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Gonzalez, an offensive lineman who transferred from Oregon State earlier this month, announced on social media that he wasn’t granted an additional year of eligibility despite the not counting towards NCAA eligibility.

The recent ruling by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors in December was subsequent to Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia suing the NCAA in November over its eligibility standards. Pavia contended the NCAA counting student-athletes’ junior college years against their overall NCAA eligibility violates antitrust laws and restricts an athlete’s ability to receive compensation for NIL.

However, the NCAA’s new rule applies to student-athletes who started their careers in the last five years. Since Gonzalez began his college football career in 2019, the two seasons he spent at Southwestern Community College (California) and Butler Community College (Kansas) count towards his eligibility. The 2020 football season at Southwestern was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After his final season at Butler in 2021, Gonzalez transferred to Oregon State to play for offensive line coaches Jim Michalczik and Kyle DeVan, who both coached at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. Michalczik coached under former ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ head coach Rich Rodriguez, while DeVan, a former NFL center, was a part of the Kevin Sumlin regime.

The 6-5, 293-pound Gonzalez played in two games for the Beavers and medically redshirted. As a redshirt junior in 2023, Gonzalez played in six games and became a mainstay at right guard for OSU in 2024. Gonzalez played 713 snaps at right guard for the Beavers and allowed one sack this past season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Gonzalez, who officially , committed to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

Now that Gonzalez isn’t permitted to play at the UA, the Pueblo graduate said he was “misled� by the NCAA.

“Me and many (junior college) athletes who had previously been told we would be able to participate in this upcoming season, due to the new (junior college) ruling, have already declined both athletic and nonathletic opportunities in order to prepare,� Gonzalez . “So many athletes out there were excited for this opportunity just to be let down last minute after sacrificing so much to play. The fact that we were able to enter the transfer portal, take visits and commit to a school shows how (misled Covid-year junior college athletes) were over the past few weeks.

“This is directed at the NCAA and no one else. I appreciate the staff and players at all of the programs I’ve attended and visited and wish everyone luck throughout this process and with the upcoming year.�

With Gonzalez out, the Wildcats have nine scholarship newcomers on the offensive line. The high school additions are Northern California tackle Louis Akpa, Hawaii guard Javian Goo, Los Angeles-area guard Sione Tohi, Bay Area guard Losipini Tupou and in-state tackle Jaxon Griffin.

The Wildcats’ pickups in the transfer portal are tackle Tristan Bounds (Michigan), tackle Ty Buchanan (Texas Tech) and tackle-guard hybrids in Ka’ena Decambra (Hawaii) and Jordan Brown (Georgia Tech).

Extra points

• Several for fans at McKale Center on Saturday before the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥-Colorado men’s basketball game. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ quarterback
  • Noah Fifita, Bounds, Buchanan, Brown and running back
    • Ismail Mahdi were the offensive representatives. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s defensive players signing autographs were defensive end
      • Tre Smith, UT Martin defensive lineman transfer
        • DeShawn McKnight, Montana edge rusher transfer
          • Riley Wilson, cornerback
            • Marquis Groves-Killebrew, safety
              • Dalton Johnson, nickel back
                • Treydan Stukes and safety
                  • Genesis Smith.

                  Contact Justin Spears, the Star’s ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports