This post tracks developments in OU football player Owen Heinecke's case against the NCAA for another year of eligibility.
Here are updates:
July 29
Thursday's hearing regarding a dispute over the journal entry has been moved to September, as first reported by SoonerScoop's George Stoia.
Heinecke's lawyers asked for a continuance due to the NCAA filing a last-minute exhibit fix that gave the linebacker's attorney only two days to respond. Judge Thad Balkman has granted the continuance.
July 24
Judge Thad Balkman will have a hearing with each side's lawyers and finalize the official written order (journal entry) next Thursday, as first reported by SoonerScoop's George Stoia. Once that is filed, the NCAA will have 30 days to file a proper appeal, meaning the case will likely continue into the season.
The appeal could have an accelerated schedule, but it also will likely take several months for it to be reviewed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court (or the civil court of appeals). It could remain undecided before the 2026 season is over, and in that case, it would likely be thrown out because Heinecke will have already played the entire season and the case would lose relevance.
June 24
The NCAA's "motion to retain" the case has been denied.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court clerk told the Daily that the case has been "dismissed."
The Daily called the secretary of Mary Quinn Cooper, Heinecke's lawyer, to confirm but did not receive a response by the time of publication. The Daily also called Taylor J. Askew, a lawyer for the NCAA, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
June 23
The Oklahoma Supreme Court granted Heinecke’s motion to dismiss the NCAA’s appeal in his case against the association due to a premature filing. The court gave the NCAA 30 days to appeal.
May 15
The Oklahoma Supreme Court certified that the record on appeal, "consisting of A FULL, TRUE AND ORIGINAL RECORD OF all instruments on file which have been designated for inclusion in the record on appeal," has been complete. The supreme court added that it is "ready for transmission to the Supreme Court of Appeals."
May 13
The NCAA filed Wednesday requesting that the Supreme Court would deny Heinecke's motion to dismiss the appeal and that the court would consider it on its merits at the earliest possible opportunity.
May 11
The NCAA has been "unable to comply with this Court's Order" to file an amended petition in error by May 11, according to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in records available online.
"The district court has yet to enter a memorialized certified copy of its April 17, 2026, order," the file reads. "Appellant's efforts to prompt entry of a memorialized order have been unsuccessful."
The file also notes that the NCAA "sought cooperation of (Heinecke's) counsel in presentation of an agreed form of order to the district court" but was rejected.
May 8
Heinecke requested on May 8 that the Supreme Court would enter an order "making clear the May 11 deadline is suspended until resolution of his motion to Dismiss Appeal, or that all deadlines are suspended until a proper journal entry has been entered in District Court," according to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in records available online. Additionally, according to the file, the NCAA has tried to "manufacture an emergency in the District Court by claiming the District Court's rules for submission of a journal entry do not apply, and that a journal entry must be entered by May 11."
May 7
David J. Zeitlin and Taylor J. Askew entered their appearance pro hac vice on behalf of the NCAA May 7.
May 4
The NCAA filed a motion May 4 to associate counsel pro hac vice, meaning it is adding two attorneys from other states to practice in this case. The association is motioning for Taylor J. Askew and David J. Zeitlin, two attorneys from Tennessee, to practice in this case. On Wednesday, the court granted the NCAA's motion to associate Taylor J. Askew and David J. Zeitlin as counsel to practice in the case.
April 29
The NCAA was directed April 29 to respond to Heinecke's motion to "dismiss Appeal as premature on or before May 13," according to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in records available online.
April 28
Heinecke’s lawyers filed a motion April 28 asking the Supreme Court to throw out the NCAA’s appeal entirely on the belief that it was filed prematurely, as first reported by Stoia.
The OU Daily received the file April 29 through the Oklahoma Supreme Court in records available online.
"Appellee Owen Heinecke respectfully moves for dismissal of this premature appeal by Appellant National Collegiate Athletic Association ("NCAA") for lack of appellate jurisdiction due to the absence of an appealable order from the District Court of Cleveland County," the file reads. "Absent an appealable order, dismissal of the NCAA's appeal without prejudice is mandatory under Oklahoma law."
NCAA filed wrong document type for appeal
The NCAA used the wrong type of court document to appeal Owen Heinecke's additional year of eligibility, according to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in records available online on.
SoonerScoop's George Stoia first reported the news, which the Daily has confirmed via the Oklahoma State Courts Network.
Background
The NCAA filed an appeal on April 24, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court gave the association until May 11 to refile with the correct paperwork. Heinecke's eligibility relief stays in effect until then.
"The Court notes the April 17, 2026, order attached is not a memorialized appealable interlocutory order," the file reads. "The following shall not constitute a judgment, decree or appealable order: minute orders or minute entries; docket entries or docket minutes; a verdict; an informal statement of the proceedings and relief awarded, including but not limited to, summary orders or summary minutes, or a letter or other writing to a party or parties indicating the ruling or instructions for preparing the judgment, decree or appealable order."
A Cleveland County court judge granted Heinecke an injunction for additional year of eligibility on April 16.
Heinecke testified before Judge Thad Balkman, an OU Law graduate, on the basis that he has played only three seasons of college football, though the NCAA’s rules give every student-athlete four. Heinecke added he was prevented from playing football his freshman year at Ohio State due to COVID-related recruiting disruptions, injuries and the program not holding walk-on tryouts until spring 2022. He ultimately played lacrosse for the school.
Heinecke is not the only college football player to have successfully filed an injunction for another year of eligibility in 2026. Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a sixth-year senior next season, was granted another year of eligibility after a Mississippi Supreme Court judge denied the NCAA's appeal of his injunction. He redshirted for Ferris State in 2021, missed the 2022 season due to respiratory issues, played two seasons there in 2023-24 before having a successful season at Mississippi in 2025.
If the appeal moves forward, the full trial court record must be submitted to the Supreme Court before June 16.
