Education, Athletics at Odds in Debate Over Grad Transfers

Akeel Lynch went from starter to backup at Penn State last season as freshman Saquon Barkley emerged as one of the best running backs in the country.

Facing the prospect of spending most of his final season of college eligibility on the sideline, Lynch decided to take advantage of an NCAA rule that allows graduates to transfer and be immediately eligible to play.

"I felt like I served my time at Penn State. I helped them get through the sanctions. I realized that my football skills weren't needed at Penn State and Nevada was one of those schools where I could use my skills," said Lynch, who has been accepted to the Reno school's master's in educational leadership program.

The graduate transfer…