Lafayette Jeff offensive lineman Kyros Carr granted eligibility after appeal

LAFAYETTE — In a silent classroom studying English, Lafayette Jeff junior offensive lineman Kyros Carr learned the final fate of his 2024 football season.

After eight days of uncertainty and disappointment, the 17-year-old Carr could finally smile. He was granted full and immediate eligibility after a third and final appeal was made to a review panel by the Indiana Board of Education, Lafayette Jeff school officials confirmed on Thursday.

The review panel ruled 3-2 in favor of Carr, according to an email sent from the Indiana Board of Education to the school.

Previously: Lafayette Jeff lineman Kyros Carr waits to play after transfer from McCutcheon

It's an abrupt turn for Carr who was uncertain of his future after being originally told he'd have to wait 365 days and couldn't play football until his senior year.

Now he can play immediately, starting Friday against Richmond.

"We were really disappointed last week when I found out I couldn't play," Carr said. "We focused our energy into one big effort. We knew this would be my last opportunity for me to be able to play this year."

Carr initially was ruled ineligible last week after transferring from McCutcheon to Lafayette Jeff in May. The IHSAA wouldn't comment on the matter, and Lafayette Jeff coach Pat Shanley recalled how Carr felt in the days after being told he couldn't play.

"You could see after our Kokomo game last week that he was the last person to leave the field," Shanley said. "He was on the bench and you could tell he was agonizing. There was pain there inside of him and you could tell that he wanted to be out there and be part of that excitement. Despite that, he's been an incredible leader inside the locker room."

Disappointment is now replaced with jubilation and hope for Carr, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound offensive lineman who aspires to play Division I football.

More: How senior golfer Sophia Royer revitalized Central Catholic's program

The locker room in Lafayette Jeff was more boisterous than usual as hip-hop music was cranked to max volume when Carr was greeted with hugs and chants from his teammates.

He can finally play under the Friday night lights after being relegated to the scout team. He'll also have the opportunity to play Harrison on Oct. 11 and conclude the regular season against his old school McCutcheon on Oct. 18.

"I really couldn't believe it, I was shaking," Carr said. "I went into class and I wasn't sure how I could get work done because I was shaking so hard. It's been so long since we found out about anything good about the situation. So when I found out it was something in our favor, (the feeling) was unbelievable."

Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com , on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson .

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Jeff offensive lineman Kyros Carr granted eligibility after appeal