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The Indiana Daily Student

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Promising freshman ruled ineligible for 2017 due to IU error

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Freshman defensive back Bryant Fitzgerald a top prospect in IU’s 2017 recruiting class has been ruled ineligible for the upcoming football season after the school’s athletics department inaccurately advised Fitzgerald on his eligibility requirements. 

IU Athletics Department's Office of Compliance Services made a mistake that left Fitzgerald as a final non-qualifier for the 2017 football season, according to a press release from the athletics department. If the undisclosed mistake had not been made, Fitzgerald would have had “ample time and opportunity” to become eligible, the release said. 

Athletics Director Fred Glass issued a statement, in which he called Fitzgerald a smart and outstanding young man, apologizing for IU’s role in making Fitzgerald ineligible. 

“His ineligibility is not his fault,” Glass said in the release. “It is ours. On behalf of myself and everyone associated with IU Athletics, I personally apologize to Bryant and his family for our mistake.” 

Fitzgerald was rated as a three-star recruit and the ninth-best player in the state of Indiana for the 2017 class, according to 247Sports. He is listed as a defensive back by IU and was expected to compete for the backup husky spot behind sophomore Marcelino Ball this season. 

As a two-way player for Avon High School in Avon, Indiana, Fitzgerald rushed for 814 yards and made 107 tackles during his senior season in 2016. 

IU Coach Tom Allen consistently praised Fitzgerald’s performances during summer camp, but now he will have to sit out this year, unable to play or practice. Fitzgerald can stay at IU and retain his scholarship. If and when Fitzgerald does become eligible, he will still be able to play for four years with the Hoosiers.

In a video posted on the official Twitter account of IU football on Saturday, Allen said he was heartbroken for Fitzgerald. The first-year head coach said he had a good conversation with Fitzgerald and expressed optimism that he would be back on the field for spring ball in 2018. 

“He’ll be with us closely, but it’s one of those situations where sometimes life's not fair," Allen said. “We’ve talked about that throughout fall camp, and he had a chance to live that out yesterday and today and realize that how you respond to adversity is going to define who you become."

IU said it filed a waiver request on Aug. 3 to restore Fitzgerald’s eligibility. According to the athletics department, that request was denied on Aug. 14. IU appealed the decision that day, and the appeal was denied on Aug. 18. 

In his statement, Glass ensured that “the process leading to the mistake” in Fitzgerald’s case had been fixed. Glass expressed disappointment in the NCAA’s decision not to help Fitzgerald given that he isn’t to blame for the situation. 

“Bryant should not have to bear the brunt of our mistake, and the NCAA could have, and should have, remedied that in the interest of this student’s well-being, who is in this situation through absolutely no fault of his own,” Glass said in the release.

Fifth-year senior defensive back Jayme Thompson, a former Ohio State Buckeye, figures to see the most increase in responsibilities with Fitzgerald’s absence this season. Thompson has made just one appearance in his career at IU but has the size to fit at the husky spot, a hybrid safety/linebacker position, where Fitzgerald was battling for time.
 

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