Azariah Levells is back — and right on time, too.
A New Mexico district judge granted the Lobo cornerback's motion for an expedited temporary restraining order against the NCAA on Monday, allowing him to return to UNM for the time being.
While the fifth-year senior's restraining order is based only on preliminary findings, it made him eligible to rejoin UNM's roster ahead of Monday's cutoff date. Levells has since returned to practice and will be available to play Saturday in the Lobos' season opener against Central Michigan.
"The ordinary time required to notice and brief this motion would itself moot the relief sought and inflict the very harm (Levells) seeks to avoid," read the court order signed by Judge Beatrice Brickhouse of the 2nd Judicial District Court.
But unlike Brett Karhu — another Lobo granted a restraining order last week — Levells likely has more work to do. His motion was filed ex parte, meaning the NCAA has had no opportunity to respond.
Levells' motion for a preliminary injunction will be heard Sept. 15, "at which (time) the NCAA shall have a full opportunity to appear, respond and be heard," per the order.
Attorney Johnn Osborn, Levells' counsel, did not respond to a message left by the Journal.
Levells is among the latest group of student-athletes to receive a restraining order allowing him to return after the NCAA shifted to an age-based eligibility model in June. After adopting the "five-for-five" rule, dozens of state lawsuits have been filed on behalf of athletes who played four seasons in four years and exhausted their eligibility this year.
Levells sued the NCAA on Aug. 28, arguing that by rolling out new policy — one allowing athletes five years to play five seasons starting with their full-time enrollment or the season after their 19th birthday, whichever comes first — the NCAA breached its promises of "fairness and equity" by denying him a fifth year of eligibility.
Levells' counsel also requested a hearing for a temporary restraining order the same day.
At the start of fall camp, Levells was able to return to practice after a federal judge in Colorado granted a class-wide preliminary injunction that allotted a fifth year to previously ineligible athletes. But the injunction was stayed on Aug. 21, leaving Levells in limbo unless he received a restraining order from a state court.
Levells is now the third Lobo to join UNM's roster after originally exhausting his eligibility. Karhu and former Memphis safety Jayden Flaker were both added after receiving restraining orders from state courts in New Mexico and Texas, respectively.
Notes and quotes
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Head coach Jason Eck has made a point to emphasize that Central Michigan is not an opponent UNM can take lightly: "They were 7-6 (last season) but three of those losses were to Power Four teams, so they were 7-3 against more light competition … We got to play well in this game. This is not, you know, an overmatched lower-level division team. It's going to be a very tough matchup."
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Quarterback Jack Layne received season-ending surgery Monday. What exactly was the injury that led to it, and was it different than when Layne tore his common flexor tendon in his right elbow last season? "It's a similar injury," Eck said. "Same thing, just (a) different spot. I wouldn't pass a lie detector test that I know what kind of tendon it was – it's some kind of tendon in his elbow."
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After undergoing foot surgery in the spring and sitting out all of fall camp, Eck said running back Deshaun Buchanan is starting to get active: "He's getting back. I think he's gonna practice more this week. He's doing good – I think he was a little sore, as you'd expect after you've been out for a while. I don't expect him this week, but I think he's got a heck of a shot (to play next week)."
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Eck wants fans to show out Saturday, regardless of their Sunday plans: "I just want total butts in the seats … I'd love to see 30,000 people at our game Saturday night. It's a Saturday night, it's late, but the next day's Sunday. You can go to the later church service or whatever … The nice thing in this town, there's so many Catholic churches you can go to. I just look at masstimes.org and I can find a later one whenever I want to go to church."
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Eck's review of the Mountain West's start to the season: "North Dakota State looked really good and got after Jacksonville State, who was a good team in their conference last year. You know, San Jose State finished strong – I was impressed that they didn't give up and ended up making that a little closer game (against Southern Cal) … I hope the league does well and continues to have big opportunities."
Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.
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