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Theo Dawson

P

PotatoCreekPete

Well-known member
In looking at the upcoming season, I was wondering who might be on board to help the Pokes.

I read where Theo Dawson is scheduled to return from his LDS Church mission in June and will be coming to UW this summer so he will be available. I understand that they are planning on playing him at RB.
 
A mission is not a great way to stay in shape for college football and he'll need a season in the weight room in order to play I would think. He may surprise me but my guess is redshirt
 
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
 
I have not been impressed with our backs last season and I hope for improvements but... we need lots of improvements
 
marcuswyo said:
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
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I guess the way I see it is that everyone has the option to do it. Traditionally the lds church is the only church I know of that asks a two year commitment but any church group could do it. All players who want to play college football could put off their dreams of college football for two years serving a faith group or Any service organization.

I’m just glad we have a coach on board with supporting his athletes in what is important to them outside of football for two years. Hopefully it pays off when he redshirts and is 21 his first full season of college football.
 
marcuswyo said:
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
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They are eligible:

14.2.1.2 – Service Exceptions to the Five-Year Rule.
Time spent in the armed services, on official religious missions or with recognized foreign aid services of the U.S. government is excepted from the application of the five-year rule. Among such services that qualify a student-athlete for an extension of the five-year rule are: (Revised: 4/2/10)
(a) Military Sea Transport Service;
(b) Peace Corps; or
(c) Service as a conscientious objector ordered by the Selective Service Commission (or the equivalent authority in a foreign nation) in lieu of active military duty.
 
I don’t like prep schools for that matter either, I’m happy Theo and his brother are staying in state. The rule is certainly unfair in that religious schools are the main schools that can take advantage or in the most common case any school in Utah ( Utah State is basically a religous school).

Not sure if any catholic schools do anything similar (I know Boston College and Notre Dame don’t, unsure if the 200 or so smaller catholic schools would).

There was a military kicker a few years ago that did not qualify for some reason or another.
 
And if you do it before you enroll, anyone can do it. You could just take 2 years off and lift weights then enroll before the clock starts ticking. So I don't see how it is a big deal. Yeah BYU is the main school that does it but really it sounds like anyone could do it.
 
I think this kid could be a big key going through the next phase for the program.

At its core, a successful Bohl team will usually run the ball and play stout defense. The first few years we had the run game, but not the defense. Last year, the defense stepped up but the run game fell off. If the program is going to take another step forward, I think we have to get both units clicking. A passing game is nice, but I don't think the offense will ever be truly pass-first under Bohl and Vigen. It's just not how they want to play. What we need from the passing game is a little more efficiency. Whether Vigen or Allen was the one to blame for the inefficiency doesn't really matter. But it will be a lot easier to be efficient if the run game improves.

Even as someone who isn't local, I love seeing the Wyoming kids play well. Honestly, as much as I like watching Granderson and Wingard and Ghaifan on the defense, my favorite defensive player is probably Logan Wilson for that very reason. I think Dawson can maybe provide that type of impact for the program on the offensive side of the ball.
 
marcuswyo said:
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
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Military veterans are eligible as long as they did not attend College fulltime during their Active Duty Service. They fall under the same 5 years to play 4.
 
marcuswyo said:
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
Click to expand...
Bingo.
 
Wyovanian said:
marcuswyo said:
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
Click to expand...
Bingo.
Click to expand...
Looks like you haven't been reading any of the responses to the question.
 
'PokeForLife said:
Wyovanian said:
marcuswyo said:
Not a big fan of the mission benefit rule. I think it’s an unfair advantage (especially for lineman) and feels like cheating. Why is it that many military personnel can’t be eligible? Aren’t they making a sacrifice? What if someone magically started a religion where 18 year olds take two years off cuz their god said they needed to train for football for a couple years, is that protected? Just way to many loop holes.
Click to expand...
Bingo.
Click to expand...
Looks like you haven't been reading any of the responses to the question.
Click to expand...
It was in reference to the last part. I should have bold-faced it...
 
Anyone can choose to delay enrollment for whatever reason. Chris Weinke was 25 when he enrolled at Florida State and joined the football team. It had nothing to do with military service or religious mission.
 
joshvanklomp said:
Anyone can choose to delay enrollment for whatever reason. Chris Weinke was 25 when he enrolled at Florida State and joined the football team. It had nothing to do with military service or religious mission.
Click to expand...

That's not true. Your clock starts ticking as soon as you graduate high school unless you qualify for a waiver. What you said is only true of junior colleges.
 
DVDA said:
joshvanklomp said:
Anyone can choose to delay enrollment for whatever reason. Chris Weinke was 25 when he enrolled at Florida State and joined the football team. It had nothing to do with military service or religious mission.
Click to expand...

That's not true. Your clock starts ticking as soon as you graduate high school unless you qualify for a waiver. What you said is only true of junior colleges.
Click to expand...

Straight from the Division I manual:

12.8.1.1 Determining the Start of the Five-Year Period.
For purposes of starting the count of time under the five-year rule, a student-athlete shall be considered registered at a collegiate institution (domestic or foreign; see Bylaw 14.02.5) when the student-athlete initially registers in a regular term (semester or quarter) of an academic year for a minimum full-time program of studies, as determined by the institution, and attends the student’s first day of classes for that term.
 
Yeah the rules can be tricky, especially when you look at the difference between Division I and II.

Division I:
You get 5 years to play 4 seasons. Your clock starts as soon as you start practicing with a team and/or taking classes. The 5 years can be bumped up for exceptions surrounding military service, religious mission, family hardship, medical complications, etc. Beyond these exceptions, once your clock starts it does not stop.

Division II:
You get 10 semesters to play 4 seasons. The clock can stop in D2 as long as you aren't enrolled in school. There are quite a few athletes that play for a year or 2 (at D1) and then drop out. They then come back and play at a D2 when they are in the mid-to-upper 20's because their D2 clock stopped.
 
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