After weeks of speculation as to whether or not he was healthy, Oregon announced on Tuesday that defensive lineman Canton Kaumatule has accepted a medical hardship and his career with the Ducks is over.
The former 5-star recruit missed multiple games with a concussion during the 2015 season and sat out Oregon’s three most recent games after seeing scarce playing time early in the year. UO initially announced that Kaumatule had taken a medical redshirt, but a UO spokesperson later clarified that the situation is a medical hardship, meaning Kaumatule can no longer play at Oregon.
Head coach Mark Helfrich confirmed Kaumatule’s medical retirement and said that he will remain on scholarship at Oregon, but no will no longer be a part of the football team. Kaumatule’s scholarship will not count toward the Ducks’ 85-man roster.
If Kaumatule wishes, he has the option to transfer and attempt to get medically cleared to play at another school.
The 6-foot-7, 295-pound sophomore came to Oregon as one of more highly-touted recruits in program history. ESPN ranked Kaumatule as the No. 15 player in the nation for the class of 2015, making him the highest-ranked recruit the Ducks had signed since the website began compiling rankings in 2006.
“I would say, based on our doctors as far as clearing him for our program, he is done playing football,” Oregon defensive line coach Ron Aiken told reporters on Tuesday.
“Based on what I understand, he came to the conclusion this week,” Aiken later stated. “After a lengthy talk with his parents, the head football coach, doctors and trainers, the decision was made.”
Oregon fans expected big things from Kaumatule as soon as he arrived on campus, but he suffered a concussion early in fall camp last year and was never completely healthy after that. When this year’s fall camp began, Kaumatule was optimistic about the new year and chance to play in a 4-3 defense that better suited his skills and capabilities.
But the production never came for the Honolulu, Hawaii-native. He recorded just five tackles during his career and was unable to crack Oregon’s two-deep rotation for much of the year, when it wasn’t always clear if he was playing healthy.
“I would say, with him, it’s just an ability to stay focused on the task at hand,” Aiken said in October when asked why Kaumatule had seen limited playing time. “Handle that, and then the next play, get ready after the primary play is over with — if that makes any sense. One play at a time.”
Kaumatule is the second Oregon defensive linemen this year to take a medical retirement. Ratu Mafileo had to medically retire as well in mid-October.
Follow Jarrid Denney on Twitter @jarrid_denney