Report: Leinart ruled ineligible - briefly

[JansenFan]

Report: Leinart ruled ineligible - briefly
USC quarterback violated NCAA rule by appearing in ESPN promo

NBCSports.com news services
Updated: 3:04 p.m. ET Dec. 21, 2005

USC quarterback Matt Leinart was declared ineligible earlier this month for appearing in a promotional ad for ESPN but was reinstated Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

It was a close call for USC and Leinart, who will battle Texas for the national title in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4.

Leinart violated an NCAA rule by appearing in the tag, an NCAA spokesman said.

"Whenever we are aware that media outlets ask student-athletes to do these kinds of tags we immediately cut them off," Tim Tessalone, USC's sports information director, told the L.A. Times. "Unfortunately, this one slipped by."

Last year's Heisman Trophy winner was quietly declared ineligible by the school earlier this month after the airing of the short ESPN segment, recorded after the victory over UCLA. USC reported the rules violation and immediately petitioned the NCAA to reinstate Leinart.

Leinart's actions were deemed "unintentional and inadvertent," the NCAA's Kent Barrett told the Times.

"This was the type of thing where it was obvious the student-athlete was not attempting to become an endorser of a network," Barrett said.

While his petition was being reviewed by the NCAA, Leinart was able to practice and participate in team and school activities.

(c) 2005 NBC Sports.com

[Chris Luva Luva]

How did he appear in the ad by mistake?

[skinsfano28]

that's my question. they always play ads with players running or whatever, and they even have an ad with him raising a heisman trophy, so im not sure why he was suspended?