Jarrod Uthoff can play at restricted B1G school after sitting out, paying expenses for 1 year

IOWA CITY - Cedar Rapids Jefferson graduate Jarrod Uthoff will have a chance to earn a basketball scholarship for any program outside the Big Ten.

The question is, does he want to play in the Big Ten?

Uthoff, a 6-foot-8 forward, received permission Thursday from Wisconsin athletics officials, including Athletics Director Barry Alvarez, to contact any non-league basketball program. That means any school outside the conference can recruit Uthoff and offer him a scholarship with Wisconsin's blessing. But Uthoff still could be interested in competing at the Big Ten level.

Uthoff's AAU coach, Iowa Barnstormers Executive Director Jamie Johnson, said Uthoff has interest in Iowa State, Florida, Creighton and Northern Iowa. Uthoff also is weighing his options about appealing his Big Ten restrictions.

Uthoff, a Marengo native, was heavily recruited by Iowa, Indiana and Illinois before picking Wisconsin in July 2010. He red-shirted this season and is ineligible to compete for any Division I school next year.

If Uthoff transferred to a Big Ten school without restriction, he could receive an immediate scholarship but be ineligible to compete for one year. If he left Wisconsin without permission for another Big Ten school, he would be ineligible for a scholarship and competition in his first year. But he could receive a scholarship and compete in subsequent seasons, according to Chad Hawley, the Big Ten's associate commissioner of compliance.

Wisconsin officials released a statement Thursday afternoon about the Uthoff and his options. It reads, “If Uthoff wishes to further appeal the ‘permission to contact' denial to any Big Ten university, he may request a hearing to the Chair of the Athletic Board within 8 business days.”

Attempts to reach Uthoff on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Uthoff, a Marengo native, red-shirted this season at Wisconsin and asked for his scholarship release on April 12. He immediately was restricted from speaking with all Big Ten schools, Iowa State and Marquette. On Monday, Uthoff was denied permission from contacting all Atlantic Coast Conference schools. Wednesday, the school restricted Uthoff from talking with Florida.

According to Wisconsin's statement, Uthoff requested permission to contact 16 schools and four were denied. Uthoff appealed three of the denied schools. Wisconsin officials and men's basketball coach Bo Ryan met after Uthoff's appeal hearing and lifted all non-Big Ten restrictions.

“Ryan is supportive of denials of Big Ten institutions only and has wanted the appeals process to serve as a means for dialogue to occur between Uthoff and UW Athletics administration,” according to the statement.

Uthoff was Iowa's Mr. Basketball in 2011 after leading the state in scoring at more than 26 points a game.