Cinci QB Ben Mauk's quest for a 6th year of eligibility will be heading for the final appeal in the NCAA process. Mauk has twice been turned down by the NCAA for a medical hardship waiver. This final appeal has him making a direct presentation to a 6-person appeals panel."I'm excited," Mauk said, "because now we start a new process and I actually get to talk to the NCAA instead of writing letters. I get to actually let them hear my voice and let them know who I am and why I deserve a sixth year. I think that will be a big help. Now I get to let them know every little detail. I think that will be a big help when you hear someone's voice and actually hear the story come from them."Mauk will have ten minutes to speak and convince 4 of the 6 panelists to grant him an additional year of eligibility.
Mauk originally attended Wake Forest and as a freshman in 2003 he took a non-playing redshirt. Mauk contends that the reason stems from a medical injury.
As a high school freshman he suffered a broken leg. Mauk had plates and screws inserted in the leg and foot. Late in his senior year of high school, the screw in his big toe came free and had to be removed. The slow recovery prevented him from competing in training camp at Wake Forest, getting up to speed on the offense and led to his redshirt.
Wake Forest actually supports Mauk's contention, as the transfer to Cinci was an amicable event. The problem is, Wake has no documentation to support the claim. That was why the NCAA denied the medical hardship waiver in the first place.
Even with the face-to-face appeal, it doesn't seem like the NCAA will have a reason to change its mind unless there is something more that can help establish that Mauk's redshirt was tied to medical reasons.
