Former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has applied for admittance into Ole Miss’ park and recreation management masters program. According to a source, Masoli has not yet been accepted, but all of his prerequisites have been met.
Masoli’s application to graduate school is just the next step in the Masoli saga that grew legs over the weekend with the announcement that redshirt freshman quarterback Raymond Cotton has decided to leave the program, leaving the Rebels with just two scholarship quarterbacks.
After transferring from City College of San Francisco, Masoli made an immediate impact in Eugene and was even considered a Heisman Trophy candidate until his dismissal from the Oregon program in June.
In two seasons quarterbacking Oregon’s spread-option offense, the 5-foot-11, 214-pound quarterback passed for 3,891 yards and 28 touchdowns, while throwing just 11 interceptions.
Masoli proved to be a scary dual-threat quarterback under center, rushing for another 1,386 yards and 23 scores.
After being suspended indefinitely from the Oregon program in January for his involvement in a fraternity house burglary, Masoli was dismissed from the team last month after a traffic arrest revealed he was driving with a suspended license and was in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.
NOT OVER YET: There are still several steps Masoli must go through to join the Rebel football program this season. Masoli must still be accepted into the masters program and be cleared by the NCAA.
Because Masoli has already graduated from Oregon’s undergraduate program with a degree in sociology, Ole Miss must ask the NCAA to waive a one-year residency requirement, which would allow Masoli to play immediately instead of sitting out one season, which is customary among Division 1 transfers.
Head coach Houston Nutt was quoted in the Clarion-Ledger as saying he was hopeful to have a resolution to the Masoli situation by this weekend.
Ole Miss officially begins preseason drills on Aug. 8. (July 29, 2010)
