College Football

Kiffin Frustrated With Transfer Rules

Published Aug. 19, 2020 4:11 p.m. ET

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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin believes players whose conferences have postponed fall sports should be able to transfer without penalty.

Said Kiffin in an appearance on the SEC Network on Tuesday:

"It's really unfortunate that the NCAA is not allowing them to transfer and be eligible immediately ... Why can't they come play somewhere? That doesn't make any sense to me."

On Aug. 11, both the Big Ten and the Pac-12 opted to cancel fall sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with hopes of resuming play in the spring.

The other three Power 5 conferences – the SEC, ACC and Big 12 – will kick off their seasons with modified schedules on Sept. 26.

The NCAA issued a statement that it will not grant immediate eligibility waivers for players transferring out of the Big Ten or Pac-12. 

Kiffin followed up with the SEC on the topic and received the same answer, that there would be no special waiver available and the only players who can transfer without having to sit are graduate transfers.

"The issue is they're not giving guys immediate eligibility. At first we thought, if they got shut down, the NCAA would say 'If your conference and school isn't going to let you play, you can transfer and be eligible somewhere else.' They've come out and said that's not the case. You're not going to win a waiver."

Two players on Ole Miss' roster were granted immediate eligibility after they transferred this summer from schools in Canada's college sports league, which cancelled its fall seasons earlier this spring.

Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer shared Kiffin's sentiments on 850 AM radio channel WRUF in Gainesville, Florida, but also acknowledged the challenges it would pose:

“I think the problem is – and I asked that question to Ryan Day the other day and he says, ‘They’re already in training camp. So they have to learn the system. You have to fall inside the 85 (scholarship limit) for the team that’s getting (the transfer).”

Ole Miss begins the 2020 season with their home-opener against Florida on Sept. 26.

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