Football: Germany precedent

The Big Ten has ruled that Purdue linebacker Kyle Williams will be eligible this year after sort-of transferring from Iowa. Williams originally signed with the Hawkeyes and participated in "some" practices but academic issues prevented him from enrolling in school. His LOI was then invalidated and Williams cast about for another school to attend, eventually settling on the Boilers.

I mention it because Williams' case is at least superficially very similar to that of Michigan recruit Eugene Germany. Germany signed with USC last year but decided to reopen his recruitment when Pete Carroll made him jump through hoops aplenty. Germany participated in the nebulous "some" preseason practices and never actually ended up enrolled at USC, but there's still some question whether the NCAA will consider him a freshman like any other or a transfer. A ruling is expected sometime in before fall practices start. Hopefully Michigan will be able to point to Kyle Williams as a precedent. It would be a shame for Germany to lose a portion of his eligibility through no fault of his own, but the NCAA does a lot of things that are nonsensical. Breath could be reasonably held.

(HT: Bruce Feldman's ESPN Insider blog.)