The NCAA never ceases to amaze with a lack of common sense. If the penalty is normally 1-season, why only hand down a (2) game suspension, why give a penalty at all?
I don't see how this is much different from a HS grad immediately joining military, then 3-4 yrs later being immediately eligible as a student athlete?
The NCAA grants immediate eligibility to kids from basketball factories (prep schools/sports academies), kids who attend fictious high schools, yet they penalize a good student who wanted to help his family? Futhermore, such ruling sends the message to accept illegal payments and go straight to college.
Frankly I don't understand why graduation date and date of the showcase should matter as long as the prospective student/athlete has not signed a LOI. What if a kid has zero DI scholarship offers, can't afford college tuition, takes a yr off to improve hisgame and then needs to showcase his talents? IMO the NCAA needs to focus on the AAU and factory scene. After 30 yrs, the BOZ's sentiment of the NCAA seems on par.
TX