BREAKING: NCAA grants Tez Walker waiver to become elgible
Tez Walker will suit up for the North Carolina Tar Heels this season after all.
On Thursday, the Tar Heels’ football program announced that the NCAA has granted Walker a transfer waiver, making him eligible to play right away for the program this season. Walker previously had his waiver request and then appeal denied as he missed the first four games of the season.
But with the Tar Heels getting into the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, they will now have a top receiving target for Drake Maye and the offense ready to go.
Huge news from NCAA: Tez Walker is eligible for the Tar Heels this year. NCAA: "Staff determined the new information qualifies Walker for a transfer waiver. The information had not been made available by UNC previously, despite the school’s multiple chances to do so."
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 5, 2023
The NCAA is putting the blame on North Carolina, however. In statement by NCAA President Charlie Baker and Division I Board of Directors chair Jere Morehead, they mention that there was “information had not been made available” by North Carolina.
Here is what the statement said via Inside Carolina:
“It is unfortunate that UNC failed to provide this important information previously,” the statement read. “While we must be careful not to compromise a student-athlete’s right to privacy when it comes to sensitive issues, we want to assure the Division I membership and everyone watching how the new transfer rules are applied, that this meets the new transfer waiver standards.
“UNC’s behavior and decision to wage a public relations campaign is inappropriate and outside the bounds of the process UNC’s own staff supported. Had the UNC staff not behaved in this fashion and submitted this information weeks ago, this entire unfortunate episode could have been avoided.”
The good news is that Walker is now eligible to play right away, and with UNC in the middle of an ACC race, they get a big weapon on offense.
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