# Rolando McClain back at Alabama (college football)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolando-mcclain-back-at-alabama-college-football/660863>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [June 13, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolando-mcclain-back-at-alabama-college-football/660863 "2013-06-13T00:53:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolando-mcclain-back-at-alabama-college-football/660863/1 "2013-06-13T00:53:41Z")

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To summarize the story linked below, Rolando McClain played for 3 years at 'Bama, was then drafted, had some legal troubles, “retired” from the NFL at the age of 23, and is now back at 'Bama.

> **[Troubled linebacker Rolando McClain returns to Alabama after NFL retirement](https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/troubled-linebacker-rolando-mcclain-returns-alabama-nfl-retirement-164458427.html)**
>
> After seeing his life fall apart after entering the NFL, Rolando McClain is going back home to Alabama. At a benefit dinner Tuesday night, Nick Saban told attendees that "\[Rolando's\] gone back to school. He's with us now." The 23-year-old … Continue...

Previous thread about some of his legal troubles: [Question on Alabama criminal trials](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=652571&highlight=rolando)

First, the dumb question that I have to ask: Can he play football at Alabama?

Other questions: What can he do? Be a paid assistant? Be a GA? Hang out as a volunteer assistant?  
What are the chances that he gets his life back on track and reenteres the NFL?

Tangental discussion is also appreciated.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolando-mcclain-back-at-alabama-college-football/660863/2 "2013-06-13T02:55:41Z")

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I don’t know chapter and verse in the NCAA rule book, but I’m pretty sure that once you go pro, your college eligibility is done for.

I imagine he’ll try and finish up his degree, and probably get some kind of sinecure as a grad assistant in the football program.

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**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolando-mcclain-back-at-alabama-college-football/660863/3 "2013-06-13T15:43:18Z")

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He’s absolutely uneligible to play. Vince Young finally finished off his degree from UTexas this past spring and was seen around at practice without having any sort of official role in the program other than being an “Ex”.