One of the best high school football players I’ve seen has suffered heart ailments and other medical problems since arriving at Alabama. His career is over, according to a report from the Birmingham News.

Knight, a senior who has not yet been medically cleared for the 2008 season, spoke with Faulkner University coach Jim Nichols about possibly enrolling at the Montgomery-based NAIA school.

“He was looking for a place to play,” Nichols told The Birmingham News. “I told him I would look into it and see if it’s possible, but it’s not.”

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Most fans knew Knight wasn’t going to be ready for the Fall. And this report confirms what was expected. However, it also shows that Knight isn’t ready to call it quits.

That worries me.

Knight’s search for a team that would let him play was equated to “doctor shopping” by Outsidethesidelines at RBR.

That is a great analogy. Knight is looking for anyone willing to put Knight’s health at risk for the chance of getting a great athlete on the field. I wonder if he has talked to JSU? They seem willing to take anyone, whatever the risk.

Unlike OTS, I’m not impressed with UA’s medical staff. But if they are saying Knight isn’t healthy, then Knight’s condition is very serious. I know players have difficulty saying goodbye to the game (see Brett Favre.)

But when your life hangs in the balance, sometimes you must say goodbye to something you love.

What are the odds that Brian Cook has something snide to say about this sad and serious situation?

9 thoughts on “Zeke Knight’s career over at Bama”

  1. Unless someone has a scoop that says otherwise, I just interpret this to mean he is hoping to find some place where the team doctor might see things a little differently and clear him medically to play.

    That’s probably not a real bright idea. If Bama won’t clear him, there’s probably a pretty doggone good reason.

    But I’m sure this must be terribly frustrating to Zeke. I wish him the best no matter where he ends up.

  2. I hate to lose the guy, not only because it’s a huge blow to an already thin defense, but the fact that he’s a gifted player with high potential. I hope his health issue clears and he can set the record elsewhere.

  3. You hate to see anybody have to give uo thier dream. hopefully he can recover.

  5. He won’t be cleared to play anywhere else. Plus he’s graduating from UA in August. I wish him well…

  6. The reason is medical and there’s not a chance in hell, given his condition, that he’s playing at Bama. There was talk of getting a second opinion. I don’t really think that even a second opinion would help with playing for UA. The family has not wanted any details on his health released, so it’s not going to happen here. However, I will say that kids get clearance to play all the time with the medical warning that they may be aggravating a condition which will be painful for the rest of their lives. When the docs say “no play,” they’re generally fearful of permanent disability or death. Of course, I’d like to be wrong on this call…

  7. I didn’t feel he would be medically capable of returning in the first place.

    I hope and pray his condition never worsens.

  9. I hate to break it to you, but he won’t play football anywhere else. With the problems he’s had, participating in a physical athletic sport is the last thing he should have his mind on.

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