Baker Mayfield will be limited to the scout team at Oklahoma this season and will not suit up for the Sooners in 2014.
The school released a statement on Tuesday that the Texas Tech transfer had his appeal denied by the NCAA after he sought immediate eligiblity this year. In a bit of surprising good news, however, Mayfield was granted a scholarship after the organization allowed Oklahoma to go over the limit of 85 scholarship this school year.
"The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department confirmed on Monday that Baker Mayfield's appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility to compete during the 2014 season has been denied," the statement said. "The NCAA has granted permission to the university to exceed the financial aid limit by one so that Mayfield may be placed on a full athletics grant-in-aid."
The latter move likely means the school will be limited to just 84 football scholarships next year.
Mayfield starred as a true freshman walk-on for the Red Raiders and threw for 2,315 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions before being injured. He earned 2013 Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors but eventually saw his job go to current Texas Tech starter Davis Webb at the end of the year.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Mayfield asked head coach Kliff Kingsbury to be put on scholarship in Lubbock but was turned down. Angry over the decision, Mayfield later transferred to Oklahoma to back up Trevor Knight and appealed for immediate eligibility. Texas Tech initially denied Mayfield the opportunity to be put on scholarship in the spring at Oklahoma and, as a result, the Sooners awarded it to another player. Tech eventually relented and allowed the quarterback to be put on scholarship but, because they were already at the limit, Oklahoma had to get permission from the NCAA to award an 86th football scholarship as part of its appeal.
The long, drawn-out process appears to be settled for now, but it certainly did not come to the conclusion many involved wanted.
"The driver and the scoundrel behind all this is Kliff," James Mayfield, Baker's father, told The Oklahoman. "He is so focused or hellbent on punishing Baker."
Oklahoma plays at Texas Tech in the middle of November in a game that certainly has some bad blood between the two sides.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
