STATESBORO - The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) notified Georgia Southern Monday evening that transfer running back J.D. King has been ruled immediately eligible for the 2019 season.

The Fitzgerald native who transferred from Oklahoma State in January has been awaiting word from the NCAA since the original request for eligibility was submitted to the NCAA on March 29. King went through spring practice with the Eagles and has been a full participant in fall camp.

"I am very humble and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Georgia Southern football family," King said. "I would first like to thank God for his given talents as well as the NCAA for granting me this eligibility. I would also like to thank Georgia Southern's compliance office, Coach Lunsford, Coach Foster for his dedication, my teammates, my mother, my father and anyone who has contributed to helping with this matter. Thank you!"

King needed to meet three different criteria in order to be eligible for 2019. His initial request was denied after meeting only two of the three criteria and Georgia Southern filed an appeal on July 22. Oklahoma State's Athletic Department provided a letter on King's behalf supporting his decision to leave the program which was included in the original waiver application.

As a freshman in 2017, King was Oklahoma State's second-leading rusher with 469 yards, scoring five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving). In 2018, he played in 10 games for the Cowboys, rushing 43 times for 153 yards. He finished his high school career with nearly 6,000 rushing yards.

"First off I would like to thank the NCAA, Keith Roughton, Coach Chris Foster and our administration for their diligent work in the helping with the J.D. King eligibility case," said head coach Chad Lunsford. "This young man and his family are first class and his need to be back home was something that was important to him. Now he also gets to continue to do what he loves and also be near his family. We are happy for him, his family and his teammates. College football is a business, but At Georgia Southern it is a family business and this news was great news for the family!

Georgia Southern opens the 2019 season on Aug. 31 at No. 6 LSU.