UNC Football: Tez Walker will not play in season opener

The UNC football program will be without its star transfer wide receiver as he still awaits clarity from the NCAA regarding his eligibility. 

When the UNC football program takes the field on Saturday night against South Carolina, they’ll unfortunately have to play without Devontez ‘Tez’ Walker.

Walker, who was deemed ineligible by the NCAA, is still awaiting word on his appeal to play. As the NCAA is dragging its feet with regard to this situation, it will leave the Tar Heels without their projected top receiver for at least this week’s game against the Gamecocks in Charlotte.

Head coach Mack Brown voiced his displeasure with the NCAA about how they have handled this case in a statement released by the UNC football program:

This is unfortunate news for both Walker and North Carolina, as the hope was that there would be a resolution prior to the start of the regular season. It’s even more disappointing that Walker won’t be able to play in front of his family, a major reason why he elected to transfer to North Carolina in the first place.

The NCAA talks about how much it cares about the health and well-being of its student-athletes, but this case alone is a prime example of a young adult being penalized for a rule that was put into place after his initial transfer.

Walker, along with plenty of other student-athletes, are being forced to sit out while others are competing in their sixth (and even seventh!) college season having been with multiple programs.

Someone, please make this make sense!

Until it happens, keep pushing for the NCAA to #FreeTez.

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