Ole Miss quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has been ruled eligible to play this season. He was originally ruled ineligible earlier in the week and was not expected to play until 2011. However, a school source told ESPN's Joe Schad that Masoli, a graduate student at Ole Miss, will be cleared to play immediately. Graduate student athletes must receive a special waiver in order to compete if they enroll at a university other than the place they received their undergraduate degree. Masoli, who played at Oregon last season, was originally given the waiver, but was told he could not compete until the 2011-12 academic year.
This was then appealed by Masoli and overturned by the NCAA Division I Subcommittee for Legislative Relief on Friday, allowing the quarterback to play immediately.
Masoli was kicked off Oregon's team after two incidents with police in 2010. Masoli, who has already completed his undergraduate degree, is enrolled in Mississippi's parks and recreation graduate program. The NCAA will sometimes rule a player eligible if he is enrolling at a university where a graduate program is not offered at the player's previous school.
Masoli's waiver request was a complex one, but as of Friday, the quarterback was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA to play for Ole Miss this season.




