UNC's Tez Walker out vs. South Carolina amid Eligibility Appeal; Mack Brown Rips NCAA

North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Tez Walker has been ruled out for Saturday's season opener against South Carolina as he awaits a decision from the NCAA on his eligibility for the 2023 campaign.

"I can't express my disappointment in the NCAA strong enough," Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown said of the situation, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "The NCAA has been reluctant to consider the real issues of mental health, COVID and rule changes that have impacted Tez's personal journey."

North Carolina is expecting the NCAA to review Walker's case next week, according to Adelson.

The NCAA denied Walker's waiver to play the 2023 season as a two-time transfer last month, and the Tar Heels decided to appeal the decision, citing multiple reasons why the wide receiver should be immediately eligible.

Among those reasons is the fact that Walker did not play his freshman campaign at NC Central because the school canceled the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker, in search of somewhere to play, then transferred to Kent State.

North Carolina believes Walker's decision to transfer to Kent State should not count against him in terms of his eligibility for 2023.

Additionally, Walker dealt with mental health challenges during his two seasons at Kent State and ended up seeing the team doctor to discuss those issues before deciding to transfer to North Carolina.

Walker grew up in Charlotte and transferring to North Carolina allows him to play closer to home. He has continued to receive mental health counseling since joining the Tar Heels.

It has become more difficult for two-time transfers to be granted immediate eligibility after the NCAA voted in January to restrict the number of waivers given out to second-time transfers in order to prevent players from returning to the portal.

Players who transfer twice can "receive immediate eligibility if they have a physical injury or mental health condition that pushed them to transfer from a school."

Led by quarterback Drake Maye, the Tar Heels are expected to be one of the best teams in the ACC this season. Having Walker available would be a solid boost to the team's chances of claiming the conference crown.