Recordpub.com - KSU's Jarvis knocked out for season Lacerated kidney sidelines star running back for 2009

Eugene Jarvis

By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

A lacerated kidney will force Kent State University star running back Eugene Jarvis to miss the remainder of the 2009 football season.

It may not, however, mean the end of Jarvis’ college career or his chase for the Golden Flashes all-time rushing record.

Despite the injury suffered during the first half of KSU’s loss to Boston College Saturday, and even after doctors stunned Jarvis later that night with the discovery he was born with only one kidney, KSU already is preparing to petition the NCAA to grant the fifth-year senior a rare sixth season of eligibility.

“That is a terrible tragedy for Eugene, but we can apply for a sixth year of eligibility for him and I’m going to tell you right now, that is a slam dunk,” said KSU head coach Doug Martin. “If he doesn’t (get a sixth year), then somebody is not doing their job or the NCAA doesn’t care about kids.”

During his weekly Monday press conference, Martin passed out a 15-page packet of newspaper and internet clippings filled with stories of other football players who have been granted sixth seasons of eligibility by the NCAA.

“It’s everything from guys who had legal problems and missed a whole year and got a sixth year, guys who had an injury and got a sixth year, guys who redshirted their freshman year, didn’t play at all and still got a sixth year,” Martin said. “So I don’t want to hear any excuses why this kid doesn’t get a sixth year. People here are going to work our tails off to make sure he gets that year if I have to drag everybody kicking and screaming to get it done.

“I know (KSU Athletic Director) Laing Kennedy is behind me on this and he will be right there dragging and kicking and screaming with me, I promise you. We are going to get this kid a sixth year, period. That’s the way that’s going to go.”

While there is precedent for the NCAA granting athletes a sixth year, KSU has been disappointed with other eligibility requests in the past. The Flashes believed quarterback Giorgio Morgan deserved another season of eligibility because he played just just one and a half games in 2007 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. That request was not granted. They also tried to get current Cleveland Browns starter Abe Elam a fifth year in in 2005 based on the time he missed while fighting a legal problem when he was enrolled at Notre Dame. That petition also was denied.

Jarvis’ case may be improved by a mistake that led to his exhausting his redshirt in 2005. He sat out as a true freshman after an error in the reporting of his high school grades led to the NCAA declaring him academically ineligible. Despite a mistake that was not his fault, Jarvis worked as a part-time student to gain the necessary requirements to become an NCAA qualifier. He was finally declared eligible in November, earning full-time status as a student after more than three-quarters of the season had been completed. Had Jarvis not been ruled eligible, he would have earned back his year of eligibility as a non-qualifier on pace to graduate. He will graduate in December.

In a little more than three seasons, Jarvis has rushed for 3,426 yards. The final yard he gained before suffering the injury against Boston College put him just 563 shy of Astron Whatley’s school rushing record.

“I’m just really thankful we didn’t push him back in the game,” said Martin. “I can’t say enough about our trainer, Pamela Long, and the job she did of holding him out. He was ready to fight both of us at halftime to get back in the game.”

According to a source close to the KSU football program, Jarvis was admitted to Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna Saturday night after the team’s return flight from Boston. An examination revealed the lacerated kidney. It also brought the surprising news he had been born with only one kidney on Oct. 1, 1987.

That’s not unusual. According to the Congressional Kidney Caucus, one out of every 750 people are born with one kidney. Many of those don’t learn they have only one kidney until later in life.

Traditionally, doctors discourage people with only one kindey from playing contact sports. The college and professional football ranks still include several athletes who play the game despite having only one kidney. Most wear flak jackets and extra padding to protect their lower backs. The list includes 2008 Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was born with only one functioning kidney and had his non-functioning kidney removed at age eight.

Jarvis is expected to make a full recovery from his injury in about eight weeks, and according to KSU linebacker Brian Lainhart, he is already talking about coming back for a sixth season.

“He said he would definitely come back next year,” said Lainhart. “But we really didn’t talk about next year. We talked about this year and making sure the team stays up and just doesn’t tank it. And we are not going to. We are going to win games.”

Winning will be more difficult without Jarvis, who is believed to be the only three-time captain in the 87-year history of the KSU program. Junior Andre Flowers will start in Jarvis’ place Saturday when the Flashes (1-1) host Iowa State at Dix Stadium.