Miami Ruling Players Ineligible to Try to Get Them Eligible to Play Maryland

Confusing, I know, with a h/t to Seventh Floor Blog. Here's the deal, per the Miami Herald, emphasis mine:

The University of Miami has declared eight student-athletes - all believed to be football players - ineligible and has asked the NCAA to initiate the reinstatement process, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Quarterback Jacory Harris is one of the ineligible athletes, the source said.

So, essentially, their plan is to get the NCAA to reinstate the ineligible players, if they're going to do so, before the Maryland game. And if they're not, they want them to start serving the suspensions ASAP. Understandable, both. They did it now to leave plenty of time for the NCAA to make a ruling before Labor Day.

There's no word in the piece of which eight players are up in the air past Harris, though the author later tweeted that linebacker Sean Spence, the Canes' MVP last season and probably their best player, is also among them. Seventh Floor noticed that those two were both at Neven Shapiro's pool tournament, and guesses that the other guys who also attended will be ruled ineligible. That includes starters Travis Benjamin (WR), Marcus Forston (DT), and JoJo Nicolas (CB), as well as enigmatic WR Aldarius Johnson.

I suppose it's a good idea for Miami to start the process as early as possible, but given that they received a couple hundred bucks (at least) in addition to the other services and entertainment, I'd be surprised if they weren't at least suspended, so don't go worrying too much.

We'll keep our eyes peeled for the rulings, which will of course have a large effect on what's shaping up to be a huge game for the Terrapins.