Tim Frisby has squeezed a lot into his 39 years.
He jumped out of airplanes as an Airborne Ranger, served in the first Gulf War, fathered six children, and once put his name in for the NBA draft.
But Frisby has never played in a college football game. He might get his chance Saturday. The NCAA cleared the USC walk-on receiver on Thursday, making the former Army sergeant eligible to play when Troy visits Williams-Brice Stadium.
“I leave it up to coach (Lou Holtz). The game will dictate if I play or not,” Frisby said Thursday. “And if I don’t, that’s fine because we’re trying to win here, and that’s the goal. The team’s more important than myself.”
Frisby’s eligibility had been in question for two weeks because his 1983 high school graduation pre-dates the NCAA Clearinghouse, the independent agency that certifies athletes’ initial eligibility. USC officials were concerned about a lengthy delay in clearing Frisby, who attended two high schools in Allentown, Pa., at least one of which did not keep its records on the school grounds.
However, the NCAA considered Frisby’s unique situation and decided to certify him without going through the normal Clearinghouse procedure.
“Tim is certainly not the typical college football player,” said NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson. “People take different paths in life, and now he has this opportunity in front of him, and we were happy to help him with his request.”
Frisby received the news during a conference call Thursday. When Holtz told the team later in the day, players clapped for the man they call “Pops.” “It’s an amazing story, and he’s got a marvelous attitude. He comes out, and he works,” Holtz said. “He really does some nice things. He’s not out of place out there for a 39-year-old.”
Frisby, who turned down a basketball scholarship to Tennessee State to join the Army, began taking classes at USC in 2002, then enrolled full-time this semester after ending his military service at Fort Jackson. He joined the team in the spring and has been working with the scout team this fall.
“I played sports and stayed fit all my life and wanted to give it a shot when I came back to school,” Frisby said. “I take being a student-athlete seriously, exactly in that order.”
Under NCAA rules, Frisby has five years to play four seasons, meaning he could still be on the Gamecocks’ roster when he is 44.
But Holtz said that Frisby, who wears No. 89, will not have to wait that long to play.
“He would have played last week (against South Florida),” Holtz said.
“He will play this year.”
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Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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