Let me step back here and address one issue that seems to keep coming up in your discussion.
Many of you keep speculating that the issue "could be" a missing required class or some similar academic shortcoming on Eddie's part...
HIGHLY DOUBTFUL...
Why?
Because, if that we're the issue, this whole thing would have already been resolved...
Failure to qualify for admission to the university would invalidate the LOI. End of story.
In order for this to still be going on, Notre Dame would have had to admit Eddie without qualification...
So, I doubt that theory is a possibility.
At this point in time, there are limited possible scenarios and outcomes...
1. Notre Dame can, somehow, convince Eddie to change his mind and enroll.
2. Notre Dame can grant him his release, be done with it and move on.
3. The NCAA can rule in Eddie's favor and it's over and Eddie goes elsewhere and is immediately eligible.
4. The NCAA can rule in Notre Dame's favor and Eddie goes elsewhere and red shirts one year, then plays three.
5. The NCAA rules in Notre Dame's favor and Eddie resigns himself to playing for Notre Dame.
Correct?
Okay, let's look at the likelihood of each of these possibilities...honestly...
1. Despite the wishes of most Notre Dame fans, doesn't seem to be a very good chance of happening. This has been developing over the past two months and Eddie and family are quite adamant. The longer the struggle, the less the chance.
2. Doesn't seem that Notre Dame is yet willing to concede the point.
3. Along with four, the only two real likely outcomes.
4. See #3
5. Also extremely unlikely. See #1.
So, in all likelihood, it comes down to two possibilities...The appeal process runs its course and, in the case of either result, Eddie plays elsewhere. Either he plays as a freshman, or he redshirts as a freshman. In either case, he goes into the NFL draft in four years, if not sooner.
Only difference is whether he plays freshman year or merely practices and watches...
He DOES get a full scholarship at his destination school either way. Lots of kids redshirt their freshman years, it isn't really that big a thing.
Winning the appeal process is little more than a Pyrrhic victory for Notre Dame. All that would be accomplished would be to deny the kid a year of game experience in revenge for changing his mind after signing the LOI. Will it really set a precedent? Likely not. Not many kids EVER change their minds AFTER signing an LOI anywhere. most often, they signed with a school because that is where they wanted to go...and they are pretty much sold on it. LOI, then, game over.
This one is a RARE instance. So, whatever happens here really won't have any great future effect. Most kids, an overwhelming majority of them, will always follow through and attend the school they've signed with...absent some sort of extenuating circumstance.
Nothing Notre Dame does here appears to be able to result in holding on to the recruit. Any attempt to keep the kid from getting out of the LOI appears vindictive at best.
But, assuming that Notre Dame wants to maintain that stand, which way will the appeals process go?
According to the stats one of the posters here posted many pages ago, it's overwhelming in favor of the recruit. But, for the sake of argument, let's say it's 50/50, based on the facts.
Problem is, no one here really knows the facts. Vanderdoes' family believes they have a case. Only they, and, presumably, the school, know what the basis of that appeal is. Everything here is mere speculation.
If it REALLY is the "missing class requirement" theory, but, somehow, Notre Dame has put him into admission limbo, the case is likely pretty strong. You cannot compel someone to take and pass a class. If it's based on some sort of reneging on a promise, say to play one position over another, as has also been speculated here, that's a likely loser. Coaches make "promises" like that in recruiting all the time. Proving it before a trier of fact is near impossible. But, you would think the Vanderdoes family knows that.
I am GUESSING it is something completely different. There is likely something that works as an argument...and an arbitration may go either way...but, either way makes little difference.
