It’s been a bad week for the NCAA. And former LSU coach and current McNeese coach Will Wade offered his take on it.
On Wednesday, the association lost a case in federal court in which a temporary restraining order was issued that eliminated eligibility requirements for two-time transfers, clearing the way for them to play.
At least, in a 14-day window that runs until Dec. 27.
On Friday, that temporary restraining order turned into an injunction that will extend through the end of spring sports, and the NCAA has decided not to punish players who participate during that span period with the retroactive loss of eligibility should the ruling be overturned later, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
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 has already reversed course on this exact issue once, as outlined by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger noted on Thursday night before the injunction extended the period beyond 14 days.
NCAA provides clarity on a lingering issue: An athlete who competes in a game over the next 14 days will lose a season of eligibility if the court’s ruling is reversed. It counts.
Full Q&A on the transfer situation from the NCAA: pic.twitter.com/3eKu6LU4Ar
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 14, 2023
The uncertainty has created something of a limbo for many players who have been awaiting waiver decisions on their eligibility as two-time transfers. While they are technically permitted to play, they do so while taking the chance that the NCAA is operating in good faith and will not strip them of eligibility later.
It has led to a massive headache for players and coaches, including one of the latter who has a well-documented history with the NCAA, Will Wade.
LSU fired Wade in March of 2022 after the NCAA hit his program — and him, specifically — with multiple Level I violations stemming from paying players.
Wade, who was notoriously caught on an FBI wiretap discussing monetary offers for recruits, was hired at McNeese this offseason, where he was required to sit out the first 10 games of the season as part of his show cause. He now finds himself back in a dispute with the NCAA as he awaits a waiver for former Boston College and Florida forward C.J. Felder.
He took the opportunity to blast the NCAA at his press conference on Friday with one of the strongest statements we’ve seen from a sitting head coach in which he argued the NCAA will continue to take court losses until it fundamentally changes its revenue model.
“They just need to blow the whole thing up and come back with a new model and they need to collective bargain with the players,” Wade said. “It’s the only way they can make this thing work, and until they do that, they’re just going to get smacked in court.”
Will Wade did NOT hold anything back in regards to the NCAA, the transfer portal, NIL, and much more this morning.
Here's one clip, the full press conference is below pic.twitter.com/PbaL0HqIli
— Matthew Travis (@MatthewJTravis_) December 15, 2023
Wade didn’t hold back his frustrations with the NCAA, and he even addressed his own past experiences with the organization.
While Wade is certainly the most vocal critic we’ve seen so far, he’s certainly not alone in this opinion when it comes to coaches. And while the NCAA can hold the threat of lost eligibility over players and teams, that can only do so much in the face of its mounting legal issues.