Todd Gurley Applies for Reinstatement: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Todd Gurley may soon commence his domination of SEC defenses. After being suspended by the University of Georgia after allegedly taking impermissible benefits, the junior has applied for reinstatement. The school released a statement on the decision Wednesday:

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Since completing its initial review of the eligibility matter involving UGA student-athlete Todd Gurley on October 9, the University has been supporting Todd and cooperating with his legal counsel as they review the matter.

Todd has confirmed his desire to seek reinstatement, and the University fully supports Todd's request. The University plans to file the necessary paperwork with the NCAA later today.

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Gurley talked about the process in the statement, as did his attorney:

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'I want to thank the University, coaches, teammates and the Bulldog Nation for their patience and support,' Gurley said. 'I take full responsibility for the mistakes I made, and I can’t thank the University, my coaches and teammates enough for supporting me throughout this process. I’m looking forward to getting back on the field with my teammates.'

Gurley’s attorney, William King, said, 'Todd has taken responsibility for his actions and is ready to rejoin his teammates. The University has been great throughout the past two weeks and has done everything it can to support Todd. I would especially like to thank President Morehead, Greg McGarity and Coach Richt for standing by Todd.'

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Gurley, who was considered a Heisman favorite before his suspension, has been held out of two games due to the investigation. The school suspended him Oct. 9 for "an alleged violation of NCAA rules" to investigate claims he received a cash payment in exchange for autographing memorabilia. Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated reported Gurley was paid $400 for his signature on 80 items.

"I'm obviously very disappointed," Georgia head coach Mark Richt said in a statement at the time.

The situation drew comparisons to a similar case involving former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. In 2013, Manziel was investigated after ESPN claimed to have seen a video of him accepting thousands of dollars for his signature following his Heisman-winning freshman campaign. The NCAA ultimately found no proof of wrongdoing despite circumstantial evidence, though Manziel was suspended for a half for allowing his likeness to be improperly used.

Gurley's lengthier absence was mostly due to timing. The NCAA and Texas A&M had more than three weeks to investigate the claims and clear Manziel's name—all happening before the regular season began. Gurley was suspended midway through the season; in the two games he missed, the 6-1 Bulldogs took down Missouri (34-0) and Arkansas (45-32).

The standard suspension for accepting impermissible benefits in the $400 range is two games. 

In the season's first five games, Gurley rushed for 773 yards and eight touchdowns on 94 carries. He and Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott were viewed as co-favorites for the Heisman Trophy, with the victor likely being the one whose team had the most success down the stretch.

Gurley has no legitimate shot at winning the Heisman even if he is reinstated for Georgia's next game versus Florida; he's probably out of the running for every major collegiate award. Even if he has a stellar stretch run to the season, there will likely be a sect of voters who will outright refuse to award someone accused of wrongdoing. 

That said, Gurley's potential return would allow him to put his talents on display for pro scouts. Before the scandal, he was viewed as a contender to break the two-year streak of running backs not going in the first round—the first two such years in NFL history. While there will be a small sect of NFL teams that are turned off a bit by the ordeal, it's unlikely this situation will do much harm to his stock.

Manziel, after all, was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2014 draft despite character concerns. This is the only transgression on Gurley's record. Odds are, he'll recover from this. 

 

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.