MICHIGAN MAN UPDATE:
Defensive tackle Ondre Pipkins says Jim Harbaugh pressured him to quit football before he was ready, for medical reasons. (Melanie Maxwell | MLive.com)
Ondre Pipkins' playing career at Michigan is over, and in an interview with ESPN.com, he says Jim Harbaugh and his staff pressured him to quit football.
The former Michigan defensive linemen -- who announced his transfer Friday via social media -- told ESPN's Joe Schad that Harbaugh, associate athletic director Jim Minick and head athletic trainer Paul Schmidt "asked him about 10 times over a two-month period" to sign medical scholarship papers, which would've brought his career to a close.
If/when a player decides to sign medical papers, he still receives the same benefits school-wise that he did when he originally signed for a scholarship in the first place. However, signing a medical scholarship brings a player's playing career to a close, and in turn, frees up one of a team's NCAA-allotted 85 scholarships.
Pipkins -- who suffered a torn ACL in 2013, a neck injury in 2012 and has battled concussions -- told ESPN he believed he was healthy enough to play, and didn't want to sign the form. He said he believes Harbaugh was trying to remove him from the team to free up scholarship space.
Pipkins would've been a senior at Michigan in 2015, meaning his scholarship would've counted against Michigan's totals for this season, but not the next. At the moment, without Pipkins, Michigan has 83 scholarship players on its roster (counting former walk-ons Joe Kerridge and Graham Glasgow, who were given scholarships by Brady Hoke midway through their careers), two under the NCAA limit.
"I feel I'm healthy and ready to play," Pipkins told ESPN. "I don't want to sign the form. I wanted to play for my seniors and for the team. Coach Harbaugh said, 'I recommend you take the medical.'
"College football is a business. New coaches have to win games. They want to go with guys they think can win. If I'm a victim of making room, so be it. But if there is no concrete reason to disqualify a player. He should have the right to keep playing."
Per the ESPN story, Pipkins has suffered two concussions (the latter happening this spring) during his career at Michigan, and was also told by a doctor that he had arthritis in his injured knee, but it wasn't severe enough to end his playing career.
He was then sent back to a doctor by Michigan and told he needed to "rest his body for six months," which would eventually overlap his entire senior season.
Additionally, he said at least one other Michigan player has been told by Harbaugh and his staff to "get healthy by a July 1 deadline or sign a medical to retire."
Harbaugh issued the following statement to ESPN: "After consulting with our medical team, we do not think it is in Ondre's best interest as it relates to his health and welfare to play football, short or long term. He remains on full scholarship and counts toward the 85 scholarship limit in pursuit of graduation from the University of Michigan."
A Michigan official declined to offer any further comment Friday, explaining that the program was standing behind Harbaugh's initial statement.
Pipkins says he now plans on transferring from Michigan and has been given clearance to speak with Oklahoma State, Georgia State, TCU, Tennessee, Florida State or Washington State, per ESPN.
A five-star recruit in Michigan's 2012 class, Pipkins made 23 tackles in 24 games played for Michigan over the last three seasons.
If/when a player decides to sign medical papers, he still receives the same benefits school-wise that he did when he originally signed for a scholarship in the first place. However, signing a medical scholarship brings a player's playing career to a close, and in turn, frees up one of a team's NCAA-allotted 85 scholarships.
Pipkins -- who suffered a torn ACL in 2013, a neck injury in 2012 and has battled concussions -- told ESPN he believed he was healthy enough to play, and didn't want to sign the form. He said he believes Harbaugh was trying to remove him from the team to free up scholarship space.
Pipkins would've been a senior at Michigan in 2015, meaning his scholarship would've counted against Michigan's totals for this season, but not the next. At the moment, without Pipkins, Michigan has 83 scholarship players on its roster (counting former walk-ons Joe Kerridge and Graham Glasgow, who were given scholarships by Brady Hoke midway through their careers), two under the NCAA limit.
"I feel I'm healthy and ready to play," Pipkins told ESPN. "I don't want to sign the form. I wanted to play for my seniors and for the team. Coach Harbaugh said, 'I recommend you take the medical.'
"College football is a business. New coaches have to win games. They want to go with guys they think can win. If I'm a victim of making room, so be it. But if there is no concrete reason to disqualify a player. He should have the right to keep playing."
Per the ESPN story, Pipkins has suffered two concussions (the latter happening this spring) during his career at Michigan, and was also told by a doctor that he had arthritis in his injured knee, but it wasn't severe enough to end his playing career.
He was then sent back to a doctor by Michigan and told he needed to "rest his body for six months," which would eventually overlap his entire senior season.
Additionally, he said at least one other Michigan player has been told by Harbaugh and his staff to "get healthy by a July 1 deadline or sign a medical to retire."
Harbaugh issued the following statement to ESPN: "After consulting with our medical team, we do not think it is in Ondre's best interest as it relates to his health and welfare to play football, short or long term. He remains on full scholarship and counts toward the 85 scholarship limit in pursuit of graduation from the University of Michigan."
A Michigan official declined to offer any further comment Friday, explaining that the program was standing behind Harbaugh's initial statement.
Pipkins says he now plans on transferring from Michigan and has been given clearance to speak with Oklahoma State, Georgia State, TCU, Tennessee, Florida State or Washington State, per ESPN.
A five-star recruit in Michigan's 2012 class, Pipkins made 23 tackles in 24 games played for Michigan over the last three seasons.
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