DeAnthony Arnett cleared to play next fall

In an unsurprising decision, the NCAA has granted transfer wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett a medical waiver, allowing him to play this coming season after transferring from Tennessee following last season.

Arnett, who chose Tennessee over MSU and a few other schools out of high school, wanted to play closer to his hometown of Saginaw due to the health of his father, who needs a kidney transplant.

What was a surprise, though, was how long it took the NCAA to make a decision on what seemed like a no-brainer. Joe Rexrode of the LSJ reported that the NCAA asked for more medical info twice in the last three weeks. I don't blame the NCAA for wanting to make sure everything checks out, but still.

Looking ahead to next fall, Arnett should be an immediate contributor. He struggled a bit in spring ball, what with a new team and all, but he should be much-improved by the time the season rolls around. He had 24 catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns for Tennessee last year. With a depleted receiving corps, MSU needs as much experienced help as it can get.

The MSU football Twitter account sent out some quotes from Arnett and Mark Dantonio.

Arnett:

"Coach D's call (regarding the NCAA's decision) put a big smile on my face. … From the beginning, my father told me not to worry and to put the waiver request in the good Lord's hands. … I'm glad everything is taken care of, so I can concentrate on preparing to have an impact on the team this fall."

Dantonio: 

“We received exciting news from the NCAA late this morning, stating that DeAnthony Arnett’s waiver request has been granted, so he’ll be eligible to participate this season. … The NCAA's decision isn't just beneficial to him as an individual but to his entire family as well, knowing that they'll have an opportunity to see him compete this season. … (He) appreciates Michigan State’s complete team effort, led by (AD) Mark Hollis and (FAR) Mike Kasavana, in presenting his case. … Our compliance staff did an outstanding job of compiling all of his father’s medical records & presenting the facts to the NCAA. … Our director of football operations Tim Allen also worked closely with the compliance staff throughout this process. … "(He) is thrilled with the NCAA’s decision, & he's looking forward to getting back to work in preparation for the upcoming season."