Former Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby has landed in the middle of college football’s latest eligibility fight - and, at least for now, he’s won the right to keep playing.
Earby and former Miami tight end Alex Bauman were both granted a temporary restraining order Tuesday by the Washtenaw County Circuit Court in Michigan. By Wednesday morning, Earby had entered the transfer portal, and later that day Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported that both class of 2022 athletes will suit up for Michigan this season.
Michigan, sitting at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten, was coming off a bye week ahead of Saturday’s home matchup with Penn State, which enters at 3-3 and 0-3.
Earby’s case adds another wrinkle to a chaotic stretch for college athletes from the class of 2022, who have been fighting for another year of eligibility after the NCAA’s five-for-five rule was formally adopted in June. The rule did not grandfather in 2022 high school graduates, and since then, many players have turned to lawsuits to try to keep their careers alive.
Boise State had already been watching this issue closely. At the start of fall camp, head coach Spencer Danielson said the program was exploring whether Earby and defensive tackle Braxton Fely could return after a preliminary injunction gave class of 2022 players a fifth year of eligibility.
“It’s just where college football is,” Danielson said in August. “There’s a lot of different things going on.
I really do believe there is going to be a settling of things. The five-for-five is going to be really good for college football, but changing it for the last year’s seniors now, the timing of it, it’s just a little bit difficult.
But we’re going to work through it with what’s best for our team.
“Obviously, fall camp is a big part of building, continuing to build on common unity and being a part of this fire. So if it’s going to happen, it’s going to have to happen here soon.”
Fely later received a TRO in September and transferred to Oklahoma. He has played in two games for the Sooners this season and has not posted a stat.
Earby, a 6-foot-2, 186-pound cornerback, spent two seasons at Cal before arriving at Boise State. Over two years with the Broncos, he started 28 games and piled up 94 total tackles, 20 pass breakups, five interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
His final Boise State season included a career-best four interceptions, 13 passes defended - tied for the Mountain West lead and tied for 14th in the FBS - and 60 tackles, which ranked fifth on the team. Those numbers earned him second-team All-Mountain West honors.
The NCAA has pushed back against the class of 2022 wave of lawsuits and has recently picked up several wins in court. One of those victories briefly cost Boise State basketball player Lamar Washington his eligibility, and as of Wednesday, Washington remained unable to play for the Broncos this season.
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