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The Arizona football team faces off against Kansas State in a huge top-25 showdown on Friday night. However, this one is technically a “non-conference” game as Brett McMurphy of Action Network reported. Unfortunately for Arizona, they are expected to be without running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and the reason as to why is complicated, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
“Starting running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is expected to miss the game as the Wildcats wait on the NCAA to make a determination on Croskey-Merritt's eligibility, sources tell CBS Sports. It stems from Croskey-Merritt's freshman season at Alabama State in 2019 and questions whether Croskey-Merritt actually redshirted that season. It's a bit complicated.”
Croskey-Merritt did play in the season opener against New Mexico and ran for 106 yards and a score on 13 carries. However, he did not play against Northern Arizona and will likely not suit up for the game against Kansas State.
But, as Zenitz said, it is complicated.
The eligibility issues are confusing for the Arizona RB
Where do we even begin? Croskey-Merritt began his college career at Alabama State and played for seasons there. The ESPN stats page shows Croskey-Merritt played eight games in 2019 as a freshman. However, that might not be the case, as Zenitz reported.
“ESPN stats show Croskey-Merritt as having played in eight games that season, which would prevent him from receiving a redshirt for that year, but Alabama State claims that Croskey-Merritt actually played in just four games that year, then switched numbers with another running back and that it was that other running back playing in Croskey-Merritt's number in those other four games.”
So, Alabama State claims that Croskey-Merritt played just four games before redshirting in 2019, and another back with the same number had his stats recorded. For what it's worth, the Alabama State football page shows Croskey-Merritt played four games but didn't list another running back or receiver with the same number.
Croskey-Merritt played at New Mexico last season before transferring to Arizona. But, after playing Week 1, there was reportedly new information passed along in his eligibility case, per Zenitz.
“He was eventually cleared in the offseason to play this year at Arizona before some new information was presented by an outside source in the last week or so after Croskey-Merritt ran for 106 yards and a touchdown in the Wildcats' season-opening win over New Mexico…The presentation of new information has led to the NCAA now having to further investigate and Arizona subsequently having to hold out Croskey-Merritt while waiting on an answer from the NCAA.”
The whole timeline of Croskey-Merritt's eligibility issues are complicated, but as of now, all signs point to him missing the Kansas State clash.
