Dress
12-16-2008, 02:19 PM
Actually in lacrosse, their is an exemption for a one time transfer, and he could play that sport next year.

"There is a one-time transfer exception in lacrosse which, if granted, would allow Yeatman to play immediately at another school." --source (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/chi-16-notre-dame-foot-chicagodec16,0,3730013.story)

I'm aware of that exemption, but chose to focus on the potential in football. Don't know what sort of scholarships might be available in lacrosse, but I would guess that there is a good chance of one in football. Depending on his position and skill level, perhaps he could have more impact in football than lacrosse. Of course, this online conversation is purely speculative. Has Yeatman expressed any interest in Duke for either sport?

sagegrouse
12-16-2008, 02:49 PM
The poor kid did make some unwise choices, but that comes with being 19. At Notre Dame, he received a DUI while driving a moped, and an under age drinking ticket from a large house party bust. I say give him a chance......

There, but for the grace of God, goes almost everyone on this Board.

I say, if he is a good kid who made some bad decisions, give him a chance. If he is a problem kid that maybe, just maybe will straighten out, forget it. (All I can think of is Chris Washburn, whom Jimmy V. thought would come around with the right kind of attention.)

sagegrouse
'Not enough Buddy Holly references on this Board'

juise
12-16-2008, 02:55 PM
I'm aware of that exemption, but chose to focus on the potential in football. Don't know what sort of scholarships might be available in lacrosse, but I would guess that there is a good chance of one in football.

Isn't there a rule that would prohibit him from playing football on a Lacrosse scholarship? I thought that any two-sport athlete who plays football has to be on a football scholarship?

allenmurray
12-16-2008, 03:50 PM
I have no problems with second chances. On the other hand it could easily be seen by some as a statement that Duke has lower standards than does Notre Dame.

Double DD
12-17-2008, 12:36 AM
Yeatman needed to make some better decisions. But the second issue in particular had a lot to do with some overvigilance by the excise police in Indiana. He's not a bad kid and I doubt will have any more issues, particulary once he turns 21 in April.;)

As for football, he's a good blocker and seems to have solid hands. He's not particularly agile or fast though and so wasn't a major receiving threat, but some of that had to with the depth chart as well. OTOH, he's an elite lacrosse player, he was National Rookie of the Year and HM All-American as a freshman. But he will have missed almost 2 seasons now if he does transfer, so he's going to be a bit rusty from lack of game action.

He'd be a good addition to any program. He's not being forced out either, I think this is more of Yeatman's way of getting a fresh start, as I don't think either the football or lacrosse programs wanted him to leave.

formerdukeathlete
12-17-2008, 07:51 AM
Isn't there a rule that would prohibit him from playing football on a Lacrosse scholarship? I thought that any two-sport athlete who plays football has to be on a football scholarship?


looking for the rule - did not google easily...yes, if a two sport player plays football as well as the second sport, at least in the case of basketball, football is charged the scholarship - toward the 85 limit. This is to prevent schools from working around the 85 limit by planting kids in other sports. Not sure if it extends to Lacrosse. most lax players have partial scholarships....there is no such thing in Football....so maybe were this player to transfer to Duke on financial aid and a partial lax scholarship, he could then try out for Football and count as a walk-on.

Olympic Fan
12-17-2008, 11:47 AM
looking for the rule - did not google easily...yes, if a two sport player plays football as well as the second sport, at least in the case of basketball, football is charged the scholarship - toward the 85 limit. This is to prevent schools from working around the 85 limit by planting kids in other sports. Not sure if it extends to Lacrosse. most lax players have partial scholarships....there is no such thing in Football....so maybe were this player to transfer to Duke on financial aid and a partial lax scholarship, he could then try out for Football and count as a walk-on.

If a player with one dollar of an athletic scholarship (such as a partial lax scholarship) plays football, his scholarship counts against the football limits (85 overall, 25 a year) -- no exceptions.

When Ryan McFadden went out for football last fall, he immediately counted against the football scholarship limit. If Greg Paulus had gone out for football at any point in his career, he would have come off Coach K's books and counted against football.

In Yeatman's case, were he to come here, he would be on a football scholarship. He'd have to redshirt next season in football. He could still play lacrosse right away -- this spring -- under the exception rule cited above, even though he would be on a football scholarship.

The NCAA has a hierarchy of scholarship sports. Any scholarship player who plays football (even if another spot is his prime one) counts against football limits. If it's basketball and a second sport other than football, it counts against basketball's limits.

I'm not sure of the full extent of the hierarchy, but I know it exists -- UCLA's woman's softball team got put on probation not long ago for using players on track scholarships ... which put them over the softball limit.

My favorite horror story in this regard is about NC State basketball a few years ago. Coach Les Robinson had his full compliment of 13 scholarship players, but his team was riddled with injuries. Then just before the season opened, a player named Tony Robinson committed suicide.

The NCAA then proceded to turn a tragedy into a farce.

Robinson, down to seven healthy players, was dressing out a manager for practice. He wanted the kid to suit up for games. But the kid was on a partial track scholarship and the NCAA ruled that his participation would put State over the 13 scholarship limit. Never mind that one of the 13 scholarship recepients was dead -- Robinson's grant counted against State's limit for the rest of that season!

PS As formerdukeathlete notes, the rules are set up to prevent football-crazy schools from getting around the scholarship limits and gaining an advantage. But what about schools that have more interest in "minor" sports. There are a number of basketball-only type schools in Division 1 with very minor football. Not sure of the football scholarship situation at DePaul or Georgetown or Villanova, but what if a school like that starting signing extra basketball players and have them walk on for a few weeks in football? What if Iowa State got around the wrestling limits by signing a few wrestlers and have them work out with the football team (they wouldn't have to actually play in games)?

Seems like a loophole to me, if you're not that serious about football.

Bluedog
12-17-2008, 01:28 PM
There are a number of basketball-only type schools in Division 1 with very minor football. Not sure of the football scholarship situation at DePaul or Georgetown or Villanova, but what if a school like that starting signing extra basketball players and have them walk on for a few weeks in football?

DePaul doesn't have a football team. Georgetown and Villanova are both in the Championship Subdivision - I assume the same rules apply though (is there any other BCS conference besides the Big East that has such lax rules regarding football teams?). But your point is well taken.

Native
12-17-2008, 05:50 PM
I don't think Yeatman will come to Duke. I'm sure he is a great guy, but even if we were to give him a chance, the past is against him; who knows whether or not he would get suspended again. I am also unsure whether or not Coach Danowski would consider accepting a player who is very good, but has made some bad decisions in the past.

Also, rumor has it that Yeatman has UNC in his sights...their lacrosse recruitment right now rivals their basketball recruitment in terms of talent. They will be scary good in a few years.

formerdukeathlete
12-17-2008, 11:16 PM
I don't think Yeatman will come to Duke. I'm sure he is a great guy, but even if we were to give him a chance, the past is against him; who knows whether or not he would get suspended again. I am also unsure whether or not Coach Danowski would consider accepting a player who is very good, but has made some bad decisions in the past.

Also, rumor has it that Yeatman has UNC in his sights...their lacrosse recruitment right now rivals their basketball recruitment in terms of talent. They will be scary good in a few years.

What past? a dui while riding a scooter, or being named at a house party where alcohol was served?! What I would focus on.....how good of a student was he in high school? what were his SATs, etc. We could use a good tight end who was also a good student. Good enough, and, academically inclined enough, and we might have a shot at landing him.

Forgive me if i am not impressed by his alcohol infractions, and with all due respect to issues of public safety.