FanHouse Mike Balogun

Linebacker Mike Balogun might play his final season of eligibility at Oklahoma after all.

Balogun, 25, and the NCAA have sparred over his eligibility for more than a week after information came to light that the linebacker played semi-professional football after the age of 22. But Balogun's attorney, Woody Glass, told The Oklahoman that he is working on an agreement with the NCAA that would allow his client to play this season. A court hearing on Monday at an Oklahoma District court in connection with the temporary restraining order Balogun has against the NCAA was canceled, fueling speculation that the two parties are near an agreement.

"Our hope is to get all this information that I've uncovered the last several weeks back to the NCAA," Glass said to The Oklahoman, "and let them make a decision."

Balogun, a former junior college transfer, is competing for time as a backup to starter Ryan Reynolds.

According to a story published on the National American Football League's Web site, Oklahoma's Mike Balogun appears to have exhausted his college eligibility by participating in a semi-pro football league past the age of 21.

The NAFL's Web site indicates that Balogun, 25, did play with the Maryland Marauders at least up until 2005. In the recap from the losers' bracket championship game in November 2005, there is mention of Balogun recovering a fumble in the Marauders' 13-10 loss to the West Sound (Wash.) Saints. The write up goes on to say Balogun finished the day with seven tackles and a fumble recovery.

The 2008 Oklahoma media guide lists Balogun's birthday as Sept. 28, 1983, which would have made him 22 in the fall of 2005.

The lawsuit Oklahoma senior linebacker Mike Balogun filed against the NCAA Tuesday with a Cleveland County (Okla.) Court District is apparently working -- for now.

Balogun sought and received a restraining order blocking the NCAA's mandate he not continue practicing with the Sooners after Wednesday, while the governing body investigates his college eligibility. Balogun will be allowed to continue practicing with his Oklahoma teammates for the next few days.

Balogun, who is seeking $10,000 in damages from the NCAA in the civil suit according to published reports, has a hearing set with District Judge Tom A. Lucas Monday afternoon. It's likely he will be allowed to continue practicing with the Sooners at least until then.

The future of Oklahoma senior linebacker Mike Balogun is up in the air as the NCAA looks into his participation in a semi-pro football league prior to joining the Sooners.

The NCAA, acting on information it received from Oklahoma, declared Balogun ineligible as of Friday while it looks into the possibility Balogun could have played in a semi-pro league after he turned 21 on Sept. 28, 2004. NCAA rules say that a player loses a year of eligibility for each season he plays a non-amateur sport past the age of 21.

Balogun, 25, is a second-year junior college transfer from out of Lackawanna (Pa.) Community College, where he played two years. Balogun, who apparently did not play his final two years of high school, played for the Maryland Marauders, D.C. Explosion and Prince George Jets of the North American Football League, a semi-pro league, prior to enrolling at Lackawanna.

After a few hours on the depth-chart bench, Oklahoma middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds is again apparently a starter.

Monday, Sooners coach Bob Stoops' released the team's depth chart with several surprises.

The biggest was in the middle, as the coaching staff had Mike Balogun listed as the starter with incoming freshman Tom Wort backing him up and no mention of expected front-runners Reynolds, who starred for the team until suffering an injury against Texas, and Austin Box, who started four games at the position last year.

But as of Tuesday at 10AM, the two-deep listed Reynolds as the No.1 linebacker and Balogun backing him up. It's unclear what prompted the quick change, whether it was a coaching decision or simply a typographical error. Sooners football media contact Kenny Mossman did not return several calls on Tuesday for clarification.