The Classic University Scholarship Goes To....

In a world full of players like Brandon Marshall, Terrell Owens, Adam Pacman Jones and recently sentenced Plaxico Burress, it feel good to know there are some good people out there who care more about the team than about than themselves.

Let me introduce you to one, meet Mississippi State hoops center Jarvis Varnado, who has led the nation in blocks for two years straight, and propelled the Bulldogs to an SEC title and NCAA Tournament appearance last season.

That may seem like a big deal but suddenly he is playing as a walk-on. What happened to his scholarship?

Here is where Jarvis just earned himself a Classic University Scholarship.

With incoming players John Riek and Renardo Sidney both signed by the Bulldogs for this coming season, coach Rick Stansbury found himself one scholarship player over the NCAA limit of 13.

So Varnado put his name in the NBA draft, thus giving up his scholarship, with the understanding that he could then take out a loan to pay for his senior year of school.

Unbelievable…..Jarvis went into debt so that another player could attend college, and the Bulldogs could get that much stronger.

Varnado tested the NBA Draft waters before withdrawing in May. Now, he’s like quite a few of his classmates — indebted to student loans for the $5,151 that it costs for a full-time undergraduate student per year at Mississippi State.

Bracky Brett, MSU’s associate athletic director for compliance, said the arrangement is OK by NCAA rules and is no different than when any of State’s
other walk-ons incur student loan debt to pay their way through school.
If Sidney and/or Riek are not cleared, Varnado could be placed back on State’s
scholarship roll.

But for now, Varnado, who led the nation in blocked shots
the last couple of years, appears to be the leading candidate for the title of
nation’s best non-scholarship player.

Jarvis Varnado, you sir are a product of the Oldschool, where team comes first and home of those that know that if you do right by others its comes back to you. I salute you Jarvis Varnado and offer you a scholarship to the Classic University.