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By Josh Katzowitz

Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI — Ben Mauk sat on a couch on the eighth floor of the Lindner Center Thursday, clad in windbreaker pants, a long-sleeve T-shirt, and a University of Cincinnati baseball hat. He looked just like a regular college student.

After the NCAA denied his application for a sixth year of eligibility, Mauk has become exactly that.

The former Bearcats quarterback, who led the team to a 10-3 finish while setting a school record with 31 touchdowns this past season, had hoped to earn that rare sixth year of eligibility, based mostly on arguments that he couldn't play two seasons due to factors that were out of his control.

But the school announced Thursday morning the NCAA had ruled against him, and two days after Mauk found out the news, he met the media in his new collegiate uniform.

"Just deciding to come here (as a transfer from Wake Forest), we really thought we'd have two years to do this thing," said Mauk, who helped lead the Bearcats to school records in points scored (472), touchdowns (63) and passing touchdowns (36) this year. "But at the same time, you try to focus on what you can control. I wouldn't say it's a major disappointment. There's more to life than football. I kept my priorities as my faith and my family – and then came football."

Mauk was redshirted as a freshman at Wake Forest and after suffering a devastating shoulder injury that caused him to miss all but one game of the 2006 season — and which led him to transfer to UC — he had a fantastic 2007.

He applied for a sixth year of eligibility, but the NCAA denied him the extension based on NCAA Bylaw 30.6.1.2, which states a redshirt year is considered within the control of the student-athlete and/or institution and does not constitute a missed participation opportunity.

One of the arguments made by UC was that Mauk did not have a choice whether to take a redshirt season at Wake Forest in 2003, and Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe corroborated that statement in a letter to the NCAA.

"That's the disappointing thing," Mauk said. "That redshirt year, it wasn't like I went into coach Grobe's office and said, 'Hey coach, I want to sit out this year. I don't want to play.' It was a thing where I was a freshman and I wanted to play — I never wanted to sit out — and I thought I could help the team out. But I wasn't playing, and it was out of my control."

Even though his UC football career is finished, Mauk can look to the future and see a number of options.

He can try to play professional football; he can finish his Master's degree in criminal justice, take the teaching certificate he earned from Wake Forest and join the work force; or he can try to take legal recourse against the NCAA.

On Wednesday, he said he would talk to his family about his future plans. Meanwhile, UC coach Brian Kelly will watch the new starting quarterback — Notre Dame transfer Demetrius Jones, former starter Dustin Grutza and a host of redshirt freshmen will attempt to be that person — compete during spring practice.

"Were we disappointed?" Kelly said. Absolutely, there's no question we're disappointed. I don't know if I would say surprised when it came to this. We were prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. Anytime you return somebody who threw 31 touchdown passes and led your football team, clearly that's a piece you want back. But that's something that's not going to happen, so we're going to move on and get ready."

Comment: What do you think of the NCAA's decision?