Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris faced a setback when a judge denied his request for a preliminary injunction in his bid for a seventh year of eligibility. This situation has drawn attention, especially since Morris is arguing for a medical redshirt due to injuries he sustained while playing at TCU in 2022 and 2023. Despite only participating in four games over those two seasons, he believes he merits an additional year of play.
This ruling means Morris won’t be able to compete for the University of Virginia in 2026. It highlights a growing trend of legal disputes surrounding athlete eligibility within college sports. The NCAA has seen a variety of cases similar to Morris’s, and overall, it has fared well in court.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, by February 2023, there were 57 lawsuits filed revolving around eligibility, with 31 requests for preliminary injunctions being denied. Recent cases have seen mixed results: athletes like Diego Pavia and Trinidad Chambliss received favorable rulings, while others didn’t.
Morris’s case was further complicated by an affidavit from ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who argued against granting Morris an additional year. Phillips emphasized the NCAA’s Five-Year Rule, which limits athletes to four seasons of competition within five years. He stated that these guidelines exist to maintain fairness in college sports and to uphold the educational mission of these institutions.
Morris began his college career at Oklahoma before transferring to TCU, where he played for three years. He then moved to North Texas in 2024, where he had impressive stats, throwing for over 3,700 yards and 31 touchdowns. In 2025, he played at Virginia, helping the Cavaliers reach the ACC title game.
This case reflects wider discussions in college sports about athlete rights and NCAA regulations. As these debates continue, the outcomes of such legal battles could shape the future of college athletics.
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Chandler Morris (20 – Highland Park)
