Originally Posted by
Olympic Fan
This is correct ... the NCAA does not allow you to "split" years of eligibility.
Technically, Olek played two of his four allowable seasons at Duke -- all of 2009 (although he appeared in just 13 games) and six games in 2010. Now, he could -- like Jamal -- apply for hardship and get the second year back, but he didn't have an injury, so that's no good.
He has two years left and he has to sit out the first semester to complete his one-year transfer layoff. Now, he could apply for a hardship there -- as Elliot Williams did, but if he were going to do that, he should have done it a year ago and played second semester of last year. But that kind of waiver requires a reason (as with Elliot's ailing mother) ... no reason there.
So Olek basically has two options -- he can play at mid-December, missing a few early season games, and have the rest of the 2011 season and the 2012 season to play. He really gets more than half a season -- he'll be eligible whenever Reno's first semester is over (I know the Georgetown transfer at Wake, who is in the same situarion, is going to miss just their first eight games).
Or he can redshirt this season and play in 2011 and 2012.
Knowing that Olek declined Coach K's suggestion that he redshirt in 2008-09, I'd be surprised if he elects to redshirt now.