The Southeastern Conference on Friday granted a conditional release to Maurice Smith that will allow the former Alabama defensive back to transfer to Georgia to pursue a graduate degree.
Smith graduated from Alabama last Saturday and received his release from the university Wednesday.
“Graduate transfer rules were established with the intent to be grounded in the academic interests of the student-athlete,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a release. “This conditional waiver permits Maurice Smith to receive financial aid to pursue his stated academic goals at the school of his choice while connecting his athletic participation directly to those goals.”
The 6-foot, 195-pound Smith never redshirted at Alabama, so he has the option of completing his athletic eligibility this season or next season. The Bulldogs open their 2017 season three weeks from today against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic.
According to the league release, Georgia requested the SEC make an exception to two SEC bylaws for Smith – one that requires incoming transfers to have at least two years of eligibility remaining, and another that requires student-athletes who transfer from one SEC institution to another to sit out a full academic year prior to competing.