By Martin Harris
Luke Staley will be back on the field to lead the Cougar running game against Air Force on Saturday, Oct. 20.
Staley is ready to return to the field after a misunderstanding concerning his eligibility to play.
“Luke was never ineligible,” said Jeff Reynolds, director of media relations for the football team, during a radio interview. “The NCAA never ruled him ineligible.”
BYU decided to make Staley sit out, not the NCAA.
Staley dropped a math class this semester, and the class he subsequently added was a zero-credit-hour class, thus causing him to drop below the 12 credit hours required for eligibility.
However, Reynolds said, Staley does not need 12 credit hours, he just needs a 12-credit-hour load. In other words, the zero-credit-hour class counts toward his 12-hour load because it requires three hours of work a week and counts toward his graduation.
BYU”s decision to sit Staley was precautionary until the team received clarification from the NCAA.
“Luke is in good standing academically,” Reynolds said.
BYU officials reviewed Staley”s case with the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference, and it was concluded that no rule violation occurred.
Unfortunately, Staley still had to sit out Saturday, Oct. 13, and the Cougars rushed for a season-low 107 yards.
Staley said he did not enjoy sitting out.
“I was kind of irritated, but BYU was just taking the right steps,” Staley said.
BYU”s running game will have another boost by having Brian McDonald-Ashford in the backfield against Air Force Saturday, Oct. 20.
He sat out last week”s game after tearing the ACL in his right knee against Utah State on Oct. 5.
“I”m really excited to be back,” McDonald-Ashford said. “It was hard for me to watch the (New Mexico) game.”
He also said he has to diligently continue his rehabilitation. McDonald-Ashford will play Saturday, Oct. 20 wearing a knee brace.
