Kyle Long, Oregon offensive lineman and son of NFL great Howie Long, had his sixth-year waiver denied by the NCAA. To qualify for a sixth-year, Long needed to show two years where something outside of his control prevented him from playing football. A quick review of his timeline:
- 2008–09: Enrolled at Florida State to play baseball
- 2009–10: Battled chemical dependency issues
- 2010–11: Played football at Saddleback College (junior college)
- 2011–12: Played football at Saddleback
- 2012–13: Played football at Oregon
Long’s substance abuse issues in 2009–10 would qualify as a denied participation opportunity. But his time at Florida State as a baseball prospect would not. Long can only show one year he was denied an opportunity to play football, so this case is an easy denial for the NCAA.