Alabama State Accepts NCAA Penalty Over Jacory Croskey-Merritt Eligibility Dispute

Alabama State University accepted the NCAA Committee on Infractions' ruling that placed its football program on three years of probation, imposed a $30,000 fine and added a financial penalty equal to 1% of the program’s budget. The university will not appeal, but officials said the sanction shows a disparity with the University of Arizona, which received only a minor violation for the same eligibility issue.

The case stems from altered participation statistics for former running back Jacory Croskey‑Merritt in the 2019 season. A former Alabama State sports information director, allegedly at the direction of the former head football coach, changed the athlete’s game‑by‑game record, leading the NCAA to deem the conduct a Level I mitigated violation. The controversy resurfaced when Croskey‑Merritt transferred to Arizona and appeared in a single 2024 game before being held out over eligibility questions. Alabama State’s vice president and athletics director Dr. Jason Cable criticized the penalty as excessive compared with the minor sanction imposed on Arizona.