Patton Robinette started five games in two seasons at Vanderbilt. (USATSI)
Patton Robinette started five games in two seasons at Vanderbilt. (USATSI)

Coming out of Vanderbilt's recently concluded spring practice, junior Patton Robinette didn't have an iron grip on the Commodores' starting quarterback position, but he appeared to certainly have the inside track for it.

Apparently, that still wasn't carrot enough to convince the Maryville, Tenn. product to continue his football career. Citing his history of injuries and plans to enter the Vanderbilt School of Medicine this summer, Robinette announced Friday that he is leaving the Commodores team and has retired from football.

"This has been a very difficult decision to make," Robinette said in a statement. "This team means the world to me and I love playing football more than anything. It's been tough coming to a decision that is right for my family and I, and protects my health and future.

"I've been very deliberate in coming to this decision. It's difficult but I'm really excited to move forward to the next chapter of my life and really to see what the field of medicine has in store for me."

Robinette started three games for the Commodores as a redshirt freshman in 2013 and appeared in seven more, leading James Franklin's team to a memorable late win at Tennessee. He started the 2014 opener against Temple but would make just one more start the remainder of the season, struggling with a knee strain and then a concussion then kept him shelved for six weeks.

The Commodores' official Twitter feed celebrated Robinette's career by remembering his game-winning touchdown against the Voluneteers in 2013:

But as classy as Vanderbilt's goodbye has been, Robinette's decision nonetheless leaves Derek Mason in a major bind at his position. The other two quarterbacks to have seen action for the Commodores in 2014 struggled badly in the team's recent spring game, with Wade Freebeck and Johnny McCrary combining to go 6-of-14 for 69 yards and four interceptions. Redshirt freshman Shawn Stankavage fared slightly better as the final quarterback to see the field.

In short, it was no wonder that new offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig seemed reasonably confident in naming a starter ... and that starter would most likely have been Robinette. Mason and Ludwig already had the steepest of uphill climbs in overhauling the SEC's worst offense; Robinette's decision will only make things that much more difficult.