Benjamin St-Juste graduates from Michigan in 2.5 years
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDH_MUgWFf/?igshid=1ha49comjkfk2
Recently medically retired CB Benjamin St-Juste announced via Instagram:
"Proud to say that I graduated in only two and a half years from the #1 public college in America. That's a game changer for my family because I am the first of my generation to graduate from college. I finished my last semester of undergrad with a 3.5 GPA and got accepted into the Graduate School of Kinesiology here at UofM. Thank you to everyone who supported me in this journey to graduation, without yall It would have been a lot harder to do all this. My time here has been amazing! I had the chance to meet my beautiful girlfriend Julia Hall, connect with so many people around the world that graduated from UofM, and created some friendships that will last forever. Football wise... I would like to say that playing for the Michigan Wolverines was an honor. Thank you to my family and teammates for supporting me through the tough times, and shoutout to all the Goblue fans for showing me love ever since I stepped foot on campus. I had so much to show you guys..... but I guess that's just how life goes. To clarify things on my situation, I NEVER RETIRED FROM PLAYING FOOTBALL, I had no power in that decision so stay tuned to my next announcement this week..."
Love to see a happy ending for the kid and no, I'm not entirely sure what that last sentence means as it's kinda cryptic. I guess we'll find out soon though
Maybe he is playing football again?
Flag football while a kinesiology grad student?
EDIT: I figured when he said he was accepted into the program, he would enroll but I guess that's just an assumption. Maybe he's just mentioning the acceptance but planning to do something else.
Good for him. I guess if you grow up in Montreal you're likely immune from the comparatively benign temptations of college life.
I'm guessing that his very quick graduation is related to the quirks of the Quebecois school system. In Quebec, there is a 1-2 year preparatory program between high school and college called the Cegep, and then the time students spend in college is shorter.
If I recall correctly, there was some confusion initially as to which class St-Juste was enrolling in at Michigan (2016 or 2017) because he spent a year in a Cegep. It's likely that some of those Cegep courses counted as college credit.
Even with that Quebec "Cegep" advantage coming in, a Michigan degree in just 2 1/2 years is damn impressive.
Can't wait to read the other details he'll be announcing in the next week.
Especially considering football players usually only take 12 credits in the fall.
But the often take classes all summer as well. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great accomplishment, but there are "reasons" be was able to do it.
2.5 calendar years is probably misleading though. It was certainly more than 5 semesters as most football players do spring/summer term. That's how a lot of guys graduate in 3 or 3.5 years.
Still impressive but if he did come in with more credits than usual, probably more on par with what Peters just accomplished and what a few players do each year.
This is a heartwarming story -- to lose your dream of playing football, but to keep your nose to the grindstone to become the first college grad in your family and to do it at Michigan. All respect to BSJ and best wishes for a successful future.
It’s a great achievement no matter how you slice it. Congrats to BSJ and best wishes to him in his future endeavors.
Someone's intramural squad is about to be STACKED.
At least until their bowl game.
This is the kind of banter we need. Well done, Vlad.
Congrats to Benjamin. That is an impressive academic accomplishment. I cannot imagine the injustice of having a spokesman from the University say that you have medically retired from football when you have not. This will be very fascinating to see how this unfolds. I will be cheering for the kid, and if he is still able to play physically - someone should be held accountable for misrepresenting his health.
<checks transfer portal>
Idk, that last sentence really was cryptic and I'm not sure what it means. Sounds like he's staying at Michigan to do a masters degree, but also makes it sound like he could play football again? Confusing.
Or, another speculative possibility is that he is boasting that he got accepted to graduate school at Michigan to show his academic credentials, but he will soon be announcing his next football destination.
....or could be that his dad will be on a comedy show!
? doing some standup - opening for Rashan!
My first thought was grad assistant. But if he can medically "retire" and then come back and actually play high level football again, good on him.
Medically retire is the official term for accepting a regular scholarship in lieu of an athletic scholarship. Presumably he agreed to that, even if it obviously wasn't exactly what he wanted. He could go on to play football later and the term and statement wouldn't be any less true.
