Former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is one step closer to becoming Ole Miss' next signal caller. After sending his release papers to the school on July 26th, Masoli has been admitted to one of the school's graduate programs, according to the Sporting News.
Masoli was dismissed from Oregon following his guilty plea in March to a second-degree burglary charge for stealing laptops from a campus fraternity house, as well as being pulled over with marijuana in June. Masoli, however, is eligible to play next season after the NCAA ruled that he would not have to sit out the customary transfer year, as long as he enrolled in a graduate program not offered by Oregon. Masoli has one season of college eligibility remaining.
Masoli is attractive to Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt due to the Rebel's depleted quarterback depth. Last year's starter Jevan Snead made an ill-advised decision to declare for the NFL Draft, while likely backup redshirt freshman Raymond Cotton left the team a few weeks ago due to worries about his place on the depth chart. Masoli would almost certainly step right in as the starter for Ole Miss in a marriage of convenience for both sides.
Still, Ole Miss has a few more hurdles to clear. They need the NCAA to waive the one-year residency requirement for Masoli, which is likely to be approved given that the NCAA already ruled Masoli does not have to sit out a year to transfer.
For more on Masoli and Ole Miss, check out Red Cup Rebellion.