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Report: Attorney who assisted Shea Patterson, Justin Fields with NCAA waivers now helping Illinois TE Luke Ford
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It may only be a matter of time before Illinois tight end Luke Ford is granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA.
Earlier this month, Ford’s waiver for immediate eligibility at Illinois after transferring from Georgia was denied by the NCAA. The organization cited that Ford’s hometown was not within the 100-mile radius of the University of Illinois and his grandparents — whom he wanted to be closer too as their health is a concern — are not nuclear family members.
But Illini Inquirer is reporting that Arkansas-based attorney Tom Mars is now hopping on the case. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Mars is the lawyer who helped Michigan quarterback and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields receive immediate eligibility from the NCAA.
Could Ford be the next to benefit from Mars’ services?
Mars has become a popular attorney on the NCAA transfer market and has had significant success in having immediate eligibility waivers granted. Ford’s waiver seemed like an easy one for the NCAA to approve, but the organization came back with a head-scratching ruling.
Ford and Illinois intended to appeal the decision anyway, but with Mars’ assistance, there’s an even better chance that the tight end is granted immediate eligibility from the NCAA.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB