Patronis threatens legal action supporting FSU’s Darrell Jackson Jr.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla – Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis Friday criticized the National Collegiate Athletic Association over its ongoing waiver denial involving Florida State defensive lineman Darrell Jackson Jr.
“The @NCAA are a bunch of out of touch hypocrites. NC [North Carolina] antitrust allegations and they punted to save face on their terrible decision,” Patronis said. “#FSU Darrell Jackson must play NOW. We’ll take legal action soon if they don’t reverse course.”
Patronis’ remarks stem from an approved waiver by the NCAA for North Carolina Wide Receiver Tez Walker.
Walker was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA after it “received new information” that was “not made available by UNC previously” regarding his waiver request.
Walker, who transferred to Chapel Hill from Kent State, was initially denied an immediate eligibility waiver over the NCAA’s two-time transfer rule. Walker started his career at North Carolina Central before transferring to the Golden Flashes.
Before the start of the 2023 season, Walker announced his intention to leave Kent State and transfer to North Carolina to be closer to his ailing grandmother.
Players are typically permitted to transfer once to be considered for immediate eligibility. Jackson Jr. is currently denied immediate eligibility over a similar circumstance.
A native of Havana, Florida, Jackson Jr. transferred to nearby Florida State to be closer to his ailing mother following a season at the University of Miami in 2022. The 6-foot-5, 334-pound junior started all 12 games for the Hurricanes as a sophomore.
Jackson Jr. also played for the University of Maryland in 2021, making one start in the Terrapins’ Pinstripe Bowl. Overall, Jackson Jr. has appeared in 25 collegiate games with 49 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and three sacks.
The Seminoles are currently 4-0 and ranked fifth in the country in the Associated Press top 25 poll. Florida State is seeking their first Atlantic Coast Conference Championship since 2014 and first College Football Playoff National Championship in school history.
The Seminoles won a BCS, Bowl Championship Series, National Championship in 2014.
Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed displeasure with the NCAA’s ruling before the start of the Seminoles’ season in August.
“The @NCAA rejected a hardship waiver for a college athlete to play near his ailing mother, but allows biological males in locker rooms with female athletes,” DeSantis said. “It’s clear their priorities are out of step with Americans.”
