Northwestern 2014 news

Northwestern announced Tuesday that running back Venric Mark’s application for a medical hardship waiver has been approved by the Big Ten Conference, rendering Mark eligible to return for a fifth season with the Wildcats in 2014.

Looking for a clean start and a better chance to contribute to a football program, running back Malin Jones will transfer out of Northwestern. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald released a statement confirming the university had granted a request to be released from his scholarship on Friday.

Defensive back Daniel Jones has retired from college football due to injuries.

Via Great Blue North Draft Report: Northwestern RB Venric Mark has been suspended for the first two games of the upcoming season for violating team policy. Mark was granted a medical hardship waiver by the Big Ten and allowed to return for a fifth year after missing most of last season with a broken ankle after rushing for almost 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in 2012.

It has been a rough evening for Northwestern football fans, and head coach Pat Fitzgerald. In a matter of minutes news broke the Wildcats will be losing top offensive player Venric Mark to a transfer and one of the top wide receivers, Christian Jones, will miss the entire 2014 season due to a knee injury.

Mark’s desire to transfer comes as a shock for Northwestern, this despite a recent suspension to start the 2014 season. Mark was suspended for Northwestern’s first two games of the season for a violation of team policy. Mark only played in three games last season, but he led the Wildcats in rushing with 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012. A desire to play closer to home is what Mark is seeking now. Mark is a native of Texas, which could open the door to a number of programs at the FCS or FBS level. Mark only has one year of eligibility remaining. The NCAA granted a fifth year of eligibility due to his injury in 2013.

CB Daniel Jones Retired due to injury
RB Auston Anderson Will RS after surgery
OL Tommy Doles Will RS after surgery
DE Ben Oxley Will RS after surgery
DT Eric Joraskie Will RS after surgery

Unfortunately, the injury bug has slammed headfirst into Sean McEvilly yet again.

In an announcement made on its Twitter account, Northwestern confirmed that the defensive lineman will not play at all in 2014 due to injury. What the specific injury is wasn’t detailed.

The school added that McEvilly will pursue a sixth season of eligibility.

Northwestern defensive lineman Sean McEvilly has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, allowing the Wildcat to return to play football in 2015

They say most NCAA athletes go pro in something other than sports, and that time has come for Northwestern linebacker Collin Ellis sooner than he would have liked.

Ellis suffered a concussion in Northwestern’s 24-17 loss to Minnesota on Oct. 11 and has not returned to action since. On Monday, head coach Pat Fitzgerald revealed that Ellis has decided to retire.

Northwestern announce that Dwight White has decided to retire from the game of football. No specific reason, injury, medical or otherwise, was given, although the cornerback said in a statement that the “decision I’ve had to make [is] for my long-term health.”