Former Manvel star Deontay Anderson is transferring from Ole Miss to Houston.
Manvel product has petitioned NCAA for waiver to play in ’18
Almost two years after committing to the University of Mississippi in a skydiving video, Deontay Anderson has found a landing spot at the University of Houston.
Anderson, a former four-star prospect and No. 1 safety in the class of 2016 from Manvel, announced his decision to transfer from Ole Miss to Houston on Thursday via Twitter.
Anderson will likely have to wait until late January or early February to find out if the NCAA grants his request for a waiver that would allow him to play immediately. If the request is granted, Anderson would have two years of eligibility remaining.
Tom Mars, an Arkansas-based attorney who is serving as a family spokesman, told the Chronicle that Anderson will provide information as part of UH’s appeal to the NCAA that outlines “egregious behavior” by Ole Miss. Anderson, along with other members of the recruiting class, claim they were recruited to Ole Miss under false pretenses and that former Rebels coach Hugh Freeze and athletic director Ross Bjork misled them about the severity of violations and possible sanctions.
As part of a complaint in former coach Houston Nutt’s complaint against the school, Anderson said he discussed the Notice of Allegations against Ole Miss with Freeze while on a recruiting visit to Oxford, Miss., on Jan. 29, 2016. Freeze assured Anderson that the allegations were “things that happened in the past before he got to Ole Miss” and any sanctions would have no effect on the signing class that was ranked fifth in the nation by 247Sports.
Ole Miss self-imposed a oneyear postseason ban for this year and was handed down another for the 2018 season, along with probation through 2020, reduction in scholarships and fines.
Ole Miss is allowing seniors to transfer without being required to sit out a season. Those guidelines do not apply to Anderson, who will be a sophomore and must appeal to play immediately.
“The real victims were the toprated student-athletes,” Mars said. “They all had other options and made their decision based on information that was untrue, and that Ole Miss knew was untrue. If that’s not egregious behavior, I don’t know what is.”
Asked if Anderson had a strong-enough case, Mars said he would be “shocked” if his request was not granted.
Anderson played all 12 games as a true freshman in 2016 but voluntarily sat out this season as a redshirt as the Rebels served a self-imposed postseason ban.
Along with proximity to home, Anderson said UH offered a chance to “make an immediate impact on the field.” He picked UH over Michigan and Oklahoma.
“I believe coach (Major) Applewhite will give me the opportunity to be the athlete I know I can be,” said Anderson, whose uncle is Phi Slama Jama star Greg “Cadillac” Anderson.
At UH, Anderson will be reunited with former teammate D’Eriq King, who is currently the quarterback. He also fills an immediate need in the secondary and, if eligible, should pair with Garrett Davis at a safety spot vacated by the graduation of Terrell Williams.
Anderson is the latest highlyrecruited player to transfer to UH in the past four months. Isaiah Chambers, who was a four-star defensive end from MacArthur, sat out last season after a transfer from TCU and will be eligible to play in 2018 on a defensive line that includes All-America defensive tackle and Outland Trophy winner Ed Oliver.