Braden River High’s Knowledge McDaniel cleared to return this season. But there’s a catch.
The saga surrounding Braden River High senior Knowledge McDaniel’s eligibility has come to a conclusion.
On Thursday at the Florida High School Athletic Association building in Gainesville, McDaniel saw his eligibility increased to the last six regular-season games of the 2018 season, but no potential playoff games, following a mediation hearing.
A judge went between two rooms, one filled with Braden River representatives and one filled with FHSAA representatives, to mediate a mutually agreed upon solution.
Consequently, the scheduled Sunday appeals hearing in front of the FHSAA Board of Directors was canceled.
Long before Thursday’s mediation, McDaniel’s eligibility for the season was put in doubt in the summer when a letter circulated throughout Manatee County alleging various Braden River violations.
That letter was sent to Frank Beasley, FHSAA director of athletics and a football administrator, and it was carbon copied to FHSAA executive director for compliance and student eligibility Craig Damon, now retired FHSAA member Michael Colby, Manatee County athletic director Jason Montgomery, Sarasota County athletic director James Slaton and Venice High athletic director Pete Dombrowski on July 25.
An investigation into the allegations led the FHSAA to find Braden River violated the impermissible benefit rule for two student-athletes — McDaniel and current University of South Carolina running back Deshaun Fenwick — as well as having an illegal Hudl recruiting account.
The football program was punished for the Hudl use, which led to head coach Curt Bradley’s suspension for the first three games — including the preseason Kickoff Classic — of the season.
The penalty the FHSAA handed out Aug. 8 for violating impermissible benefit policy 37.2 was a $5,000 fine, administrative probation, forfeiture of all games the two players played in 2017 and McDaniel’s suspension for 365 days. As a senior, that ruled McDaniel ineligible for the entire 2018 season for receiving impermissible benefits from a booster club member.
That led to Braden River students, parents, principal Sharon Scarbrough, athletic director Matt Nesser, Bradley and other coaches lending support for McDaniel at the Section 3 Appeals Committee hearing held at the Manatee County School District building on Sept. 6.
That hearing, expected to last around 20-30 minutes, went for about three hours with the panel members voting 3-1 to allow McDaniel to be eligible for only three non-district games. That followed a potential solution of allowing McDaniel to play in the final five games plus any playoff games.
Those non-district games were Manatee (Sept. 7), Sarasota Booker (Oct. 5) and St. Petersburg (Nov. 9). McDaniel, who has offers from more than 20 Division I programs, including Ohio State, had three catches for 81 yards with two touchdowns and six carries for 50 yards in Braden River’s victory over Manatee, the first in program history.
McDaniel sat out last week’s pulsating 31-28 victory over Class 7A-District 11 rival Palmetto.
The Pirates are on a bye this week before getting McDaniel back for the final six games, starting with a heavyweight Class 7A-District 11 tilt at defending state champion Venice on Sept. 28.
Calls seeking comment from Braden River officials were not immediately returned.
This story was originally published September 20, 2018 at 12:19 PM.