2008 Woodie Awards
Former Cincinnati QB Mauk loses appeal for another year of eligibility
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 8/28/08 Section: Sports
CINCINNATI - Quarterback Ben Mauk lost his latest appeal to the NCAA for another year of eligibility yesterday, leaving him with one final chance to play for Cincinnati.
After a couple of days of mixed signals, the NCAA told the former Bearcats' quarterback that it had turned him down for the fourth time. Now, Mauk will appeal directly to the NCAA's reinstatement committee for another season.
Mauk will talk to the reinstatement committee by phone this afternoon, a few hours before the Bearcats open their season at home against Eastern Kentucky. He expects a decision either later in the day or tomorrow.
"We were hoping they would find in our favor, but I think it's the reinstatement committee that we really need to talk to," said Kevin Murphy, who is Mauk's lawyer. "The staff pretty much did what it has done in the past in this case, but the reinstatement committee has the authority to make its own decision. So that's where our hope lies."
Mauk led the Bearcats to 10 wins and a No. 17 final ranking last season, when he came back from serious shoulder and arm injuries. He appealed for another season on grounds that injuries had sidelined him while he was at Wake Forest.
After being turned down three times, Mauk filed a lawsuit in an Ohio court and got a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, which then agreed to reconsider.
The case fell into confusion this week. Mauk's lawyer was told by an NCAA representative on Monday night that the latest appeal had been turned down. The representative called back a day later and apologized, saying the staff hadn't reached a final decision yet.
After a couple of days of mixed signals, the NCAA told the former Bearcats' quarterback that it had turned him down for the fourth time. Now, Mauk will appeal directly to the NCAA's reinstatement committee for another season.
Mauk will talk to the reinstatement committee by phone this afternoon, a few hours before the Bearcats open their season at home against Eastern Kentucky. He expects a decision either later in the day or tomorrow.
"We were hoping they would find in our favor, but I think it's the reinstatement committee that we really need to talk to," said Kevin Murphy, who is Mauk's lawyer. "The staff pretty much did what it has done in the past in this case, but the reinstatement committee has the authority to make its own decision. So that's where our hope lies."
Mauk led the Bearcats to 10 wins and a No. 17 final ranking last season, when he came back from serious shoulder and arm injuries. He appealed for another season on grounds that injuries had sidelined him while he was at Wake Forest.
After being turned down three times, Mauk filed a lawsuit in an Ohio court and got a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, which then agreed to reconsider.
The case fell into confusion this week. Mauk's lawyer was told by an NCAA representative on Monday night that the latest appeal had been turned down. The representative called back a day later and apologized, saying the staff hadn't reached a final decision yet.
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