The story has been a footnote in a few recent UM-themed articles over the past few days, but in reality, it’s the one that deserve the most publicity.
As a society we seem to gravitate towards scandal or salacious headlines. So much focus on what’s happened at Penn State or even closer to home, the coverage of Ray-Ray Armstrong and Seantrel Henderson regarding recent hot water both got in. Controversy just seems to be in our blood, always piquing our interest, for one reason or another.
Jorge Milian, of the Palm Beach Post, recently spoke with UM head coach Al Golden, where a handful of topics were discussed – from Armstrong and Henderson, to the recent Yahoo! Sports report, where linebacker coach Micheal Barrow stands, as a result, as well as any other players who might’ve received impermissible benefits.
In the middle of the piece, one sentence stood out – “The career of freshman linebacker Josh Witt at Miami is over before it started because of a medical issue.”
When doing some more digging, it appears concussions did in the freshman linebacker before his Miami years officially began. Witt, an early enrollee who has been practicing with the Canes, will never play football again. His dream ended before it even began.
The Cypress Bay linebacker chose Miami over Texas Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Kansas last July and was the twentieth commitment of the 2012 signing class. Witt was listed as a three-star prospect that played quarterback through his sophomore year of high school, before switching to linebacker, full-time, and recording over 100 tackles year one.
Witt was a First-Team All-Broward County selection, All-District 8A and First-Team All-State. His senior season he registered 108 tackles, 14 sacks, eight forced fumbles and two blocked punts.
Witt found his name onto Miami’s radar after shining at a Golden Football Camp, where he walked away with Linebacker MVP honors. He quickly received an offer from coaches and committed the next day, ready to be part of the U Family. UM was his dream school since he was young and once he got the offer, it was a no-brainer.
He was said to be a very physical player and productive linebacker that could be extremely disruptive in an opponent’s backfield. Witt was also praised for size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and athleticism, as well as solid wrap-tackling skills.
As a parent, as well as a former teen-with-a-dream, this story flat-out sucks. No other way to say it.
Witt sounded like the perfect fit for this program. A good character kid, a hard worker, a football mind and someone ready to roll up their sleeves in effort to rebuilding The U’s mystique.
Witt is in the prime of his life, is just beginning college and his options are limitless. He can work towards coaching and stay in football, or he could blaze a completely different trail. The world truly is his oyster right now and there’s no doubt he will achieve his dreams, regardless.
Still, heartbroken that a kid who dreamed of playing for ‘The U’ won’t get that chance because of health-related issues. Football is a brutal and unfair game.
Best of luck in all you do, Josh.