UNC Staff Furious With NCAA Over Tez Walker Ruling

Well, North Carolina football finally got an update on the Tez Walker situation and the news is not good. Walker has officially been ruled ineligible to suit up for the Tar Heels for the entire 2023 season. Before we dive into the unanimous uproar this decision has caused, let’s quickly revisit how we got here.

A Short History of Tez Walker

Tez Walker grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and dreamed of playing football in his home state. After enrolling at North Carolina Central, Walker ended up transferring to Kent State following a COVID-shortened season that saw him play zero games at North Carolina Central.

At Kent State, Walker developed into a star. His second year at Kent State especially brought him national attention as he finished the season with 58 receptions, 921 yards, and 11 touchdowns. 

Walker’s efforts earned him a call from Mack Brown which allowed Walker the chance to fulfill his dream of playing football in his home state. Unfortunately, just days after Walker began classes at UNC, the NCAA increased the scrutiny on rules dictating the potential eligibility of players transferring to a new school for the second time.

Walker, who never played a game at North Carolina Central, and whose most recent school (Kent State) had just undergone a massive overhaul on the coaching staff, assumed he would be an exception. He was mistaken.

Mack Brown and Bubba Cunningham Chime In

Normally I would have my own feedback. But this decision is so overwhelmingly detrimental to Walker’s life, that I will instead allow Head Coach Mack Brown and Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham’s words to carry the day:

It wasn’t just North Carolina staff members upset with this decision, the ire has been damn near unanimous. And rightfully so, this isn’t just a year of Walker’s football life the NCAA is playing with, it’s a young man’s livelihood. Walker transferred to North Carolina to play with Drake Maye, what if Maye declares for the NFL Draft after this season? And Walker, who recently turned 22 years old, will be forced to play his final college season as a 23-year-old. How much different will NFL scouts look at an almost 24-year-old coming off a season with a new quarterback, than they would have had Walker been allowed to shine with Maye this season?

As Brown has alluded to multiple times, the NCAA continues to prove that these student-athletes are not a priority. More disturbingly, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the NCAA views these student-athletes as nothing more than cogs in their corrupt machine.