Former Maryland DB Qwuantrezz Knight denied immediate eligibility at Kent State by NCAA
Former Maryland and current Kent State defensive back Qwuantrezz Knight will be forced to stand on the sideline for the 2019 college football season, after his waiver for immediate eligibility was denied by the NCAA.
On Monday, Adam Rittenberg of ESPN reported that Knight — who transferred from Maryland following DJ Durkin’s termination as head coach in November — had his eligibility waiver denied, despite citing depression symptoms as the reason behind his departure. According to the report from Rittenberg, the NCAA claims that Knight “did not provide objective documentation that supports the assertion that (he) was the victim of egregious behavior” at Maryland.
Knight will have 30 days to appeal the decision and have the opportunity to have the ruling overturned.
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In his waiver application, Knight claimed he experienced “depression symptoms due to the environment he experienced on the University of Maryland’s football team.” He said that playing for the Terrapins “really damaged me” and “made me feel less of a man.”
Rittenberg also reports that Knight provided a statement to ESPN, claiming that he “literally feared for my life and the lives of my teammates every day.”
Knight’s decision to transfer came months after the death of football player Jordan McNair, who suffered from heat stroke following an organized team workout. McNair’s death led to an investigation of a “toxic culture” surrounding the University of Maryland football program.
Durkin was fired in November 2018 following the investigation.
Knight appeared in 26 career games during his three years with the Terrapins. He totaled 45 tackles, including 1.5 loss while with the program. He played in four games in 2018 before transferring, tallying five stops.