The scholarship situation
June 12th, 2008, 4:49 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Dan Zeiger
The Arizona State football team getting down to the 85 scholarship players allowed by the NCAA before the start of the 2008 season has been a hot topic since December. Here is a look at how the issue has evolved:
A check of the roster after the Holiday Bowl revealed 64 scholarship players with eligibility remaining. One of those 64 was defensive lineman Tranell Morant, who at that time was expected to petition the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility. He did not, reducing the number to 63.
Twenty-seven players were signed in February, and another recruit, junior college tight end Stanley Malamala, came in later. Wide receiver Jarrell Barbour is not going to qualify academically, keeping the incoming number at 27, for 90 total.
Three reserves — wide receiver Rodney Glass, defensive lineman Zach Niusulu and linebacker Antone Saulsberry — have since left the program. And on Thursday, it was learned that backup tight end Lance Evbuomwan is departing.
As a result, the Sun Devils are believed to be at 86 scholarship players, barring any other academic casualties among the current roster and recruits scheduled to arrive in the fall.
If a player has to catch up during summer school, his eligibility status might not be known until after ASU begins fall practice on Aug. 4. Summer classes end on Aug. 8, with final grades due four days later.