<p>I like to read transcripts of Coach Johnson interviews at NavySports.com. At the end of the most recent one, I found the following:</p>
<p>Q. Any thoughts on the situation at Army? </p>
<p>A. I didn't know anything about it until I saw it in the paper and then I found out that one of our players who just graduated asked our compliance director how they could be eligible so she called Army and asked the question and that's pretty much it. I didn't have any idea it was going on until I saw that they were ineligible. I hope they rule them eligible. I have about 25 guys that will be eligible next year if they do. </p>
<p>Tried looking stuff up, but couldn't find anything. Any of you know what this is about?</p>
<p>The following article should answer your question:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Iowa tackle to play for Army
By Justin Rodriguez
July 01, 2006</p>
<p>Ted Bentler played in seven games at defensive tackle for the University of Iowa last year, including the Outback Bowl against Florida.</p>
<p>No, Bentler isn't your normal incoming Army freshman.</p>
<p>Bentler elected to transfer to West Point as a member of this year's freshman class, joining his brother, Fritz, who was recruited as a defensive end. Ted Bentler, who is 6-foot-2, 280 pounds, had four tackles as a red-shirt freshman for Iowa last season and was considered a fast-rising Iowa defensive line prospect after a strong showing this past spring.</p>
<p>"Ted is a good, solid football player," Army coach Bobby Ross said. "We've seen him on film and are very impressed with what he did at Iowa."</p>
<p>As per NCAA transfer rules, Bentler will sit out this season, but retains two years of football eligibility.</p>
<p>Transfers are rare at West Point because the Academy doesn't generally accept credits from other institutions. However, place-kicker Jared Nielson transferred from the University of Nebraska to Army last year. Nielson served as Nebraska's second-string kicker in 2004. He is listed as second on the Black Knights' depth chart behind Justin Koenig.
<p>The football players from Army played participated in some practices vs. MAPS their Plebe year which MAY make them ineligible. The Army sports site is pretty ticked off since it was a Navy rep that called them on the issue just before their game with Arkansas State. Both were starters and were 5th year students. Army fans are upset because of the timing. Actually, it could have been much worse if Navy would have mentioned it just before the Army Navy game or a possible Bowl game. Either way it was definitely up to Army's compliance office to be up to speed on any eligibility issues especially with 5th year seniors and to thoroughly research the potential problems. </p>
<p>Army fans are upset but at least Navy made the call and said, Hey buckaroos, have you checked this out and didn't go directly to the NCAA. At least Army showed some integrity and immediately reported the issue to the folks in Inndianapolis. It will be interesting to see what transpires.</p>
<p>As far as I know West Point does not accept credits from other universities, period. All cadets can challange a course by testing but that's not unique to West Point.</p>
<p>I must have missed the part where it says the incoming player has graduated.</p>
<p>I understand the 'transfer' thing. It's really just another incoming freshman that doesn't have 4 yrs of eligibility. </p>
<p>I guess I assumed that when Coach Ross said "one of our players who just graduated asked our compliance director how they could be eligible" that the player was asking how HE HIMSELF could be eligible. But I guess he was asking about the West Point guys. Sorry about the confusion. I guess that's right, anyway.</p>
<p>Allowing graduate students with eligibility remaining to play at other institutions upon graduation will certainly make the issue more cloudy in the future. That could mean a Navy player who is going to graduate school immediately upon graduation could play elsewhere if he has a season of eligibility remaining. That would have allowed me to run xc for my grad school which would have been a blast since they traveled to the mainland and around the Hawaiian Islands. 20 years too late.</p>
<p>I may be wrong, but I think the incoming football player Bentler is a totally different situation than the recent NCAA ruling declaring two fifth-year Army football players ineligible.</p>
<p>Navy officials had contacted West Point with eligibility questions about starting center Pete Bier. That inquiry led to Bier and starting left guard Dan Evans being declared ineligible by the NCAA. Bier and Evans, both fifth-year seniors, missed the Black Knights' season-opening 14-6 loss at Arkansas State last Saturday. The two are not transfers to USMA and are not graduates. They are fifth year cadets either Class of 2006 members heading towards a December graduation or were held back and will graduate with the Class of 2007. </p>
<p>Bentler entered USMA as a plebe and is not expecting to get credit for previous coursework.The NCCA issue with him is how many years of football eligibility he will have at USMA since he had previously played collegiate football at Iowa.</p>