Case Keenum to seek another year of eligibility

By John TaylorOct 11, 2010, 5:47 PM EDT
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After Case Keenum suffered a season-ending tear to the ACL in his right knee, there has been some doubt as to whether the fifth-year senior would seek to get another season of eligibility or make himself available for the 2011 NFL draft.

According to one report, the Houston quarterback has chosen the former route, at least for now.

Citing a person familiar with the situation, the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the school is putting together the necessary paperwork to file an appeal with the NCAA on Keenum’s behalf for a sixth season of eligibility.  If the medical waiver is cleared — and it’s far from a slam dunk that it will be — Keenum would be afforded the opportunity to surpass the NCAA record for career passing yardage, a mark that was well within his reach before the Sept. 29 injury.

The Chronicle notes that there’s no specific timeline for UH to file an appeal or for the NCAA to rule on it, but there is a deadline that must be taken into consideration.

Draft-eligible players have until the middle of January to officially file paperwork declaring themselves for the April draft.  If a decision isn’t handed down by early next year, Keenum could be faced with a tough decision: either take the chance the NCAA will rule in his favor and bypass the draft deadline, or protect himself by making the jump to the NFL.

Of course, given the labor strife in the sport, there’s no guarantee that professional football will even be played next season anyway.

For all involved, though, here’s hoping that the normally tortoise-like pace of the NCAA is picked up just a bit due to the unique circumstances of this case.

UCF police go all in on national championship campaign

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By Zach BarnettApr 18, 2018, 6:17 PM EDT
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Look, I get it. I know exactly how this game is played. They do it so that people like me will write about it and people like you will read it. It’s all a ploy to make everyone on campus puff their chests out just a little bit further and to keep their name on our lips just a little bit longer.

But doggone if it isn’t working.

More than three months after claiming its 2017 national championship, UCF has found a way to keep itself relevant, this time by having the campus police department get in on the act.

AD Danny White already committed to pay national championship bonuses for coaches who are no longer in the school’s employ, but that’s not even the end of this. There’s still a ring ceremony that is (or at least should) be forthcoming, and the banner reveal at Spectrum Stadium that’s surely coming at the 2018 season opener.

If you’re going to go all in on a publicity campaign, it’s best to go all the way in. As UCF has done here.

NCAA tables proposal that would allow players to play in up to four games and retain redshirt

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By Zach BarnettApr 18, 2018, 4:40 PM EDT
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The NCAA’s Division I Council on Wednesday tabled a proposal that would allow players to compete in up to four games and retain their redshirts. Championed by AFCA executive director Todd Berry, the rule was touted as a necessary change in an era where teams play 14- and 15-game seasons.

The rule would allow redshirting players to replace injured players without personal cost to their careers. Presently, a coach with dwindling numbers at a given position is put in between the rock and the hard place of burning an innocent player’s redshirt or putting players at risk of injury through overuse.

Here’s how the NCAA presented the news:

The Council tabled a proposal that would allow football student-athletes to participate in up to four games per year without using a season of competition. Proponents argue that late-season injuries and other factors often require student-athletes who hadn’t played all season to burn a year of eligibility for a small number of games. Others wonder whether the proposal could be applied to other sports, as well, whether the number of games in the proposal is appropriate, and whether the timing of the four games matters.

It is not clear what opposition exists to the rule, though Big 12 commissioner, Council member and noted fear-mongerer Bob Bowlsby posited in January that teams could, for some unexplained reason, hold their best players back until the final four games of the season.

“I think it’s got a lot of merit,” he said, “but there are some hooks in it. I don’t know how comfortable people are with, suddenly in the last three games and a bowl game, you go from being a guy who’s on the scout team to [a prominent role].”

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The proposal is not all dead, as Miracle Max would say. The Council will now turn the tabled proposal over to the Football Oversight and Student-Athlete Experience Committees for discussion and feedback solicitation.

Former four-star Miami WR Dionte Mullins transfers to FCS Alabama State

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By John TaylorApr 18, 2018, 3:55 PM EDT
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A little over five months after leaving a Power Five program, Dionte Mullins has stepped down a rung or two on the college football ladder.

A tweet earlier this week indicated that Mullins is now a member of the Alabama State football program.  Now, the wide receiver is listed on the FCS program’s official website as one of its 2017-18 football signees and is shown on the Hornets’ online roster.

In mid-November, Miami announced that Mullins “is leaving the football program to pursue more playing time opportunities at another program.”

As the Hornets play at the FCS level, Mullins will be eligible to play immediately in 2018.  Including the upcoming season, the receiver will have two years of eligibility remaining as well as a redshirt season to use if necessary.

A four-star member of the Hurricanes’ 2016 recruiting class, Mullins was rated as the No. 50 receiver in the country and the No. 37 player at any position in the state of Florida.  After playing in three games as a true freshman, Mullins had seen action in all eight games last season before leaving. He finished his UM career with four catches for 53 yards, all of which came this season.

Michigan AD ‘concerned’ for ex-Wolverine who sent threatening tweets seemingly directed at Jim Harbaugh

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By John TaylorApr 18, 2018, 2:57 PM EDT
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There’s been (somewhat) of a public response to a bizarre and frightening situation that developed earlier this week.

In a brief interview with the Detroit News among others, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel expressed “concern” for Elysee Mbem-Bosse, the former Wolverines football player, or someone with access to his Twitter account, who sent out a string of disturbing and threatening tweets Monday night that seemed to be directed at U-M head football coach Jim Harbaugh, including one that alluded to Michigan being an open-carry state; another mentioned the morgue, and another murder.

The University of Michigan Police Department subsequently confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the social-media threats. The probe is ongoing, and no arrests have been made or charges filed as a result of the threats.

“Won’t comment on… the pending investigation,” Manuel said by way of the News. “Always concerned with anything that pops up about a threat and also concerned about him and where he is as a student.

“We care about all the student-athletes we have whether they’re on the team currently or not and so concerned on both ends.”

The football program had previously confirmed in a statement that “Elysee left the football program in mid-November and is no longer with the team.” The reason or reasons behind his previously-unannounced departure has yet to be detailed.

After the initial firestorm, Mbem-Bosse deleted the tweets that caught the attention of the authorities and turned his account private.  At some point between then and this afternoon, he’s made the account public again — and he still appears to be quite upset with Harbaugh, who he had previously alluded to with the use of a clown emoji.

Mbem-Bosse, a three-star 2016 signee, played in 12 games the past two seasons, including five in 2017. None of those appearances this past season came past mid-October.