Home / Sports / Court Grants Oklahoma's Heinecke Extra College Football Year
Court Grants Oklahoma's Heinecke Extra College Football Year
17 Apr
Summary
- Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke secured an extra year of eligibility via a court ruling.
- Heinecke's prior NCAA waiver and appeal requests were denied.
- Judge Thad Balkman granted the injunction after a day-long hearing.
Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke was granted an additional year of college eligibility by a state court on Thursday, April 17, 2026. This ruling came after a lawsuit filed by Heinecke, who was seeking a preliminary injunction for the 2026 college football season. The NCAA had previously denied his waiver request and subsequent appeal.
Judge Thad Balkman of Oklahoma's Cleveland County District Court granted the injunction from the bench following a day-long hearing. Heinecke, 23, had a standout 2025 season, recording 74 tackles and earning second-team All-SEC honors. His collegiate status for 2026 was uncertain, impacting his potential NFL Draft prospects.
Heinecke missed three games as a walk-on at Ohio State in 2021 and transferred to Oklahoma in 2022, missing that season due to injury. He played the subsequent three seasons for the Sooners. His high school recruitment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, a factor he cited in his case.
