NCAA gives 5-year eligibility to every college football player to play 4 full seasons. That’s always been the rule in college football, but as COVID-19 struck, the NCAA proposed some leniency, allowing players to play for an extra season, which they missed due to the pandemic. But what happens when the player hasn’t played for some years at a JUCO college and then makes their entry into NCAA programs? DJ Wingfield’s career hangs in the balance on the same question of eligibility.

Initially, a player at El Camino Junior College, Wingfield played 22 games as a reliable offensive lineman. From there on, his talents got noticed by NCAA programs, and as a four-star transfer, he made his entry to the New Mexico Lobos and initially redshirted for the 2022 season. Moreover, in 2023, Wingfield emerged as a crucial player for the team, starting in nine games and earning a PFF grade of 68.9. And from there on, his career catapulted to a Big 10 program.

Wingfield joined the Purdue team for the 2024 season and emerged as one of the best players on the offensive line. In total, the player played 615 snaps and started 12 games at right guard. His talent? Wingfield earned a 64,3 Pro Football Focus grade and gave up 22 pressures in the season. So, after the season ended, Wingfield was roped in by Lincoln Riley’s USC in the hopes that his one year at JUCO college would be waived off and the NCAA would grant him an extra year of eligibility. But that’s not exactly what happened.

So far, the Purdue transfer has not been able to secure that extra year of eligibility, and that makes things complicated for Lincoln Riley’s offensive line. However, Ryan Abraham, the publisher of USC.com, echoed how the head coach could cope if Wingfield fails to land an extra year of eligibility in his recent podcast episode.

“You are looking at a guy like Micah Banuelos, on whom the coaching staff is very high on. Keep in mind, this was your backup left tackle during large portions of last season. I mean, he’s 6’2. That’s crazy. But that just shows you the confidence that the coaching staff has in this kid. So, as of right now, that would be the most likely scenario in my opinion,” said Ryan Abraham. But can Lincoln Riley rely on Banuelos?

Apart from Micah Banuelos, redshirt freshman Kaylon Miller is also widely touted to play right guard if Wingfield fails to win eligibility. Neither of these players has the starting experience, and both are still batting for their career start. So, in a sense, Lincoln Riley would be taking a step back with them. Still, the head coach seems hopeful about Wingfield winning eligibility and finally alleviating his O-line concerns.

Lincoln Riley remains optimistic about DJ Wingfield’s situation

The former Purdue lineman has hired an attorney and, as per reports, he will file for an injunction. Notably, the attorney, Darren Heitner, is the same lawyer who won the legal battle for Diego Pavia’s eligibility, as the QB is coming back to play in the 2025 season. This makes things optimistic for Wingfield, although the 6’4″ and 320 lb guard has lost all his NCAA appeals. But Riley seems optimistic.

“A process that is ongoing right now. Wish I could comment on it a little bit more, but it’s one of those that we’ve got to let it play out. But he’s been a full participant up to any limits that have been established. Looking forward to that process hopefully wrapping up here pretty quickly,” said Lincoln Riley at Big 10 Media Days. The verdict?

The situation seems optimistic for now, as Diego Pavia himself challenged the NCAA 12.02.6 bylaw, which counts JUCO seasons towards eligibility. Pavia won that legal battle, and the court granted him an injunction to play for another year. Consequently, Pavia’s case has also set a legal precedent that may help Wingfield in his legal battle. Although it remains to be seen how things play out.