Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Chandler Morris has been fighting the NCAA for a seventh year of collegiate eligibility, but he saw a major setback on Thursday. According to multiple reports, Morris’ request for a preliminary injunction was denied by a Virginia circuit court judge.
Morris, who most recently played for Virginia in 2025, sued the NCAA in Charlottesville Circuit Court in February. It was his attempt to return for one more season after his extension of eligibility waiver and appeal were denied by the NCAA earlier this year.
Morris and Co. were arguing that his 2022 season, when he was at TCU, should not have counted against his eligibility, but now his 2026 season at the collegiate level in in serious jeopardy. According to ESPN, Morris could still opt to pursue the 2026 NFL Draft, which is later this month. However, he did not participate in the NFL combine or UVA’s pro day.
Morris spent the 2020 season with the Sooners, serving as the third-string quarterback in Norman. He then spent three years (2021-2023) at TCU, before transferring to North Texas for the 2024 season, and transferring again to Virginia for what now looks like was his final college season in 2025. He helped the Cavaliers make the ACC title game in his lone season at the program. The Cavs brought in transfer portal QBs Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein to try and minimize the damage from a situation like this one for Morris.
Of course, OU is embroiled in its own eligibility case with star linebacker Owen Heinecke. His waiver and appeal were both denied by the NCAA, so he’s sued them in court for an extra year of eligibility. He’s filed an injunction of his own, and his emergency hearing is on April 16th, just one week before the first day of the NFL draft.
Heinecke’s case is a bit different than Morris’. He is being denied another season because he played 15 total minutes of lacrosse in three games at Ohio State in 2021. He then transferred to OU to play football, but he missed the entire 2022 season due to injury. After being a special-teamer in 2023 and 2024, Heinecke broke onto the scene at inside linebacker in 2025. Despite really only playing three seasons of college football, the NCAA isn’t letting Heinecke compete in 2026, so he’s taking legal action.
While Morris’ college career is now on thin ice, Sooner Nation hopes that Heinecke’s situation plays out more like Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss’ did. He’ll get to play in 2026, after the NCAA’s appeal of the court’s ruling that went in his favor was denied.
With time running out before the draft, many of these eligibility battles will be over soon. If Oklahoma were to get Heinecke back in the fold, he would be a huge boost to their LB room, and help the Sooners chase a repeat trip to the College Football Playoff in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Former OU quarterback has injunction request for extra year denied
