Jeff Blanchard (25) will get another chance to carry the ball for FAU this season after the NCAA granted him an extra year of eligibility. (FAUOwlAccess file photo)
Blanchard back in 2010
The NCAA has granted FAU running back Jeff Blanchard a rare sixth year of eligibility after two serious injuries in the last three years.
Originally published on
2/19/2010
by
Chuck King
FAU senior running back Jeff Blanchard’s college career is not finished just yet.
The NCAA granted Blanchard a sixth year of eligibility, FAU athletics administrators confirmed on Thursday.
Blanchard entered 2009’s spring practices as the No. 1 running back, but a torn knee ligament in the first few days of practice forced him to miss the entire 2009 season.
The injury to Blanchard and a subsequent injury to Willie Floyd elevated sophomore Alfred Morris to featured back status. Morris responded with 1,392 yards – tops in the Sun Belt.
Blanchard was the Owls’ fourth-leading rusher as a junior in 2008, carrying the ball 20 times for 57 yards. He also returned 17 kickoffs for 331 yards.
In 2007 Blanchard broke his ankle returning a kickoff vs. Minnesota and missed the rest of the season, using it as a medical redshirt season.
A Boca Raton-Olympic Heights graduate, Blanchard transferred to FAU from Garden City (Kansas) Community College. After sitting out in 2005, he led the Jayhawk conference with 1,266 yards rushing in 2006.
Blanchard missed all but the first practices of the 2009 spring workouts. He returned to the practice field for non-contact drills in mid-October, but did not play in any games.
Blanchard earned his undergraduate degree following the fall semester.