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Athletes usually miss games due to injury, but Arizona football tailback Jacory Croskey-Merritt has an unusual situation. The redshirt senior may miss the Week 5 Utah game due to complications from his freshman year at Alabama State.
Croskey-Merritt is doubtful to play, via On3's Pete Nakos.
“Arizona has yet to hear back from the NCAA on Jacory Croskey-Merritt's eligibility status, leaving him doubtful for Saturday's game at No. 10 Utah, a source tells @On3sports,” Nakos said. “He rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 win over New Mexico.”
Croskey-Merritt was listed as a redshirt freshman at Alabama State but may have played too many games to be considered a true redshirt that year, via CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.
“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 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,” Zenitz said.
How has Croskey-Merritt's eligibility still not been cleared up?
Arizona football must be patient with Jacory Croskey-Merritt's situation
Croskey-Merritt has transferred twice since his Alabama State stint, playing at New Mexico last year before going to the Wildcats. However, an anonymous source presented new information to the NCAA after the 5-foot-11, 208-pounder ran wild on his former squad.
“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,” Zenitz continued.
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan stressed a cautious approach after sitting Croskey-Merritt for Week 3's Kansas State game, via Nakos.
“We’re just being overcautious with that and we made that determination,” Brennan said.
While Croskey-Merritt's absence will loom large against an elite Utes team, the Wildcats shouldn't risk any further trouble while the NCAA determines how to proceed.
