Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins rips NCAA for not granting immediate eligibility to Florida DL transfer Antonneous Clayton
Former Florida DL Antonneous Clayton’s decision to transfer to Georgia Tech means his next season of playing college football will likely be his last. The NCAA has denied Clayton’s request for an immediate eligibility waiver.
Yellow Jackets coach Geoff Collins had strong words for the NCAA when commenting on the decisions regarding Clayton and defensive back Myles Sims.
“I’m happy for Myles and for our team that he has been granted immediate eligibility,” Collins said in a release. “This is the right decision for the young man. At the same time, I vehemently disagree with the NCAA’s decision to not grant immediate eligibility for Antonneous.
“As an athletics department and a football program, we remain confident that he meets the stated criteria for immediate eligibility and by not granting it, the NCAA does not have the best interest of the student-athlete in mind.”
Clayton, out of Dooly County, Georgia, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in April that he was planning to stay at Florida until his mother developed a medical issue, which made Clayton want to be closer to home (a two-hour drive to Atlanta vs. a three-hour drive to Gainesville, Florida).
Clayton signed at Florida (where Collins was defensive coordinator 2015-16) in 2016, starting his five-year clock for four seasons of eligibility. He will have one season of eligibility remaining in 2020, unless the NCAA grants a sixth-year waiver.
Geoff Collins’ response to Antonneous Clayton being denied his appeal for a waiver to be immediately eligible ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/svmDhGbRUE
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) August 28, 2019