K-Stated

It appears there is going to be resolution to this seemingly never-ending David Hoskins saga. The senior forward will likely be officially shut down for the season in the coming days, which means he will be free to pursue another year of eligibility in the form of a hardship waiver.

Here is the e-mail I received from Bob Burda, the Big 12 assistant commissioner/communications:

NCAA rules permit conferences to grant an additional season of competition when a student-athlete’s incapacitating injury or illness is supported by contemporaneous medical documentation and provided all other prescribed NCAA criteria apply – student-athlete did not compete in more than 3 contests or thirty percent of the completed or scheduled contests, the injury or illness occurred in the first half of the season, etc. (Ref. NCAA Bylaw 14.2.4). If the waiver request does not meet these standards, then we must deny the institution’s waiver request because the conference is not permitted to deviate from the NCAA legislated requirements for medical hardship waivers. It should be noted, however, at the institution’s request and pursuant to NCAA procedures, we can submit an appeal to the NCAA when a hardship request does not meet the requirements due to compelling extenuating circumstances.

Dave obviously hasn’t played this season, so, at first glance, he meets all of the criteria. When K-State played Florida A&M in Kansas City a few weeks back, he said he was already looking ahead to next season, but he was bummed he couldn’t help the current crop of Wildcats. But it sounded as if he definitely wanted to play another season.

So K-State will lose Mike Beasley, probably Bill Walker and definitely Blake Young and Clent Stewart. Denis Clemente will be eligible in 2008-09, which should help the current point guard woes. If the hardship waiver is granted – and there doesn’t seem to be any reason it wouldn’t – Hoskins would soften the loss of Beasley. Walker would be another matter altogether.

Would you be happy with a starting five next season of, say, Clemente, Jacob Pullen, Dominique Sutton, Jamar Samuels and Hoskins? That would be a pretty solid defensive unit. Incredibly athletic, too, with the ability to get up and down the floor. Personally, I think that’s a team that will pull off what Frank Martin is trying to do in Manhattan better than this current group, which isn’t a knock on anyone.

Depth might be an issue, with Fred Brown, Andre Gilbert (I forgot him initially) and Ron Anderson looking like the top options off the bench. Probably still need another shooter. And maybe a stopper off the bench. But Martin is out on the road today recruiting, according to K-State assistant sports information director Tom Gilbert.