NCAAF teams
Alex Scarborough, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Under new rule, SEC graduates can transfer within the conference and play immediately

College Football, Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators

SEC graduates can now transfer within the conference and play immediately, after a vote on Friday abolished a previous rule, which required such transfers to sit out one season before regaining eligibility.

In years past, players like Georgia's Maurice Smith had to apply for a waiver for immediate eligibility.

Alabama coach Nick Saban garnered headlines for attempting to block the intraconference transfers of Smith, and most recently offensive lineman Brandon Kennedy.

On Tuesday, Saban said he felt singled out by the criticism he faced in doing so, asking reporters, "Why is it on me?" for enforcing a conference rule.

Despite being against the rule, Saban added that if the rule did change, "I think we're one of the schools that it would benefit."

The SEC also passed a proposal that would allow players at SEC schools that are under NCAA-mandated postseason bans to transfer within the conference without having to sit out a season.

The new rule is of immediate help to Florida, which welcomed former Ole Miss receiver Van Jefferson into the program this offseason. Jefferson, who caught 91 passes the past two seasons, is now immediately eligible to play.

The SEC also voted to expand its serious misconduct policy to include a ban on high school signees with a history of domestic, sexual and interpersonal violence.

The original rule, which was passed in 2016, only applied to transfer students.

The SEC defines serious misconduct as "sexual assault, domestic violence, other forms of sexual violence, dating violence or stalking; or conduct of a nature that creates serious concerns about the safety of others."

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