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Trinidad Chambliss' lawyers seek injunction for another year after NCAA denies waiver
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- Trinidad Chambliss' lawyers seek injunction for another year after NCAA denies waiver
Mississippi football and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss are still aiming for another year of eligibility, despite the NCAA denying their claim Jan. 9.
Chambliss' lawyers plan to file suit against the NCAA in Mississippi state court for a preliminary injunction, per multiple reports. Chambliss' attorney, Tom Mars, released a statement Jan. 11, noting Chambliss' team anticipates filing the suit before the end of the week.
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""We expect the lawsuit to be far more detailed and documented than other eligibility lawsuits that have been filed in the past year," Mars said in a statement. "Therefore, considerable work needs to be done before we'll be prepared to seek an injunction that would allow Trinidad to play next season."
REQUIRED READING: Trinidad Chambliss to return to Ole Miss in 2026 — if he receives waiver
Chambliss, a first-year Division I starter after transferring from Division II Ferris State , was hoping to receive a retroactive redshirt for the 2022 season, in which he didn't appear in a game due to medical issues. He also redshirted in 2021, meaning he only appeared in games for three seasons from 2023-25.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said on social media the school would appeal the NCAA's decision after Chambliss was denied the extra season.
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The breakout star of the College Football Playoff, Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns in Ole Miss ' upset win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. He threw for 277 yards and a touchdown in the Rebels' narrow 31-27 defeat to Miami at the Fiesta Bowl.
Chambliss finished the 2025-26 season with 3,937 passing yards and 22 touchdowns to three interceptions, along with 527 rushing yards and eight scores. He was eighth in Heisman Trophy voting. Ole Miss has since added former Auburn 5-star quarterback Deuce Knight , who has four seasons of eligibility left, via the transfer portal.
Why was Trinidad Chambliss ' waiver denied by NCAA?
The NCAA issued a lengthy statement Jan. 9, regarding Chambliss and Ole Miss' waiver request and why it was denied.
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"In November, Ole Miss filed a waiver request for football student-athlete Trinidad Chambliss, seeking to extend his five-year Division I eligibility clock, citing an incapacitating illness or injury," the NCAA wrote. "Approval requires schools to submit medical documentation provided by a treating physician at the time of a student's incapacitating injury or illness, which was not provided. The documents provided by Ole Miss and the student's prior school include a physician's note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was "doing very well" since he was seen in August 2022. Additionally, the student-athlete's prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited "developmental needs and our team's competitive circumstances" as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season. The waiver request was denied.
"This decision aligns with consistent application of NCAA rules. So far this academic year, the NCAA has received 784 clock extension requests (438 in football). Of those, 25 cases cited an incapacitating injury (nine in football). The NCAA approved 15 of those (six in football), and all 15 provided medical documentation from the time of the injury. Conversely, all 10 that were denied (three in football) did not provide the required medical documentation.
"To receive a clock extension, a student-athlete must have been denied two seasons of competition for reasons beyond the student's or school's control, and a "redshirt" year can be used only once. One of the rules being cited publicly (Bylaw 12.6.4.2.2) is not the correct rule for the type of waiver requested by the school. Ole Miss applied for the waiver in November, and the NCAA first provided a verbal denial Dec. 8."
Mars later shared Ferris State's full statement on social media regarding the school's decision to redshirt Chambliss in 2022, noting the NCAA's reasoning was misleading. Mars showed the NCAA failed to note that Ferris State said Chambliss' health could've played a role in the decision for him to not play.
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"The decision to redshirt Trinidad fall 2022 was based on his developmental needs and our team's competitive circumstances at that time," Ferris State's statement read. "Trinidad also had a few medical problems that arose during the fall 2022 season that could have played a role in the decision to redshirt him."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trinidad Chambliss' lawyers seek injunction after NCAA denies waiver
