Oklahoma picked up a major transfer this offseason when former consensus No. 1 overall recruit Dorial Green-Beckham chose to head to Norman after being dismissed from Missouri.
How Dorial Green-Beckham could somehow be eligible for Oklahoma in 2014
The Sooners will attempt to apply the “run-off” waiver to the former five-star prospect.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Green-Beckham allegedly forced his way into an apartment looking for his girlfriend, pushing a female resident down four stairs. His girlfriend reportedly texted the two women who lived in the apartment warning them not to press charges. No arrest was made and no charges were filed, and the details of the incident are less clear than other seemingly similar cases.
Green-Beckham was initially rumored to be headed to Eastern Illinois in order to play immediately before changing course and joining the Sooners, presumably sitting out one year before being cleared to play. That may no longer be the case, as The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey is reporting Oklahoma officials "feel very confident" in Green-Beckham's chances of receiving a run-off waiver, thereby becoming immediately eligible.
Surprised? TCU head coach Gary Patterson is, too!
Wow!RT @dennisdoddcbs: OU believes DGB will be eligible right away. http://t.co/wOw5boX8Um
— Gary Patterson (@TCUCoachP) August 1, 2014 So what’s this run-off waiver? John Infante has a pretty handy explainer, but it’s basically a waiver used if a player is “run off” campus, like after oversigning or other factors out of the player’s control. According to Infante’s piece, Oklahoma will have to provide the following in order to get the waiver granted:
- Documentation demonstrating that the student-athlete would not have had the opportunity to return to the previous institution's team for reasons outside the control of the student-athlete.
- A written statement from the applicant institution that the student-athlete is in good academic standing and meets all progress-toward-degree requirements at applicant institution.
- A written statement from the student-athlete's previous institution indicating that the previous institution supports the request.
The good news for Oklahoma? Missouri is expected to cooperate.
This is hard case to make but one thing in OU's favor, per source -- as of now, #Sooners fully expecting Mizzou to support DGB request.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerCBS) August 1, 2014 Wide receiver is one of the Sooners' only weaknesses, as they have to replace 64 percent of their wide receiver targets from last season. Green-Beckham would provide a notable bolster to a unit that currently consists of possession man Sterling Shepard and a whole lot of young and talented question marks.
Even without Green-Beckham, Oklahoma was already a trendy contrarian pick at the top of one preseason Top 25 poll. Expect the Sooner bandwagon to pick up some more steam if the waiver goes through.
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