Arizona State transfer ruled ineligible for 2023 season

TEMPE, Ariz. — Kenny Dillingham delivered some bad news for Arizona State Monday afternoon during his weekly press conference. He confirmed that incoming transfer safety Xavion Alford has officially been ruled ineligible for ASU’s 2023 season.

Arizona State transfer Xavion Alford ruled out for the season

Alford is a transfer from USC. He missed all of the 2022 season due to injury. In his sophomore season with the Trojans, he appeared in 11 games, racking up 31 total tackles and snagging three interceptions. Prior to his time in Southern California, Alford played for the University of Texas.

At Texas as a freshman, he only played in two games.

Now Alford is trying to get a fresh start with ASU and bounce back from his injury. Unfortunately for him and the Sun Devils, the NCAA has other ideas. The NCAA requires any player that transfers a second time must sit out a season before playing, or they need a waiver from the NCAA.

Alford wasn’t able to play on Thursday against Southern Utah and today Dillingham confirmed that the safety was ruled ineligible for this season and unable to receive a waiver.

“Very disappointing to have multiple guys on our team, who didn’t play football last year, not be able to play again,” Dillingham said. “It’s just ridiculous in my opinion, and there’s other teams throughout the country that play guys who shouldn’t be able to play. I just don’t understand it. It is what it is.”

Alford speaks out

Arizona State’s head coach clearly isn’t pleased with the NCAA’s decision, and neither is Alford.

“CRAZY THIS IS HAPPENING. SAT THE WHOLE YEAR LAST YEAR. TRYING TO PUNISH ME FOR NOTHING MAKING ME SIT OUT ANOTHER YEAR,” Alford wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

CRAZY THIS IS HAPPENING. SAT THE WHOLE YEAR LAST YEAR. TRYING TO PUNISH ME FOR NOTHING MAKING ME SIT OUT ANOTHER YEAR.

— X̾a̾v̾i̾o̾n̾ ̾A̾l̾f̾o̾r̾d̾ (@100YARDLANDLORD) September 3, 2023

This isn’t the first time the Texas native has gone to social media to voice his complaints with the NCAA. The whole ordeal has been going on for a few weeks now.

On Aug. 18 Alford wrote, “PUNISHING KIDS FOR LEAVING A SCHOOL WHO DIDN’T WANT THEM AND FUNNELED THEM INTO DEPRESSION DURING THEIR LOWEST POINTS IN LIFE IS SAD.”

PUNISHING KIDS FOR LEAVING A SCHOOL WHO DIDN’T WANT THEM AND FUNNELED THEM INTO DEPRESSION DURING THEIR LOWEST POINTS IN LIFE IS SAD.

— X̾a̾v̾i̾o̾n̾ ̾A̾l̾f̾o̾r̾d̾ (@100YARDLANDLORD) August 17, 2023

Xavion Alford’s situation is unfortunate and another questionable decision by the NCAA, that nobody in Tempe is pleased about.

Thank you for reading Sun Devil Daily! Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with Arizona State news! For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at [email protected]. Also, make sure to check out the Sun Devil Daily shop for merchandise! Forks up!