Brown denied release, can start practice as redshirt at KSU

   It won't have an immediate effect on his day-to day life and it won't stop him from working out with his new team, but nonetheless, the news was disappointing. After being denied a release from his scholarship agreement with the University of Tennessee, Bryce Brown's scholarship availability rested on an appeal to the NCAA. When the response came in on Friday afternoon, it wasn't the news for which the tailback or anyone in his camp had been hoping.

Though Brown's father, Arthur Brown Sr. has said the initial appeal's denial is not "final" or the last word in the saga, it would seem as though Brown and those in his camp are acting as if it were.

    
Bryce Brown will join the Wildcats as a member of the football team today.
"The committee said they weren't going to overturn it," Brown's friend and former trainer Brian Butler said when reached by phone on Monday.

Because of his current lack of release, Brown was unable to have official contact with the Wildcats until the first day of classes got under way. At of the time of Brown's first class, a 12:30 p.m. lecture inside K-State's Nichols Hall, the ban was lifted and the one-time No. 1 ranked high school player in America officially became a member of the Wildcat football team.

No scholarship? No problem … at least for now. Brown will pay his own way for the year head ahead, a season during which he'll be forced to redshirt in compliance with NCAA transfer rules. The 2011-12 season, on the other hand, is another matter entirely. Release or no release, the former Volunteer will be eligible to receive a scholarship from Coach Bill Snyder's program a year from now.

"They will be able to put him on scholarship next season," Butler said. "As I understand it, he can go on scholarship with K-State after the academic year. Bryce already knew where he was going to school and where he's going to play next season. The appeal wasn't really his fight. His parents are going to be the ones having to pay for it. He'll have to get a loan or grants. It's not like he's going to have to go work in a factory for eight hours to get it done. Now, his focus can be on school and helping the team."

Because of pending a physical and other formalities, Butler was unsure of when Brown's first official practice at K-State would take place, but did confirm that contact between Brown and the K-State coaches had already begun or would take place sometime Monday afternoon.

"I know he's excited that all this stuff is behind him," Butler said. "He's definitely excited to be up there."

Considered to be the most highly touted football recruit in decades from the state of Kansas, Brown named K-State the runner up in the original sweepstakes to secure his services two years ago, instead electing to join now-departed head coach Lane Kiffen in Knoxville. In one season as a Volunteer, Brown accumulated 460 rushing yards and three touchdowns before deciding to transfer.

For the 2011-12 season, the 6-foot, 220-pound Brown will be listed as a sophomore.