Getty Image / Jared C. Tilton
The NCAA just can’t get out of its own way lately. As major issues face college sports, they continue to focus on ridiculous things like the eligibility of UNC transfer wide receiver Tez Walker. On Wednesday, UNC announced that he would be ineligible for the whole season, dealing a huge blow to their ACC title hopes.
Walker was one of the top wide receivers in the transfer portal last year coming out of Kent State. He put up 58 catches for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns last year for the Golden Flashes in current Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis’s offense.
He committed to UNC, but there were issues immediately whether he would be eligible. Players are now allowed one free transfer as an undergraduate. But, Tez Walker had technically enrolled at North Carolina Central during the COVID pandemic, even though he never played a snap there. Walker was a caretaker for his grandmother, and wanted to stay close to home. After transferring to Kent State, he transferred back to UNC in part to be closer to his grandmother
So, according to the NCAA, when he transferred to Kent State, that was his free transfer. He would have to sit out a year after his transfer to UNC.
UNC and head coach Mack Brown appealed all the way back in April, and in typical NCAA fashion, they took their sweet old time, before ruling on it two days before their week two game against Appalachian State.
They NCAA denied the appeal, because why else do they exist if to not always do the totally wrong thing?
UNC star WR Tez Walker will not be eligible for the 2023 season, per UNC.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 7, 2023
UNC head coach Mack Brown released a statement following the decision.
Full Mack Brown here. Scorched earth. pic.twitter.com/Uv4wYI6Nk2
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 7, 2023
UNC AD Bubba Cunningham was equally critical of the NCAA.
UNC AD Bubba Cunningham also releases a statement. "On eight different occasions, the organization had the opportunity to demonstrate it can make sound and reasonable decisions in the best interest of student-athletes based on individual circumstances. Instead, the NCAA made a… pic.twitter.com/QZwiopv9MG
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 7, 2023
That’s a big blow to UNC, who just came off a big win against South Carolina in week one, 31-17. Walker was expected to be one of the top weapons for Heisman candidate quarterback Drake Maye.
Tez Walker will be eligible next season.