NCAA denies it declared Baylor running back ineligible because he needed a place to live
Admit it, this does have all the making of some dumb NCAA doings.
Baylor running back Silas Nacita announced Wednesday on Twitter that he had been declared ineligible by the NCAA. His crime: He was homeless and accepted a place to live and help with living expenses from a friend.
“A few months before enrolling, a close family friend approached me and said they didn’t want me sleeping on floors and wondering how I was going to eat the next meal,” Nacita wrote on his Twitter account, “so they insisted on putting me in an apartment and helping out with those living expenses. “Because I accepted that offer instead of choosing to be homeless, I am no longer eligible to play football and pursue my dream. I had no idea I was breaking any rules, but I respect the decision of the NCAA.”
The NCAA was getting bashed, so it tweeted this:
The NCAA did not declare Silas Nacita ineligible and Baylor has not requested a waiver for him.
— NCAA (@NCAA) February 25, 2015Wait, what?
Coach Art Briles told reporters in Waco that Nacita would be back if he was eligible.
“It’s unfortunate you know, and hopefully there’ll be a remedy,” Briles said. “This is a situation handled through compliance not through football.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said: “Silas Nacita will not be a part of the football program moving forward due to rules violations that impact his eligibility. We appreciate his contributions to Baylor football and wish him well as he completes his studies.”
What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?
Under NCAA rules a "close family friend" can provide housing, meals for Silas Nacita. Not sure what deal is here, but has to be more.
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) February 25, 2015Typically, a school rules a player ineligible, and then requests an NCAA waiver for reinstatement. That's what has happened with Nacita.
— Tim O'Donnell (@TimODonnell25) February 25, 2015The fact that Baylor's statement made zero mention of the NCAA is one of the handful of curious aspects of this story.
— David Ubben (@davidubben) February 25, 2015Fans were certainly confused.
So is the Baylor walk-on lying or is the NCAA??
— Trevor Cook (@TSC_HookEm) February 25, 2015RT @Erik_TTU: What do lawyers, the NCAA, and Baylor have in common? pic.twitter.com/dhX5YOpr1z
— Robert Jones (@wr_jones) February 25, 2015hmmmm RT @NCAA The NCAA did not declare Silas Nacita ineligible and Baylor has not requested a waiver for him.
— trey wingo (@wingoz) February 25, 2015Many colleges are just as cowardly as the NCAA, if not worse. Influenced by fear; scared of logic.
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) February 25, 2015This is Nacita’s tweet:
All I wanted to do was go to school and play the game I loved. pic.twitter.com/zYQ0HTaz05
— Silas Nacita (@Salsa_Nacho) February 25, 2015Here is the feature story Sports Illustrated did on Nacita last year, which detailed that he once slept in a ditch, among other interesting facts about his homelessness.
This story has at least another chapter to it.
Ok. Who has the real story about Sila Nacita?
— David Mclatcher (@DavidMcLatcher) February 25, 2015To reach Pete Grathoff, call 816-234-4330 or send email to pgrathoff@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @pgrathoff.
This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 1:45 PM.