The fate of one Central Michigan football player for the first half of the upcoming season has been decided. And not in a positive way for the player or the program.
In early October, Central Michigan football confirmed that David Moore had been suspended for one full year (365 days) by the NCAA. According to the school, the starting quarterback was suspended by The Association for testing positive for a banned substance. The substance was subsequently confirmed to be an unspecified over-the-counter nutritional supplement.
In announcing the suspension, CMU confirmed that the university would be appealing the NCAA-mandated suspension. Earlier this month, it was reported that the appeal would take place at some point this month. Saturday, the school’s student newspaper, Central Michigan Life, reported that the appeal has been denied. The paper cited a source with direct knowledge of the situation as the basis for its report.
Thus far, the Central Michigan football program has not confirmed the development.
With the appeal denied, Moore’s suspension will run through Oct. 7 of this year. That would mean Moore would miss the first five games of the 2020 campaign — San Jose State (Sept. 5), at Nebraska (Sept. 12), at Northwestern (Sept. 19), Bryant (Sept. 26) and at Eastern Michigan (Oct. 3). He would then be eligible to return to the Central Michigan football team for the Oct. 10 road trip to Northern Illinois.
A successful appeal, of course, would allow Moore to play immediately for the Chippewas. A rising fifth-year senior, Moore will be entering his final season of eligibility.
Moore spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Memphis (2016-17). After leaving UofM for Garden City Comunity College, Moore transferred into the Central Michigan football team following the 2018 season.
His first season with the Chips, Moore started four of the first six games under center before he was slapped with the suspension. During that action, Moore completed 94-of-164 passes for 1,143 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.