Ole Miss releases statement on eligibility of Junior RB Jordan Wilkins
Thursday morning, Ole Miss Athletics released an official statement on the eligibility status of junior running back Jordan Wilkins, who will miss the 2016 season for “not meeting NCAA standards for progress towards degree.”
In the statement, the athletics department assumed responsibility for Wilkins’ loss of eligibility for 2016:
Jordan Wilkins will miss the 2016 regular season after not meeting NCAA standards for progress toward degree. An appeal was filed with the NCAA for Jordan’s reinstatement based on an adminstrative error but was declined this week. The athletics department takes full responsibility and holds itself accountable when situations like this occur with our student-athletes. We will support Jordan to the fullest during this time and look forward to seeing him return to the field.
Wilkins, who played in every game in 2015, entered the fall sharing the top running back spot for the Rebels with senior running back Akeem Judd. Wilkins rushed for 379 yards and four touchdowns last season, averaging 5+ yards per carry.
Wilkins will be classified as a senior when he returns in 2017.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
