Every year fans find out just who did or who didn't go to class when grades come out before the bowl game. Because the VOLS didn't go bowling for only the second time in twenty years in 2008, we didn't know or really care who quit going to class.
Remember back to the end of the season, it was said that many of the players completely stopped going to class after Fulmer was canned. At this point the VOLS have already had a whopping 11 defections since CLK took over.
What's being said by folks in the know is that 6 or 7 UT players are out of school due to academics. In order to be readmitted they must win an appeal from the provost. Most of these players are likely to be readmitted, but it's being said that one or two may have a lot harder time getting back by the Fall. It doesn't sound like any starters or 2nd team contributers are in major limbo at this time. We should learn the outcome of this in the next 48 hrs so stay tuned.
One other thing in regards to academics and admission. Greg King has apparently received the green light from UT and is enrolling as we speak. King had to bring his ACT score up tremendously before being accepted and has apparently met all requirements.
However, the same source is reporting that Marlon Walls isn't fairing so well in transferring from Hargrave to UT. At this point it is too early to know Walls' fate for the 2009 season, but the family of Walls' is extremely anxious and nervous to hear from the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Walls is expected to battle Montorio Hughes for the second spot on our desperately thin D Line. Walls went from a 6'2-240 LB in high school to a 6'4-290 DT in his time at Hargrave.
His situation sounds just like the Gerald Williams saga of 2008 where he lacked on class to transfer. And like Williams, the class that is in question is an online class (Why do coaches even let transfers take online classed when their eligibility hinges on that one class?). The family has struggled to get an answer from the clearinghouse and UT is left in the dark as well. A judgement could be handed down at anytime or could go down to week of the opener like G Williams did last year. I guess we will have to nervously wait.
On a similar note but concerning basketball, we should find out where Tyler Smith will be playing in the next several days as well. What I heard back in February was that Smith had already punched his ticket to the NBA and completely quit going to class. How true this is I don't know but it doesn't sound like he can just return to UT without jumping through some hoops if he decides to not enter the NBA draft. At this point, it is being said that he is leaning towards returning to UT.
