Notre Dame sees former lineman take NCAA fight into court

Former Notre Dame defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina has sued the NCAA while seeking another year of eligibility. In the suit, the Cal Golden Bear believes he has quite the arrow in his legal quiver, citing the Trinidad Chambliss ruling.

At the center of his suit is the fact that in 2022, when he was with the Fighting Irish, Keanaaina suffered a torn ACL before the season and ended up playing in just one game, against Boston College. The game was a 44-0 blowout at the time, and the defensive lineman had three tackles on the final drive of that matchup, but he played enough to warrant the NCAA denying his medical redshirt waiver for that season.

The former Notre Dame defensive line drew parallels to Chambliss, who had Tonsillitis and had his injury waiver denied by the NCAA at Ferris State in the same season. Despite the NCAA repeatedly denying Chambliss' efforts to get an extra year in 2026, a judge granted the Ole Miss quarterback one more year of eligibility.

Former Notre Dame football lineman Aidan Keanaaina sues NCAA for another year of eligibility

There's another twist to this particular story. If he wins the temporary restraining order Keanaaina is seeking, he presumably would be able to play college football in 2026, but it is unclear whether he would play for Cal. The former Irish defender reportedly entered the transfer portal in January and could transfer to another school if he is eligible.

Both Chambliss and the former Notre Dame defensive lineman claimed that the harm caused by the NCAA, which led to the lawsuits, is depriving them of earnings they would otherwise receive. Keanaaina states in his lawsuit that he has been offered $1 million to play at Cal in 2026, but that he also has other offers.

Keanaaina has been on a college football roster for six seasons – four at Notre Dame and two at Cal – but claims only three of them should count against his eligibility due to the COVID season and injuries.