TUSCALOOSA - Nearly two years after Kerry Murphy originally signed with Alabama's football program, the star prospect's academic eligibility saga finally ended Monday.
Murphy learned along with University of Alabama officials that he had been certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse, after which he promptly enrolled in spring semester classes at UA.
He'll be allowed to participate in spring practice and suit up this fall for the Crimson Tide as a freshman.
A 6-foot-5, 325-pound lineman from Hoover High, Murphy twice signed with Alabama and failed to qualify academically.
As a result, he spent the past 18 months playing prep school football at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va.
Rivals.com rated Murphy as the No. 2 prospect in Alabama and nation's No. 4 defensive tackle when he first signed after the 2006 high school season. He could play on either side of the football at Alabama, but is projected to play noseguard with Terrence Cody and former Hoover teammate Josh Chapman.
Murphy faced a Wednesday deadline for spring semester enrollment.
He now joins three other mid-term enrollees who started classes and officially joined Alabama's team last week: Former Davidson running back Jermaine Preyear, who grayshirted during the fall while recovering from shoulder surgery; junior college offensive lineman James Carpenter; and Atlanta-area prep offensive lineman Chance Warmack.
