Big Ten Wants One-Time Waiver for All Transfer Athletes

Appeals like the one that made Justin Fields eligible would no longer be needed

Justin Fields' name could come to signify much more at Ohio State than the national championship and/or Heisman Trophy he might win next year.

That tells you how big a landmark transfer liberalization rule being pushed by the Big Ten would be if it gains NCAA approval and becomes known as, the Justin Fields rule.

Fields won Big Ten offensive player-of-the-year and finished third in the Heisman voting last season, his first at OSU after transferring from the University of Georgia and gaining an immediate eligibility waiver.

Such waivers would no longer be necessary if a rule proposed by the Big Ten last year becomes the new way that football, men's and women's basketball, hockey and baseball transfers are treated.

An Ohio State spokesman confirmed in a text message Friday that OSU supports the Big Ten's one-time waiver eligibility proposal.

CBS Sports reported Friday that the Big Ten favors allowing each college athlete a one-time transfer waiver for immediate eligibility.

The soonest the Big Ten's legislation could be adopted is 2021.

Currently, only graduates in the five major sports are granted automatic immediate eligibility, although approximately 60% of waiver applications are approved.

Fields and Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson are two of the Big Ten's highest-profile non-graduate transfers in recent years who were granted immediate eligiility.

Sophomore transfer Joey Hauser was denied immediate basketball eligibility at Michigan State this season after playing just one season at Marquette.

"I think it's the right thing to do," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel told CBS Sports. "I don't know who's going to freak out and who's not going to freak out. That doesn't come into my thinking about it."

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