Jim McElwain knocked on the wooden podium as he declared the Florida Gators to be mostly injury free heading into the 2016 football season. Then, in a somber tone, McElwain announced that two players’ careers at Florida were ending due to injuries.
“Thomas Holley and Andrew Ivie received medical exemptions by the SEC, so they’ll continue their education, get their degrees,” McElwain said. “Except they’ve had obviously injuries that would not allow them to go on anymore.”
Not to be confused with a medical redshirt, or medical hardship waiver, a medical exemption allows a student-athlete to remain on scholarship at his or her university to continue towards a degree but it bars them from participating in collegiate athletics. So, Florida’s athletic department will continue paying the scholarships for Ivie (back) and Holley (hip) but neither will count against the 85-scholarship limit.
Holley had battled hip injuries throughout his time at Florida. He recently lost approximately 60 pounds in an attempt to be able to play again. As we reported at the time, Holley’s weight loss wasn’t a guarantee that he wouldn’t have another injury; it was just a last measure to see if his hip could function better with less of a load to carry.
Holley saw action in just seven games during his two years in Gainesville. He took a redshirt in 2014, following surgery, and played sparingly as a backup in 2015. Ivie did not play during his freshman season in 2015. He moved back and forth from defensive line and offensive line during practice.
I certainly appreciate their time in uniform. It must be a hard pill to swallow. Best of luck to them. I hope their degrees open up some doors for them in the near future. One thing no one can take away from them; they’ll always be Gators. Go Gators.