Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt finds himself in a complex eligibility situation following a strange transfer saga that started in 2019. As a result, Croskey-Merritt is not expected to play against Kansas State on Friday night, leaving the Wildcats in a tricky position after he played in their Week 1 win over his former team.
Croskey-Merritt, originally from Alabama, was an unranked high school recruit. He spent four years at Alabama State before using his one-time transfer to join New Mexico in 2023. Last season, the 5-foot-11, 204-pound back had a breakout performance, rushing for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns on 189 carries. After entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, he became one of the top available running backs.
He initially committed to Arizona in February but flipped to Ole Miss in April before switching back to Arizona in June.
Now, his eligibility is in question. College athletes generally have four years of eligibility, with an additional year granted due to the pandemic in 2020. Croskey-Merritt technically has six years of eligibility, including a redshirt year. However, a player loses a year of eligibility if they play in more than four games during a season.
According to official NCAA records, Croskey-Merritt played eight games in 2019, five in 2020, 10 in 2021, 11 in 2022, and 12 in 2023, appearing to have exhausted his eligibility. He should have turned pro after his season at New Mexico.
However, Croskey-Merritt and Alabama State claim he redshirted as a freshman in 2019, only playing in four games, and later gave his jersey to a teammate, who played in four more games wearing his number. This teammate’s carries were mistakenly credited to Croskey-Merritt, raising doubts about his eligibility. Alabama State coaches have provided video evidence to support the claim that he only played in four games.
Arizona played Croskey-Merritt in their Week 1 win, during which he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. However, he has not played since, including in Week 2, and won’t play against Kansas State while the NCAA investigates. Arizona is waiting for an official decision, as playing an ineligible player could result in forfeiting their Week 1 victory. To avoid further risks, they won’t field him until his eligibility is confirmed.
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