NCAA declares Tez Walker eligible after learning new information
SENATE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
SHE DIED AT THE AGE OF 19 LAST
WEEK. UNC WIDE RECEIVER TEZ
WALKER HAS BEEN RULED
IMMEDIATELY ELIGIBLE TO PLAY BY
THE NCAA. THIS IS A SUDDEN
REVERSAL REVERSE, OF COURSE,
AFTER WALKER'S APPEALS.
>> HAVE BEEN DENIED FOR MONTHS.
NOW. PAT WELTER JOINS US LIVE
FROM UNC IN CHAPEL HILL WITH
HOW THIS ALL HAPPENED. WHAT IT
MEANS FOR 10'S IN THE TEAM
GOING FORWARD.
WELL, DAN, LET'S START WITH THE
FACTS. NOW TELLS WALKER WAS
A 2 TIME UNDER GRADUATE
TRANSFER, WHICH MEANS HE WAS
ALWAYS GOING TO NEED.
>> THE WAIVER TO BE DEEMED
ELIGIBLE TO PLAY. BUT DAYS
AFTER HE TRANSFERRED TO UNC,
THE NCAA TIGHTENED ITS
RESTRICTIONS ON 2 TIME TRANSFER
SAYING THAT THEY NEEDED TO
DEMONSTRATE A PERSONAL NEED FOR
MEDICAL OR SAFETY REASONS TO BE
DEEMED ELIGIBLE TO PLAY.
SO THIS IS A CASE BY CASE
SITUATION AND UNC HAS POTS
FOUGHT PASSIONATELY FOR WALKERS
RIGHT TO PLAY IN THIS CASE HAS
GOTTEN NATIONAL ATTENTION ON
NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR ROY
COOPER EVEN WROTE A LETTER TO
THE NCAA ON HIS BEHALF. HE
STARTED AT NC CENTRAL. NEVER
PLAYED THERE BECAUSE THEY
CANCELED THE SEASON DUE TO
COVID-19. HE PLAYED 2 YEARS AT
PENN STATE, OHIO, THEN
TRANSFERRED TO USC AFTER HIS
COACH LEFT FOR ANOTHER JOB
WALKER'S ARGUMENT WAS HE NEVER
PLAYED IN SEE CENTRAL. HE HAD A
PERSONAL MEDICAL NEED TO BE
CLOSER TO HOME. HE'S A
CHARLOTTE NATIVE, HELPS TAKE
CARE OF HIS AILING GRANDMOTHER.
>> THAT WAS APPEAL TONIGHT.
MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CASE WAS
ESSENTIALLY CLOSE IN SEPTEMBER,
7TH MACK BROWN SAID MULTIPLE
TIMES HOW DIFFICULT THIS HAS
BEEN ON WALKER'S MENTAL HEALTH.
THEN TODAY, HERE'S THE MOMENT
HE FINALLY LEARNED HE COULD
PLAY.
>> NOW
>> THIS CASE IS BASICALLY BEEN
A WAR OF WORDS ON BOTH SIDES.
THE NCAA EVEN SAID AT ONE POINT
THEY RECEIVED VIOLENT THREATS
FOR NOT GRANTING WALKER'S
APPEAL. SO WHY THE SUDDEN
CHANGE? IN COURSE, SMALL COURT,
UNQUOTE, NEW INFORMATION.
HERE'S THE STATEMENT FROM NCAA
PRESIDENT CHARLIE BAKER
RELEASED THIS AFTERNOON, WHICH
HE SAYS, QUOTE, USC'S BEHAVIOR
IN DECISION TO WAGE A PUBLIC
RELATIONS CAMPAIGN IS
INAPPROPRIATE AND OUTSIDE THE
BOUNDS OF THE PROCESS. UNC ZONE
STAFF SUPPORT IT. HAVE THE UNC
STAFF NOT BEHAVED IN THIS
FASHION AND SUBMITTED THIS
INFORMATION WEEKS AGO. THIS
ENTIRE UNFORTUNATE EPISODE
COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
NOW, UNC ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
BUBBA CUNNINGHAM REFUTED THOSE
ALLEGATIONS IN HIS OWN
STATEMENT RELEASED ABOUT AN
HOUR AGO. HE SAYS THE
UNIVERSITY SUBMITTED ALL
NECESSARY INFORMATION AND
DOCUMENTATION AS IT WAS MADE
AVAILABLE TO US AT THE TIME.
AND WE STILL BELIEVE IT HAS MET
ALL STANDARDS FOR THE WAIVER
IN EARLY AUGUST. SO THE BACK
AND FORTH HERE CONTINUES.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT
WALKER IS ELIGIBLE TO PLAY
IMMEDIATELY VERSUS SYRACUSE.
THE CHANGES REALLY EVERYTHING
FOR THIS TEAM, THEIR CHANCES TO
WIN THE CONFERENCE, THE CHANCES
TO MAKE THE NCAA PLAYOFF
WALKER'S CHANCES TO MAKE NIL
MONEY. EVEN HIS DRAFT STOCK
PLAYING WITH THE QUARTERBACK
LIKE DRAKE, MAYE AND MAYBE MOST
IMPORTANTLY, HIS GRANDMOTHER
CAN FINALLY SEE HIM PLAY GUYS.
IT'S EXCITING AND I'M SURE HE'S
A MAN. I BET YOU HE'S GOT THOSE
BUTTERFLIES FOR SATURDAY.