QB Patterson officially ruled eligible for Michigan in 2018

Former Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson has been ruled eligible by the NCAA to play for Michigan at the start of the 2018 season.

The official announcement was made Friday after the NCAA decided against its normal rule that requires non-graduated transfers to sit out a year before playing for their new team. Michigan and Ole Miss said they worked together with the NCAA in order to get an agreement in place.

“Both schools are ready to move forward and appreciate the assistance of the NCAA staff in bringing this matter to a resolution,” the two athletic departments said in a joint statement. “While the process has been complex at times, the solution was simple — two flagship universities and the NCAA staff working together with a focus on student-athlete well-being.”

Patterson transferred to Michigan following the 2017 season amid heavy sanctions against Ole Miss, appealing to the NCAA for a waiver of the year-in-residence rule on the grounds that he was misled by former coaches about expected sanctions. Five of Patterson’s teammates who also transferred out of the Rebels program likewise sought waiver appeals with the hope of being eligible to play in 2018.

“There are a lot of people who worked really hard to help make this transfer process a success. I want to thank Coach [Jim] Harbaugh, the University of Michigan and the NCAA for allowing me to continue my education and football career at one of the best universities in the country,” Patterson said in a statement released Friday.

“A special thanks to Michigan’s Compliance Staff and to Tom Mars for his personal guidance for me and my family during this time. With this decision behind us, my family and I are fully focused on the upcoming season. My teammates and I are always committed to competing at the highest level and winning championships. Go Blue!”

Heading into his true junior season, Patterson has been practicing with Michigan in hopes of battling for the starting job with sophomore Brandon Peters and redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey.

In seven games in 2017, Patterson threw for 2,259 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

–Field Level Media