Trinidad Chambliss’ legal representation filed a response on Saturday, Feb. 7, to the NCAA’s denial of his appeal for eligibility for the 2026 football season.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the filing claims that Chambliss’s case was “neither manufactured nor contrived,” and there would be no great harm to college sports if the Ole Miss quarterback got a sixth year of eligibility.
The NCAA’s denial upheld the initial denial of the eligibility waiver issued on Jan. 9 against the former Division II Ferris State star.
Advertisement
REQUIRED READING: College football way-too-early top 25 poll for 2026 season: Who is on top?
The response included a reference to a clip from the 2024 Division II National Championship game, in which the commentators said it “took patience for the opportunity to be the everyday starter…medical redshirt in 2022.”
Chambliss’ attorneys ― Tom Mars and William Liston ― also state that the NCAA’s argument that an injunction would end the current Division I eligibility rules is “overstated”.
The Rebels’ 2025 starter of multiple games was seeking a medical hardship waiver for his 2022 season, in which he was affected by sickness and respiratory problems, according to the Jackson Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Advertisement
“It will not change the landscape of college football as the NCAA and some uninformed commentators suggest. Anyone who believes that the grant of a preliminary injunction in this case will shred the fabric of college sports all Division I student-athletes badly misperceives Trinidad’s claim,” the statement reads.
A hearing on Thursday, Feb. 12, is set in Pittsboro, Mississippi, where Chambliss is seeking a preliminary injunction.
According to Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger, Chambliss has a deal with Ole Miss for the 2026 season worth in excess of $5 million. He stands to make more returning to school than he would as a potential mid-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trinidad Chambliss’ attorneys file response vs NCAA over appeal denial
