MTSU now plays at a higher level in Conference USA, where at least one-third of football schools permit the signing of academic non-qualifiers, according to The Daily News Journal's survey of member institutions. Two of the league's top teams – Marshall and North Texas – regularly sign NCAA non-qualifiers.
C-USA and the Sun Belt Conference, MTSU's current and previous leagues, do not have a policy against signing NCAA non-qualifiers. Both leave that to the discretion of member schools. The Big Ten, Atlantic Coast and Mid-American conferences also let their schools decide.
The Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 – arguably the top two football leagues – both permit moderation. Per current league rule, the SEC allows each school to sign four non-qualifiers in men's sports and four in women's sports per year, with a maximum of two in football per signing class and no more than one in any other sport.
Read more: http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/college/mtsu/football/2014/06/29/special-report-mtsus-decade-long-block-on-signing-non-qualifiers-outdated/11673535/