After just one season in Columbus, L’Christian Smith, better known as Blue Smith, opted to transfer. The NCAA typically makes transfers wait out a season as a part of the undergraduate transfer rules.
However, for Smith, the NCAA recently gave him immediate eligibility, meaning he’ll be able to play this fall. The wide receiver was the fourth-best player in Ohio in the Class of 2018.
Smith’s immediate eligibility also means that he’ll be able to face his former team when Cincinnati plays Ohio State on September 7.
Apparently, Ohio State helped Smith get that waiver to be able to play immediately.
Per 247 Sports, Luke Fickell, the head coach at Cincinnati and former Buckeyes assistant, noted Ohio State’s help when mentioning Smith’s eligibility.
“I’m happy for what Ohio State did for us and for Blue, really trying to help him out and make this possible,” the third-year head coach said.
From Dayton, this is kind of a homecoming for Smith, who didn’t see the field in 2018 and would’ve been battling with talents like K.J. Hill, Austin Mack, Garrett Wilson and many more talented receivers for snaps.
This also comes months after University of Cincinnati transfer (transferred from Michigan) James Hudson was denied immediate eligibility because he didn’t speak up about his mental health issues while at Michigan.
That said, these transfers being denied or accepted eligibility continue to make no sense.
