Football: NCAA finally declares Molbert eligible

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • February 14, 2011

All of the eligibility drama has finally ended for UL football signee and former Notre Dame standout Jake Molbert.

The NCAA cleared Molbert, who signed with the Ragin’ Cajuns in February 2010, on Thursday afternoon. Molbert has been working out with the football team since that ruling and is set to participate in spring drills, which start March 4.

Molbert had delayed his full-time enrollment at UL until January as a grayshirt while waiting for a core class to be approved by the NCAA. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Molbert played defensive end at Notre Dame but is expected to line up at linebacker for the Cajuns.

As a midyear enrollee, Molbert will count backwards toward UL’s 2010 recruiting class.

"I’m anxious to see him in workouts and on the field," UL coach Mark Hudspeth said. "I have heard a lot of good things about him, and he comes from a good high school program."

Molbert, whose parents attended UL, earned all-state honors and was first-team All-Acadiana as a senior in 2009 after helping Notre Dame win the Class 3A state championship. He finished that season with 118 tackles and eight sacks and was the Defensive MVP of the Bayou Bowl (Louisiana vs. Texas) All-Star game.

As a junior he was second-team All-Acadiana and honorable mention all-state for the Class 3A runner-up Pios. He logged 73 tackles, 23 quarterback hurries and 17 sacks that season. Molbert was the team’s Most Outstanding Player in a 17-0 loss to Lutcher in the Class 3A final after racking up six tackles and 3.5 sacks.

Molbert was unavailable for comment as UL has a new policy under Hudspeth that prohibits freshmen from speaking with the media.

Notre Dame coach Lewis Cook spoke with Molbert on Friday after the NCAA’s recent ruling.

"Everybody at Notre Dame is excited for him and his family," Cook said. "He had been getting a little antsy, but he never quit working. He’s stayed in shape and put on about 20 pounds. I think it’s going to work out well for him there at UL."