While the rumors about Tate Forcier's academic eligibility were unfounded, that was not the case with running back Michael Shaw. At the very beginning of camp, word started to trickle out about his eligibility being in question due to academic reasons, and when Rich Rodriguez was asked about him, the response was basically that it was a wait-and-see situation. To say the least, Rodriguez's response didn't sound all that promising.
Luckily, whatever Shaw had to do to ensure he was eligible for the 2010 season has been done, as Rodriguez confirmed this week that the junior running back has been cleared to play and will be on the field against UConn.
"Mike is good to go," Rodriguez said Wednesday during a teleconference. "He did what he had to do with his summer class. He's finished with all his finals. He's full participation and will be ready to go on Saturday."
Shaw is competing with Vincent Smith for the starting running back job. A starter has not been named yet, but both Shaw and Smith will likely see a lot of playing time on Saturday.