Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus practiced Wednesday for the first time since being reinstated by the university.
Badgers coach Paul Chryst told reporters at a press conference that he was happy to have the 6-foot-1 junior back on the field, though his playing status remains up in the air until eligibility issues are resolved.
“Certainly he’s excited to be back with a group that means a ton to him,” Chryst said. “I haven’t asked him anything specific like, ‘How do you feel?’ but certainly everyone has gone through a lot, him being one of them.”
The school expelled Cephus after he was arrested on two counts of sexual assault and announced his reinstatement on Monday after he was found not guilty of the charges earlier this month. The athletics department later issued a statement stating Cephus was back with the Badgers but had to work through “eligibility issues before he can participate in a game.”
The Wisconsin State Journal said department spokesman Brian Lucas declined to identify the nature of those issues. He said, however, that Cephus’ athletic scholarship had been restored.
Cephus, a 21-year-old Georgia native, said earlier that the support of his coaches and teammates during his time away is why he wants to return to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin, ranked No. 19 in the country, opens the season at South Florida on Aug. 30.
