University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Stradford's Appeal Denied By The NCAA
8/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, August 6, 2009, 11:17 p.m.
Wide Receiver Tyler Stradford's initial appeal to the NCAA for a waiver to play this year has been denied. This news certainly comes as a big disappointment for North Texas as they were hoping to get the 6-2 transfer from Oklahoma eligible for the upcoming season.
The NCAA doesn't give reasons when explaining the appeal process but the Mean Green's wide receiver shuffle just became a lot more interesting.
Stradford doesn't have many options left. The NCAA is the judge, jury, and jailor when it comes to appeals and issues of eligibility. North Texas will appeal the appeal, but don't hold your breath on that one.
So now what? Without Stradford on the outside this year the starting spot it up for grabs. Initially the edge goes to sophomore receiver B. J. Lewis but possibilities included redshirt freshman Kenny Barrett, Breece Johnson, and even Forrest Rucker.
Other options include moving Sam Roberson back to the outside, putting Rucker on the outside (was a slot guy before the injury last year), or even one of the true freshman gets a shot.
My guess is that Rucker, at 6-6, moves to the outside giving you a combination of Rucker and Roberson and Outlaw and Jamaal Jackson on the other side.
The one good thing about this is the NCAA at least gave North Texas the benefit of making this decision before the start of Fall Camp and sparing it the agonizing wait through two-a-days.
North Texas has a lot of bodies to choose from, but this is clearly not the news they wanted on the eve of Fall Camp.
