The NCAA has reversed its controversial Tez Walker ruling, saying the North Carolina wide receiver could play effective immediately on Thursday after receiving new information from the school.
NCAA President Charlie Baker and Division I Board of directors chair Jere Morehead, in a joint statement, said they wanted to honor Walker’s right to privacy with the nature of the new information, but the statement said “It is unfortunate that UNC failed to provide this important information previously.”
Walker had previously been denied eligibility for the 2023 season twice, once in August and again in September. Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown released a statement after the second ruling, saying the committee should be ashamed of themselves for caring more about the process than about their athletes.
The committee that oversaw the decision responded days later, saying members had been receiving violent threats but defended the decision as a popular policy Brown and others voted on. The interaction did not go unmentioned in Thursday’s release.
“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,” Baker and Morehead wrote. “Had the UNC staff not behaved in this fashion and submitted this information weeks ago, this entire unfortunate episode could have been avoided.”
Brown released another statement in light of Walker’s new status.
“We’re so happy for Tez. Everything that’s transpired over the last few months has been with the sole purpose of helping and supporting him, and now he’s going to have a chance to live his dream,” Brown said.
Walker’s first game available for the Tar Heels will be Saturday against Syracuse.
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