CFB notebook: NCAA eases rules for transfers

The NCAA's Division I Council on Wednesday approved a new rule that will eliminate the permission-to-contact process when a student-athlete transfers from one program to another. Previously, college coaches could block transferring athletes from certain schools, and the athlete was required to obtain permission for schools to contact him. The new rule will take effect in October. The new process allows the athlete to notify his school of a desire to transfer and requires the school to enter the student's name into a database within two business days of the request. Previously, the player had to ask permission and could be denied from transferring to certain schools. After the player's name is entered into the database, college coaches will be allowed to contact the athlete freely and without permission. --Wisconsin has taken a significant hit on its defensive line. Badgers coach Paul Chryst told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that junior Garrett Rand recently sustained an Achilles tendon injury during workouts and is out indefinitely. Chryst also said that sophomore Isaiahh Loudermilk underwent knee surgery this spring. Both were projected as starters this season after the Badgers lost Conor Sheehy, Alec James and Chikwe Obasih. The latter trio accounted for 88 tackles last season. "Isaiahh is going through (rehab) and we'll see where he is at with it," Chryst told the newspaper. "Isaiahh has been doing more, which is good. ... Garrett will be further away. I haven't gotten the official update." Rand recorded 13 tackles in 14 games last season for Wisconsin while Loudermilk had 11 tackles in 11 games. --Jake Wood, who played offensive tackle at Wisconsin, went on to join the Marines and co-founded Team Rubicon, will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service at this year's ESPY Awards. Wood served four years with the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, and after being honorably discharged in 2009, he began advocating for veterans. After a 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Wood and fellow Marine William McNulty organized a group of veterans, first responders and medical workers to aid the victims. That led the to create Team Rubicon, a nonprofit organization that uses the skills of veterans to rapidly deploy as emergency responders to disasters. The organization has responded to more than 250 disasters and has more than 80,000 volunteers.