Unless they're searching for possible ways around the rule, I find it hard to believe that Penn would be so gung ho about leaving Siena that he'd be willing to risk losing a full year of his college playing career...on top of having to sit out a redshirt year.
It's also conceivably possible that the schools that are recruiting him don't know because it's an unusual situation. Most kids don't come to school early like that.
Guarantee that they are looking for a way to get him a 6th year to complete his 4 years of eligibility.
They have to apply for it and, as Tony has previously pointed out, it is fairly rare that they grant it. I did a little more research and I don't believe they can claim that he did not understand the rule or that the coaching staff (JP's or the new school) incorrectly advised him on how the 5 years are counted. (That said, a kid entering school in January is not very common, so maybe that would open it up to an argument that JP and staff incorrectly advised him of how eligibility runs and, further, got shit-canned which is out of his control.)
They can make a hardship argument related to injury or family situation. I don't think the heel injury would be serious enough unless he was forced to miss 2018/2019 rehabing the injury. (Which does not appear to be the case) If there is something in his family situation that would make sense for him to move closer to home, that might work. Bankruptcy, illness or death in family are all considered a hardship.
Wherever he goes will have to have a very competent and aggressive compliance department and I don't think he can apply until after his 5th year.
My bet is that we'll see him playing as a senior during the 2021/2022 season at Drake or one of the other schools recruiting him. Hope I'm wrong.
Here's the rule:
12.8.1.5 Five-Year Rule Waiver. The Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, or its designated committee,
by a two-thirds majority of its members present and voting, may approve waivers of the five-year rule as
it deems appropriate. (Revised: 7/30/10, 7/31/14)
12.8.1.5.1 Waiver Criteria. A waiver of the five-year period of eligibility is designed to provide a studentathlete
with the opportunity to participate in four seasons of intercollegiate competition within a five-year
period. This waiver may be granted, based upon objective evidence, for reasons that are beyond the control
of the student-athlete or the institution, which deprive the student-athlete of the opportunity to participate
for more than one season in his or her sport within the five-year period. The Committee on Student-Athlete
Reinstatement reserves the right to review requests that do not meet the more-than-one-year criteria detailed
2015-16 Division I – April
12
AMATEURISM AND
ATHLETICS ELIGIBILITY
79
in this bylaw for circumstances of extraordinary or extreme hardship. A student-athlete who has exhausted
his or her five years of eligibility may continue to practice (but not compete) for a maximum of 30 consecutive
calendar days, provided the student-athlete’s institution has submitted a waiver request. The studentathlete
may not commence practice until the institution has filed such a request. Further, if such a request
is denied prior to exhausting the 30-day practice period, the student-athlete must cease all practice activities
upon the institution’s notification of the denial. (Revised: 4/17/91, 1/11/94, 8/10/94, 10/12/95, 8/12/97,
4/27/00, 1/9/06, 7/30/10, 7/31/14)
12.8.1.5.1.1 Circumstances Beyond Control. Circumstances considered to be beyond the control
of the student-athlete or the institution and do not cause a participation opportunity to be used
shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (Adopted: 8/10/94, Revised: 10/12/95, 7/30/10,
7/31/14)
(a) Situations clearly supported by contemporaneous medical documentation, which states that a
student-athlete is unable to participate in intercollegiate competition as a result of incapacitating
physical or mental circumstances;
(b) The student-athlete is unable to participate in intercollegiate athletics as a result of a life-threatening
or incapacitating injury or illness suffered by a member of the student-athlete’s immediate
family, which clearly is supported by contemporaneous medical documentation;
(c) Reliance by the student-athlete upon written, contemporaneous, clearly erroneous academic
advice provided to the student-athlete from a specific academic authority from a collegiate institution
regarding the academic status of the student-athlete or prospective student-athlete, which
directly leads to that individual not being eligible to participate and, but for the clearly erroneous
advice, the student-athlete would have established eligibility for intercollegiate competition;
(d) Natural disasters (e.g., earthquake, flood); and
(e) Extreme financial difficulties as a result of a specific event (e.g., layoff, death in the family)
experienced by the student-athlete or by an individual upon whom the student-athlete is legally
dependent, which prohibit the student-athlete from participating in intercollegiate athletics.
These circumstances must be clearly supported by objective documentation (e.g., decree of
bankruptcy, proof of termination) and must be beyond the control of the student-athlete or the
individual upon whom the student-athlete is legally dependent.
12.8.1.5.1.2 Circumstances Within Control. Circumstances that are considered to be within the
control of the student-athlete or the institution and cause a participation opportunity to be used include,
but are not limited to, the following: (Adopted: 8/10/94, Revised: 10/12/95, 10/9/96, 7/30/10,
7/31/14)
(a) A student-athlete’s decision to attend an institution that does not sponsor his/her sport, or decides
not to participate at an institution that does sponsor his/her sport;
(b) An inability to participate due to failure to meet institutional/conference or NCAA academic
requirements, or disciplinary reasons or incarceration culminating in or resulting from a conviction;
(c) Reliance by a student-athlete upon misinformation from a coaching staff member;
(d) Redshirt year;
(e) An inability to participate as a result of a transfer year in residence or fulfilling a condition for
restoration of eligibility; and
(f ) A student-athlete’s lack of understanding regarding the specific starting date of his or her fiveyear
period of eligibility.