USC's Mike Williams can't play NCAA football
 

LOS ANGELES -- All-American Mike Williams, was denied his request to play for Southern California by the NCAA on Thursday, leaving the star receiver unable to rejoin the top-ranked Trojans after being shut out of the NFL draft by the courts.

"I'm glad it's over. Now the team can move forward and I can move forward," Williams said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I'm disappointed. I did everything asked of me. I don't know yet what I'm going to do. I'll just relax for the weekend and watch the game and root for my team."

The ruling came down shortly before the Trojans boarded an airplane for Baltimore. They open their season Saturday night against Virginia Tech at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

USC coach Pete Carroll was angry with the ruling and its timing.

"It's very cold and insensitive for them to deny him this opportunity," he said. "As a football team, we've been prepared for this for a while. I'm not surprised by it, but I'm disappointed for Mike and his family. You'll have to go and ask the NCAA for answers, how they can turn someone down who is academically eligible."

The school had applied to the NCAA for a progress-toward-degree waiver and reinstatement of Williams' eligibility.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1868537

Thank God this is OVER.

The NCAA lost my respect a long time ago, but this, along w the Bloom/Colorado issue just shows how little respect it truly has for its student athletes.

I think Williams should be allowed to play. He was given clearance to leave by the NCAA, then the NFL says no and he does everything possible to be reinstated, the NCAA should let him as it is partly their mistake too.

And I would say this of ANY player, not just one from my beloved Trojans.

I think our team will be more than fine with out him. (I hope! ha ha)

The way I look at it is that if they denied Jeremy Bloom's application, they couldn't look fair while reinstating Williams.

This was the most fair thing they could do. Williams broke the rules. Therefore, he must suffer the consequences. He could have played it safe and stayed in school, but he chose not to. He knew the risks going into this. He's a smart kid from what people say. He'll still go decently high in the draft next year. Maybe he'll play a little arena ball or some CFL.

Yeah I don't disagree with you. I've been of 2 opinions on the Williams thing all summer.

But I think they should have granted Bloom's request too.

Co-sign. I would have liked to see Williams reinstated, but oh well.

It's too bad an organization that's set up to protect and look out for the interests of the student athletes can't follow its own mission statement.

However, I don't think USC will miss him much. Kerry Colbert's another story though.

Those receivers at USC and the Oline made Leinart look like a lesser than average QB (plus he's playing with a bum elbow and weak knee). Reggie Bush was great last night though.

The idea of amateur athletics is no longer sacred. Lets all deal with that and do the right thing.