Chris Bleich ineligible for 2020 season after transfer waiver denied
Corey Henry | Senior Staff Photographer
Offensive lineman Chris Bleich (not pictured) will not be eligible for the 2020 season after the NCAA denied his transfer waiver.
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The NCAA has denied Syracuse offensive lineman Chris Bleich’s transfer waiver for eligibility, Bleich announced in a tweet Thursday. The NCAA’s decision makes Bleich ineligible to play for the Orange in the 2020 season.
Bleich transferred to SU in January after starting eight games for the University of Florida in his redshirt freshman year last fall.
To all the fans that showed endless support of me since I got here I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you for all your words of encouragement to me in these tough times. But sadly, today I was informed my waiver was denied by the NCAA..
— Chris Bleich (@Bleich67) September 10, 2020
Under current NCAA rules, transfer players must sit out one academic year before being allowed to compete. The NCAA has a waiver that transfer athletes may request to be immediately eligible to play, bypassing the one academic year absence. But unless Bleich’s appeal is won, he will not appear for Syracuse this season.
The redshirt sophomore was expected to start on an Orange offensive line that struggled mightily last season.
Due to injuries and Bleich’s ineligibility, Syracuse listed Chris Elmore — previously a fullback, tight end and defensive tackle — as the starting left-guard in the first depth chart of the season.
Published on September 10, 2020 at 7:41 pm
Contact Skyler: skrivera@syr.edu | @skylerriveraa
