The NCAA says Arizona is the one that ruled incoming transfer forward RJ Godfrey ineligible despite an Aug. 5 court order protecting him from being penalized for professional contract issues, according to a court filing posted by Scarlet and Black’s Austin Massey.
Under normal circumstances, compliance staffers at schools determine eligibility under NCAA rules and UA is still believed to be working to determine if or when Godfrey should be eligible because he played in the Reese’s College All-Star Game and signed with an agent. Godfrey joined the Wildcats for practices earlier this month but sat out their three exhibition games in Lithuania.
Legal counsel for Godfrey and other plaintiffs in the Georgia “five for five” lawsuit had alleged that the NCAA issued a four-game suspension to Godfrey because he had signed with an agent and played in the all-star exhibition, which typically marks the end of a player’s eligibility.
But the NCAA fired back Wednesday by saying it did not issue a suspension, and that Arizona actually did, a statement over which Arizona had no comment.
“Member institutions, not the NCAA, certify eligibility of student-athletes post-enrollment,” the NCAA wrote in its filing. “One should have their facts straight or at least some evidence to support their factual allegations before seeking the extraordinary remedy of contempt.”
Further, Massey noted that the NCAA said Arizona made Godfrey ineligible despite protection over the professional-contract issue he received in an Aug. 5 injection.
The NCAA cited its Bylaw 12.9.1, which says schools are obligated to keep athletes from competition if they are “ineligible under the provisions of the constitution, bylaws or other regulations” in the NCAA manual. It also cited Bylaw 12.10.1, which says a school can appeal to the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for a restoration of eligibility if needed.