Byron Cowart

[Mikey 16,550]

44 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Anyone can make a mistake but I'm thinking that Maryland checked this out pretty closely before making an offer . Still, it looks like they are counting on him to be on the field in 2018.  Taking a guy who could only play one year and even that, not play until 2019 seem to be a waste of a scholarship. . 

Their site is already wrong about him having two years left. It's not much of a leap to think they are wrong about the NCAA's transfer rule not applying. If he can play next year before he's been gone from Auburn for a year, I'd like to now under what rule? Is there any chance that he's graduated and is a graduate transfer? That's the only way I know of that a player can change schools without siting out a year. An abnormal situation such as at Ol' Miss being an exception, where the NCAA granted a blanket exemption.

[AU64 10,122]

10 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Their site is already wrong about him having two years left. It's not much of a leap to think they are wrong about the NCAA's transfer rule not applying. If he can play next year before he's been gone from Auburn for a year, I'd like to now under what rule? Is there any chance that he's graduated and is a graduate transfer? That's the only way I know of that a player can change schools without siting out a year. An abnormal situation such as at Ol' Miss being an exception, where the NCAA granted a blanket exemption.

I started to mention grad transfer but since he spent last season at a JUCO if figure that was a stretch....but was wondering if he had done the Stidham thing and gone JUCO but not played and got credit for sitting out the season?  

[Mikey 16,550]

4 minutes ago, AU64 said:

I started to mention grad transfer but since he spent last season at a JUCO if figure that was a stretch....but was wondering if he had done the Stidham thing and gone JUCO but not played and got credit for sitting out the season?  

Stidham was gone from Baylor a full year and then some. That's the part I don't know, how long does a guy have to be gone from his first school to avoid the transfer rule? Cowart played for AU in 2017, which clearly makes his case different from Stidham's.

[AU64 10,122]

6 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Stidham was gone from Baylor a full year and then some. That's the part I don't know, how long does a guy have to be gone from his first school to avoid the transfer rule? Cowart played for AU in 2017, which clearly makes his case different from Stidham's.

True ....I was wondering if he pulled out from AU immediately and registered at a JUCO and got in a full academic year there?     I'm thinking that a standard academic year (fall-spring) might be what it took.  

Guess we will find out when the season starts and al.com starts running their weekly review of what AU transfers are doing at other schools...  That article used to hack me off but gradually I found it interesting since other than Roc....AU transfers have not lit it up anywhere,  in fact,  barely played in most instances which gives me more respect for our situation.....not like coaches are letting a lot of great talent escape that blooms elsewhere. . 

[DAG 33,955]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

That leaves us with three possibilities:

1)  (The Most likely) The news outlets are wrong.

2) The transfer rule is an annual rule and he will be eligible one year after the date he last played for Auburn. That's as I stated above.

3) (Least likely) He got an NCAA waiver of the transfer rule.

If you can find out how it is that he's not going to have to sit out at all, please let me know by posting here. It would be an interesting thing to learn.

All I know is the Washington post has said he left auburn shortly and immediately went juco that September . Since he is graduating from there this fall he is immediately eligible to play next year. ESPN has also cited this as the reason he is eligible to immediately play. 

[AU64 10,122]

23 minutes ago, DAG said:

All I know is the Washington post has said he left auburn shortly and immediately went juco that September . Since he is graduating from there this fall he is immediately eligible to play next year. ESPN has also cited this as the reason he is eligible to immediately play. 

Guess that explains it....and why he left in September with time to enroll in JUCO.    I looked back at the piece published when he left and Gus noted that Cowart had come to him several times about not getting to play and ultimately advised him that he was leaving.    Sounds like he gave that some thought in advance, maybe knowing what some other players had done and pulled up stakes in time to get in a full year of JUCO.  Pretty smart move it seems and I give him credit for finding a way within the system to help himself if he was unhappy.    . 

It does sound like the 2 years is an error but I could see how the Juco year might serve as his "sit out" year and allow him to play immediately.  Hoping he makes it..

[AU-24 3,063]

30 minutes ago, DAG said:

All I know is the Washington post has said he left auburn shortly and immediately went juco that September . Since he is graduating from there this fall he is immediately eligible to play next year. ESPN has also cited this as the reason he is eligible to immediately play. 