Yes, but he could not play football at Michigan again. If you could, I think we just found a loophole for unlimited scholarships.
For example: Coach, My thigh hurts, I will medically retire today. But tomorrow, I will be a preferred walk on with an academic scholarship!
Unless graduating allows him to get the scholarship back? Like grad-transferring back in to the same school?
Yes, of course, that's how medical retirement works. I'm just saying there's no "injustice" to Michigan announcing his medical retirement even if he does intend to play again someday, somewhere.
Michigan did that to Ryan Mundy. He then transferred to WV and went on to the NFL.
It’s 2019 everything must be a conspiracy.
Obligatory: he came to play school
It's refreshing to hear stories like this.
Seems like he got asked to make room on the football team by basically being told he was done? Firm handshake kind of deal?
Not exactly; his wording suggests that he was not asked but rather forced. (“I had no power in that decision”)
It's possible that medical staff basically told him it would be unwise for his future health to continue to play football and basically told him he wasn't allowed to play due to their concerns for his health, but he has different plans and could play elsewhere?
Definitely a possibility. This is perfect message board material, because it is so open ended!
Could be going as a PWO to play for greg "another boren traitor" mattison at THEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ohio.
I'm actually going to be kind of mad at/disappointed in Harbaugh if it turns out they forced him to medical. It's too early to tell what happened but I'm not a fan of essentially cutting a kid because you mismanaged your scholarships. Especially a guy that obviously takes school seriously and never got in trouble.
Idk. I believe Michigan is below the 85 limit and that was before peters transfer. So I don’t necessarily see that as the case, but hey who knows...
My first thought was Ondre Pipkins. Michigan’s medical staff wouldn’t clear him to play so he found one that would.
Yep, this almost certainly is the same scenario. And I hate to say it but it's likely that the medical staff makes these determinations not because these players can't physically play football. They're saying you can't physically play (well enough) at Michigan.
Perhaps? But why would Michigan drop a promising player in a position of need? It’s not like we’re loaded with better players at CB.
Congrats to the young man. Now he can pursue a graduate degree at Michigan. Not a bad deal. I wonder if the staff told him that if he wanted to stay on campus and maintain his scholarship status, he’d have to retire from football? When a kid is in the program for 2.5 years and can’t seem to ever get healthy...there are sometimes hard choices to be made. There are other players who had trouble staying healthy, but eventually got healthy and contributed. However, we don’t know all the details concerning his situation and why certain decisions were made.
Nice. Wish I had been smart enough when I was in college to get it done early. Hard to say what he's plotting, but my read (admittedly based on little) isn't that he's returning to the football field, but maybe another sport (lacrosse ?), or maybe he snared a good assistant or intern position as a trainer to do while doing his kinesiology ? Whatever....sounds like a happy guy with degree in hand....Nice.
If he were to grad transfer, he would have 3 years of eligibility remaining. You don’t see that too often.
Finally this board is celebrating academics and not your Neanderthal sports ball.
For sure, and no one should wrongly judge you that you got your medical degree from Guadalajara!
My wife is from Guadalajara, I’ll have you know, and she’ll hear about this (and if you want any HGH let us know, because you can get it over the counter at most pharmacies there).
University of Guadalajara is fine, but don’t get me started on those a-holes from Guadalajara State.
"La Hermanita"
Fuckin Ag school, and by Ag I mean Agave.
Quite the accomplishment. Be a great ambassador for the university in life BSJ!
That's an impressive accomplishment. I can't help but notice he doesn't thank the coaches, just the players and fans. I have to think he's planning to take his talents elsewhere.
Dang, thats four corners gone from last years team. Anyone else a little concerned about depth this season?
Maybe, but we know who the starters will be (Ambry and Levert), we have JKP, a couple frosh from last year who will start to get reps right off the bat and two solid true-frosh who will push them from behind. That's 7 corners, and I don't know how many teams are doing better than that. Statistically that's about as many as you should have (42 defensive scholarships, CB is 2/11 on defense, that's 7.6 CBs).