Steve Sarkisian: Texas OL Cole Hutson is currently ineligible

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AUSTIN, Texas — When the Texas Longhorns depth chart and roster was released in the press box for Saturday’s matchup against the Texas State Bobcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, fifth-year offensive lineman Cole Hutson was listed on the roster, but not on the depth chart.

In the 58-7 win by the Horns, Hutson did not appear in the game, even though more than 70 players saw the field for Texas.

During head coach Steve Sarkisian’s Monday press conference, he revealed why — Hutson is currently ineligible and going through an appeals process with the NCAA, one of several hurdles he faces to see playing time again in burnt orange and white.

“From Cole’s perspective, technically today he is ineligible, not because of the ruling, because of something different when it comes to the NCAA that he’s working through,” Sarkisian said.

Hutson’s status is also complicated by the SEC’s ruling last month:

The Southeastern Conference unanimously voted 16-0 to enforce a strict policy prohibiting member institutions from rostering athletes with professional draft, contract, or roster ties.

“We are respecting the SEC’s decision, and once he can get cleared — if he gets cleared from the NCAA — then we’ll go back to the SEC,” Sarkisian said.

Despite the Texas head coach taking a strong stance on players returning to college after being on an NFL roster, calling it “morally wrong,” Sarkisian emphasizes that he believes Hutson is in a different situation than the two players LSU tried to add to its roster.

“He falls under a little different category than what so much of the hoopla was made around. I think it needs to be stated and it needs to be clear — Cole never signed a professional contract, he was never technically a professional player. He tried out, and that’s what those tryout camps were when he went to the Cowboys, I believe, and the Browns, but he was technically not a signed player, and so he falls under a little different caveat,”
Sarkisian said.

For now, Hutson remains in limbo and isn’t available to play for the Longhorns.

“We’ll leave it up to the NCAA, and then we’ll leave it up to the to the SEC to determine if he’s eligible to play for us or not,” Sarkisian said.

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