It’s now a fact. Noah Shannon won’t play for the Iowa Hawkeyes this football season.
After appealing its ruling of a yearlong suspension due to his involvement with sports gambling, the NCAA has officially denied Shannon’s appeal and upheld its initial yearlong suspension.
Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz revealed the news in his weekly press conference to preview the Hawkeyes’ final nonconference home date versus Western Michigan.
“Unfortunately, we received some disappointing news, very disappointing news regarding Noah’s appeal to the NCAA and it was denied, so that thing puts it to rest. I’m not quite sure what went into the decision, but what I can tell you is that Noah’s just a tremendous young man, has been.
“Came back for his sixth year and just a highly respected leader in our locker room and certainly with our coaching staff. I feel very, very unfortunate and our goal is to keep him with the program, keep him close, have him remain as a part of the team. Obviously, he can’t play, but he’s run a heck of a race and we’re just really disappointed with this whole thing. He’s been honest throughout this whole process, very transparent and I think about as honest as you can be. One thing I do want to emphasize, he did not break any laws at all,” Ferentz said.
Before the 2023 season began, Shannon chose to forego his opportunity to attend Big Ten Media Days due to his involvement in Iowa’s ongoing sports gambling investigation. Then, in late August, Ferentz revealed that Shannon had bet on one of the University of Iowa’s other sports teams.
Ferentz reiterated his disappointment in what he deemed as the NCAA appeals committee’s inability to make a decision that reflected the current state of American society and collegiate athletics.
“He is guilty of an NCAA violation. He was very upfront about that, and so that is that, but basically I don’t agree with or understand quite frankly the decision, especially when it comes to the severity of the punishment. To me, that’s really disappointing, especially considering our current environment right now, which, believe me, the last couple months I’m a lot more in tune to than I had been certainly.
“Probably the most disappointing thing I think the panel that heard the appeal had an opportunity to really do something, make a decision that to me would reflect reason and also reflect the changing environment and they failed to do so, so that is what it is, we’ll move on and just disappointed on that front certainly,” Ferentz said.
Shannon’s career with the Hawkeyes ends with 42 career games played, including 28 starts. The 6-foot, 295 pound defensive lineman from Aurora, Ill., registered 107 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.
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