The Return of Keenum

I seriously doubted that the NCAA would grant Houston Cougar quarterback Case Keenum a sixth year of eligibility. Under NCAA rules, an athlete has five years to complete four years of competition. Most players use the freshman year to use the so called red shirt year. During a red shirt year, an athlete may practice and attend meetings but cannot enter competition. Once a player enters a contest, even if for one player, that red shirt year is over and it counts against eligibility rules.

Normally to get a medical red shirt, basically a sixth year to complete four years of competition, a player must demonstrate that two years were lost to circumstances beyond his control...mainly injury.

Case Keenum took a red shirt his freshman year as a back up to Kevin Kolb and maybe Blake Joseph (I really don't remember). The injury he suffered against UCLA happened during his fourth year as an active player and fifth year of eligibility. Basically most Cougar fans knew that Keenum's career at UH was over and the season was lost. Houston limped to a 5-7 finish.

The University's announcement that Keenum applied for a sixth year met some hope but mostly skepticism.

On Friday, the University of Houston announced that the NCAA granted Keenum one more year of eligibility.

The UH athletic department reportedly gave evidence to the NCAA that Keenum was hurt before his freshman year and later hurt again during an all star high school game. The injuries prevented Keenum from competing his freshman year. Combined with his 2010 injury, Keenum lost two years and thereby met the NCAA's requirement.

Without further delay, here is the media reaction/documentation of Keenum's return.

1560 AM's Travis Rodger's Interview of Keenum
Case Scores Six - Houston Chronicle
Little Dicky Justice Writes a Niiiiice Column for Case
Official University of Houston Announcement
SB Houston- He's Baaaack
Houston Sports Fan In General Scott Robinson Celebrates Some Houston Good News

And Keenum's Press Conference:

Updated 1/17/2011
Evil Longwhorn Steve Campbell's Chron Blog on Case's Return

Keenum's Interview on Sports Radio 610