Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Friday the program won't pursue players from the 2022 class who could be eligible this fall due to recent legal rulings. A federal judge's decision opened the door for athletes who played four consecutive seasons to return for a fifth year, though an appeals court granted the NCAA a stay. However, dozens of athletes with restraining orders from state lawsuits can still compete.
Freeman cited Notre Dame's graduate admissions process and academic calendar — the fall semester begins Monday — as making it "too late" to add players. He specifically addressed defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka, who made seven starts over four seasons and was among 15 players granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana judge Wednesday.
"For us at Notre Dame, it's just too late [with] the graduate admissions process... to have success in the classroom and on the field," Freeman said. Shortly after his comments, Tuihalamaka committed to LSU, his agent told ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing