While LSU coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] said Thursday that guard [autotag]Jalen Cook[/autotag] would make his season debut on Saturday against Texas, some later developments called that into question.
Cook is awaiting a waiver from the NCAA as he is currently ineligible for the season as a two-time transfer. He began his career at LSU before transferring to Tulane, where he spent two seasons and ultimately returned to Baton Rouge this offseason.
On Wednesday, the NCAA lost a federal court case in Ohio that resulted in a temporary restraining order that essentially allowed ineligible athletes to compete during a 14-day window.
However, the NCAA later said it would punish players who participated during the temporary restraining order with the loss of a season of eligibility should that court ruling be eventually overturned.
While that created a conundrum for Cook and players in similar circumstances, they got some much-needed news on Friday. The temporary restraining order was changed into an injunction that will now last until the end of spring sports.
Even more notably, the NCAA has said that it will not retroactively punish players who participate, meaning that barring a setback, Cook will likely make his debut on Saturday.
BREAKING: The NCAA has agreed to terms that have been jointly submitted to the federal court for approval.
* No retaliation against players who play during the temporary restraining order.
* The TRO is converted to a preliminary injunction, to last till the end of spring sports https://t.co/GBUgjXBygW
— Attorney General Dave Yost (@DaveYostOH) December 15, 2023
However, the NCAA also previously said it wouldn’t punish players who participated during the 14-day window before reversing course. So Cook could still run the risk of another shift in NCAA policy later on.
In spite of that, it seems that Cook and other players in his position are finally in the clear to play in the 2023-24 season.
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