When Brock Hoffman announced that he was pursuing a hardship medical waiver to play next season, there was no doubt that he should receive it with his mother dealing with a brain tumor and Virginia Tech being closer to home than Coastal Carolina. However, the NCAA somehow disagreed because apparently being 105 miles away instead of 100 is apparently 5 too many miles and apparently, having a slightly improved situation involving a brain tumor suddenly takes away the hardship for Hoffman and his family.
https://twitter.com/BrockHoffman76/status/1120817980517113856
Brock Hoffman announced on Twitter that he has been denied what was a shoe-in decision for the NCAA to award a hardship waiver, one that would have been praised by all. Hoffman has also said he will appeal, starting to make his case with a tweet that he should never have had to send given the unacceptable decision by the NCAA.
Hoffman told Andy Bitter of The Athletic that he and his family have already reached out to the lawyers who represented Tate Martell when he received a waiver from the NCAA to make a case that Hoffman should not have to had made.
https://twitter.com/AndyBitterVT/status/1120865093313617925
Additionally, Michael Niziolek of the Roanoke Times has an in-depth story of what has transpired to date around Hoffman including the ridiculous fact that not once did the NCAA personally contact Hoffman and that they forced him to find out through Virginia Tech who had no role in the decision. (We encourage you to check out the story from the Roanoke Times).
https://twitter.com/michaelniziolek/status/1120874013717409793
Let's be clear, it shouldn't take Brock Hoffman having to go to Twitter to make his case and have to go into a deep, personal matter just to get justice. The fact that Hoffman and his family are willing to share their story so publicly is courageous and one that should have never had to happen if the NCAA was just at all in this situation.
Whether Hoffman wins his appeal (which he absolutely should) or somehow gets denied again, he will still have two years of eligibility of remaining after being a two-year starter at Coastal Carolina. Hoffman should factor into the starting competitions at both right guard and center for 2019 should he win his appeal or the NCAA right this wrong before then.
Photo Credit: Brock Hoffman
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