release?

[Los Gatos]

In several of the Legion threads there is a comment about him/mom asking for a release. It's also in the news item on the official UK site.

As far as I know Legion did not sign a LOI prior to enrolling in UK. So what kind of release is he asking for? A release from his scholarship? I never knew you needed to be released from a scholarship. Thought you could just transfer.

What is the consequences if UK refuses to release him?

[billoliver40]

In several of the Legion threads there is a comment about him/mom asking for a release. It's also in the news item on the official UK site.

As far as I know Legion did not sign a LOI prior to enrolling in UK. So what kind of release is he asking for? A release from his scholarship? I never knew you needed to be released from a scholarship. Thought you could just transfer.

What is the consequences if UK refuses to release him?
From what I understand, it kind of works like this:
If a player is on athletic scholarship, he must receive special dispensation from the NCAA to play the current year at another institution. This has to do with the theory that the original school has procured and set back the funds for the athlete's year...almost all scholarships today are 1-year renewable, which keeps the schools from losing scolly's for more than 1 year.
Apparently, Alex Legion received a special realease from his original school (Michigan) due to the coach that recruited him leaving. (That's kind of a new thing that the NCAA has been doing). I doubt they will allow him a release because he is unhappy.
Even if Kentucky gives AL their blessing, I believe he will have to sit one year. If Kentucky were to NOT grant a realease, AL would have to sit two years....and these are not red-shirt years.

[Bombastic Blue]

When Crawford wanted to leave UK said they would not release him. If he left anyway he would have had to sat out the rest of that current year, because of his commitment to Kentucky, plus the next year as the transfer rule stipulates. In all, he would have had to sit out 2 years. Joe decided to come back because after sitting for 2 years noone would remember his name.

[Los Gatos]

Think I found the section of the NCAA rules regarding a release from scholarship:

13.1.1.3 Four-Year College Prospective Student-Athletes. An athletics staff member or other representative
of the institution’s athletics interests shall not make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA or
NAIA four-year collegiate institution, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining the written permission of the
first institution’s athletics director (or an athletics administrator designated by the athletics director) to do so,
regardless of who makes the initial contact. If permission is not granted, the second institution shall not encourage
the transfer and the institution shall not provide athletically related financial assistance to the student-athlete
until the student-athlete has attended the second institution for one academic year. If permission is granted to
contact the student-athlete, all applicable NCAA recruiting rules apply. (Revised: 1/10/91, 1/16/93, 1/11/94,
4/26/01, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04)

As I read this, if a student athlete transfers without a release, he can't receive financial aid for one year. This would be in addition to not being able to play for the year. If he is released he could be on scholarship during the year.

[Los Gatos]

From what I understand, it kind of works like this:
If a player is on athletic scholarship, he must receive special dispensation from the NCAA to play the current year at another institution. This has to do with the theory that the original school has procured and set back the funds for the athlete's year...almost all scholarships today are 1-year renewable, which keeps the schools from losing scolly's for more than 1 year.
Apparently, Alex Legion received a special realease from his original school (Michigan) due to the coach that recruited him leaving. (That's kind of a new thing that the NCAA has been doing). I doubt they will allow him a release because he is unhappy.
Even if Kentucky gives AL their blessing, I believe he will have to sit one year. If Kentucky were to NOT grant a realease, AL would have to sit two years....and these are not red-shirt years.

A couple of comment. First I never heard of the NCAA allowing a player to play for a second school during the current year. Second, I believe all scholarship are 1 year renewable, at least in fb and bb.

Legion would not have to sit for two years if not released by UK. See my other post in this thread.

If he had signed a LOI with UK and not been released he would lose a year of eligibility. That plus the year he played at UK means he would only have two years of eligibility remaining once he sat out the year.

[billoliver40]

A couple of comment. First I never heard of the NCAA allowing a player to play for a second school during the current year. Second, I believe all scholarship are 1 year renewable, at least in fb and bb.

Legion would not have to sit for two years if not released by UK. See my other post in this thread.

If he had signed a LOI with UK and not been released he would lose a year of eligibility. That plus the year he played at UK means he would only have two years of eligibility remaining once he sat out the year.

Sounds about right. NCAA rules make my head spin. AND I agree I never heard of a player actually playing at two D-1 schools in the same school year. I was actually thinking of the situation when Allan Houston signed a
LOI with Louisville and then was granted a release to play at UT. Also, the Kentucky players who left after the Eddie Sutton season of disaster were allowed to play without loss of time.

Every situation is different, but yes, agreed...Alex Legion would not be allowed to play THIS year with a division 1 school, as I read the rules.