Phil Jurkovec cleared the major hurdle in the way of the opportunity to start against his former team.
The NCAA awarded the former Notre Dame and current Boston College quarterback a waiver for immediate eligibility, BC announced Tuesday. Jurkovec has three seasons of eligibility left and becomes the favorite to start at quarterback for the Eagles.
Boston College is one of four new opponents on Notre Dame’s revised schedule, revealed in late July. The ACC added the road game to the Irish’s slate — along with games against North Carolina (road), Syracuse (home) and Florida State (home) — when it announced plans to go to a 10-game conference schedule and include Notre Dame for the season. Exact dates and each ACC team’s one non-conference opponent have not been revealed.
Notre Dame and Boston College are scheduled to play again in 2022 at Notre Dame Stadium.
Jurkovec, a 6-5, 227-pound Pittsburgh native, signed with Notre Dame in December 2017. He was ranked as the No. 5 dual-threat quarterback and No. 87 overall recruit in the 2018 class by Rivals. He led Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland to a state title as a senior, while totaling 5,180 yards (a state record) and 63 touchdowns.
In two years at Notre Dame, Jurkovec appeared in seven games as a backup to starter Ian Book. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns in 2019, while running for 130 yards on 22 carries. His 2019 appearances came at the end of stress-free wins against New Mexico, Bowling Green, Duke and Boston College, as well as a blowout loss to Michigan.
Jurkovec announced he was transferring from Notre Dame in January. He and some of his Boston College teammates started the hashtag #FreeJurk as part of a campaign for his immediate eligibility. About a week before he received the waiver, he shared on his Instagram story a post from a Barstool Sports affiliate account that depicted him in a jail cell and Brian Kelly standing outside it.
The NCAA or Boston College did not say why the waiver was granted.
Wake Forest Game Stays Put
Notre Dame has a clear date for one of its 11 games this season.
Wake Forest announced in a Tuesday in a story on its official athletics website it will play the Irish Sept. 26 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., as originally planned. The dates for Notre Dame’s nine other ACC games have not yet been announced. They will all take place at the home team’s normal venue.
Notre Dame was originally going to play Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons, but that game was moved to the Yellow Jackets’ home field, Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Wake Forest, though, chose to keep the game in Charlotte rather than move it to on-campus Truist Field in Winston-Salem, N.C. The game is called the Duke’s Mayo Classic.
Notre Dame’s other three road games are at North Carolina, Boston College and Pittsburgh. The Irish host Clemson, Louisville, Duke, Florida State and Syracuse.
NCAA Announces More Guidelines, Rules
The NCAA released several new rules and guidelines Wednesday regarding COVID-19 and fall sports’ attempt to play the 2020 season amid it, including one that gives players the freedom to sit out the season without financial consequence.
All players have the opportunity to opt out of playing this fall while keeping their athletic scholarship, the NCAA Board of Governors ruled. Each division has until Aug. 14 to decide what opting out or a canceled season means for player eligibility.
Additionally, schools cannot make players sign documents that waive their legal rights regarding COVID-19 as a condition of participation. Universities must also cover players’ virus-related medical expenses.
The NCAA set up a phone number and email for players and their parents to report failures and accusations of negligence or ignoring COVID-19 related rules.
The decision to hold fall sports championships was left to each division and must be made no later than Aug. 21. Division III has already canceled them.
All fall sports activity must follow the NCAA’s return-to-play guidelines and adhere to local, state and federal government rules. All championships, if held, must have “enhanced safety protocols” for athletes and essential personnel. Championships can also reduce the number of competing teams and use predetermined sites. If 50 percent of a sport’s teams cancel their seasons, that sport’s championship will not be held in that Division.
The cancelation of Division I fall championships would not automatically wipe out the College Football Playoff, which the NCAA does not run.
Big Ten Sets Start Date
The Big Ten announced Wednesday its 10-game conference only schedule will begin play on Sept. 3 and end with its conference title game on Dec. 5, as originally planned. The American Athletic Conference also announced it is sticking to the normal eight conference, four non-conference structure and will attempt to start on time.
The ACC’s 11-game schedule can start the week of Sept. 7. The conference title game will be held Dec. 12 or 19.
The SEC and Pac-12 announced in late July they will begin the season on Sept. 26. The Big 12 announced Monday a 10-game schedule with one non-league game, but has not set a start date.
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