Cooper and Leacock miss WVU game due to clearinghouse issues

Based on a report on Falcon Fodder from The Blade, Eugene Cooper and Jovan Leacock did not make the trip to Morgantown due to issues with the NCAA Clearinghouse.


The university released the following statement:

"Wide receiver Eugene Cooper and defensive back Jovan Leacock did not travel with the Bowling Green State University football team to West Virginia and have been ruled ineligible to play due to a non-academic issue. Through a normal review of student-athlete data, the BGSU compliance office discovered late Thursday that Cooper and Leacock, although academically eligible, failed to complete the certification process with the NCAA Eligibility Center.  The BGSU Department of Athletics is working with the NCAA and expects the situation to be resolved in the upcoming week and that both Cooper and Leacock will be cleared to play again soon."

A couple notes.  First, both of these players were JUCO transfers who came to BG at the beginning of last season.  I would assume that whatever the issue was with the NCAA Clearinghouse, it was a similar mistake for both of them.  I'd be surprised if either one of them has missed a game in the meantime, and Leacock was a starter, though this year he is playing less.

Second, the statement goes to great lengths to minimize the event, which I hope is accurate.  We say that the players are academically eligible and that we hope it gets cleared up for next week.

At the same time, just to be contrary, if they are eligible than why are they not playing?  And, worst case, if you want to be apocalyptic, you hope that it doesn't make them illegal participants for the games up until now.

I have no idea how these things work, so in the meantime, we'll hope for the best.