The NCAA announced Thursday it will grant a residence waiver to make sophomore wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett eligible to play in 2012.
Arnett, a Saginaw, Mich., native and former ESPNU Top 150 prep recruit, transferred to MSU after playing his freshman year at Tennessee to be closer to his ailing father, and will have three seasons of eligibility with the Spartans.
The waiver allows Arnett to play this season and bypass NCAA rules which requires transfer players to sit out a season. Arnett’s presence on the field will be welcomed as MSU lost its top three wide receivers in 2011 to graduation — B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and Keith Nichol — along with quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Spartans look to rebuild their passing attack in 2012 by breaking in young and inexperienced players on the perimeter as well as under center with junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell.
Arnett arrived in East Lansing in January and completed spring ball with the team. In his lone season for the Volunteers, Arnett had 24 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
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