When Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in November, angling for another season of collegiate eligibility, it’s unlikely that many people truly considered the potential ramifications.
Pavia, who has played two seasons of junior college, two seasons at New Mexico State and a season at Vanderbilt, is eligible — for now — to return to Vanderbilt next season after a Tennessee judge granted Pavia’s request for a temporary injunction against the NCAA on Wednesday.
Pavia argued that since he played two seasons of JUCO football, he hasn’t exhausted the NCAA’s eligibility limits. The courts agreed.
Since JUCO isn’t NCAA football, the courts ruled that Pavia hasn’t exhausted his NCAA eligibility and can play next season. The NCAA can — and will — appeal the decision, but it’s likely another long, arduous process. And it opens the door for additional former JUCO players to follow in Pavia’s footsteps.
It’s far from over, and for now, it’s only Pavia who has been granted eligibility, but a precedent has been set. It will likely come down to the NCAA’s “five-years-to-play-four” policy in the end.
When it comes to Pitt, there aren’t any players currently on the roster or who will have exhausted eligibility after the GameAbove Sports Bowl next week who would potentially be impacted by the ruling.
But Pitt has had some JUCO players in recent seasons. Pitt landed former tight end Karter Johnson straight from the junior college level, and former linebacker Tylar Wiltz spent some time at the junior college level. Cade Dowd, a walk-on punter, was added from the junior college level before the season.
Pitt will certainly look at JUCO players in the future, and with the cunning involved in college football, JUCO players could be used more strategically, too. It’s just another roadblock in the NCAA enforcing policy.
