The NCAA said in a statement today that the highly sought-after recruit can attend classes at Ole Miss and receive financial aid, but he can't play football until at least the fall of 2008 — and only then if he's met academic eligibility requirements.

Powe, who has learning disabilities, has been working toward eligibility for two years. He signed with the Rebels in 2005, but the NCAA ruled he did not have the required core courses.

He signed again in 2006 after attending a prep school and taking correspondence courses, but the NCAA questioned whether he had received too much help while he attempted to qualify.

"The idea for determining if student-athletes are academically eligible to participate in college sports is to ensure that the rigors of practice and competition do not interfere with the primary reason student-athletes enroll in college — to get an education," said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of membership services. "Mr. Powe has not achieved sufficient academic success under NCAA rules to permit athletics participation."

Powe was elevated to the first team by coach Ed Orgeron after just a few workouts. But he was allowed to practice only on a temporary basis while he sought NCAA eligibility.

The NCAA issued a separate ruling today invalidating a portion of Powe's academic high school records provided to the NCAA because he completed "a significant amount of coursework in an unusually limited amount of time — much shorter than the average time it takes students to complete similar courses."