He did graduate? If so; that’s a different story.

[AU-24 3,063]

Sounds like they expect him to graduate soon:

The former Seffner, Florida, prospect will graduate from the community college before enrolling at Maryland, so he did sign a national letter of intent like the rest of the prospects signing Wednesday. Because of that, he will be eligible immediately and should help bolster the Maryland defense.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/21827519/former-auburn-player-byron-cowart-officially-signs-maryland

 

[alexava 6,973]

I understand the eligibility immediately due to graduation of juco. But he played in a couple of games this season.  15, 16, 2-3 games of 17 the 18 should be his last. Unless they sit him for the first 2-3 of 18 to cancel out 17? I’m not sure it works that way. 

[alexava 6,973]

Plus there was a lot of sugar coating going on here about family. Gus said point blank ( which is rare for Gus) he QUIT after multiple complaints about playing time. 

[AU64 10,122]

37 minutes ago, alexava said:

Plus there was a lot of sugar coating going on here about family. Gus said point blank ( which is rare for Gus) he QUIT after multiple complaints about playing time. 

Just Gus saying that he did not "process" him....but considering how little he had played in the first two games, the handwriting was on the wall.     

No problem that I see .....and at least the guy was trying to push his case ....don't blame him for that.    I'm fine with how this went down from all sides....

[AU-24 3,063]

1 hour ago, alexava said:

I understand the eligibility immediately due to graduation of juco. But he played in a couple of games this season.  15, 16, 2-3 games of 17 the 18 should be his last. Unless they sit him for the first 2-3 of 18 to cancel out 17? I’m not sure it works that way. 

I don’t understand the rule that well. It was my understanding that if he graduates, all bets were off, and he could play immediately.

Again, there are those on here who understand the rule much better than me, I’m sure they will comment soon.

[Butthead 525]

either way, it is hard to understand how you could graduate juco in one semester -- every with a bunch of transfer credits.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

Blake Barnett left bama after playing only a few games, went to juco, then transfered to Arizona st where he only had to miss three or four games before playing the following year.

[AdamsHouseCat 43]

I have always pulled for him and hope that he succeeds and I hope he does have two years left. 

Had he red-shirted his first season under Gus and Muschamp- that might have made all the difference but we will never know.  With his high recruiting ranking it would have been near impossible not to play him early and see how quickly he might flourish.

I remember him playing some - not a ton  but some - in the first two games this season- he did record stats in both.  I know  if a player has any injury that early in the season that medical redshirt is a possibility.  Might that somehow apply here?  Did the fact that he left the team after just two games make a difference in his case?

[doc4aday 1,887]

I wish Byron the best and hope he has a great season at Maryland!  He just did not seem to fit in at Auburn, and that happens sometimes.

[Mikey 16,550]

5 hours ago, DAG said:

All I know is the Washington post has said he left auburn shortly and immediately went juco that September . Since he is graduating from there this fall he is immediately eligible to play next year. ESPN has also cited this as the reason he is eligible to immediately play. 

Well then there we have it. Thanks. He will, however, have only one year of eligibility left.

Edited to clean up typing. Got interrupted in the middle of it!

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

10 hours ago, Mikey said:

Stidham was gone from Baylor a full year and then some. That's the part I don't know, how long does a guy have to be gone from his first school to avoid the transfer rule? Cowart played for AU in 2017, which clearly makes his case different from Stidham's.

Pretty sure the rule is one school year, so if he entered fall semester ( which it seems he did) then he would be good to play next year. Nothing says he can’t enter another school now and participate in spring and summer training. Hope everyone can wish the best for BC. I know he didn’t reach the pinnacle that most fans hoped for but most need to realize that when you look at the class of DLs that we have had over the last 3 years, it would have been tough for most guys to have outplayed the likes of Lawson, Adams, Davidson. Holland , Brown and some others. Sometimes if you are decent then you have to move somewhere to get on the field . Especially if you have any desire to get a shot at the next level. Let’s just be glad for the talent we have gotten here and let the attrition happen as necessary.