Yeah, wow. Reading is fundamental.
The most recent NCAA manual I could find with a quick search says this.
This is from the NCAA manual:
Constitution
Operating Bylaws
Administrative Bylaws
Effective August 1, 2009
Bylaw 14.2.4 (B) The injury or illness occurs prior to the first competition of the second half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in that sport (see Bylaw 14.2.4.3.4) and results in
incapacity to compete for the remainder of that playing season.
They've already said that that he is cleared to play. Simply not playing him has NO affect on this at all. Whether Ferentz plays him or not makes absolutely NO difference!
The only way they could have done that would be big time SEC style cheating. First, the coaches would have wanted to keep their mouths shut about him being healthy again because now everyone knows he's not eligible.
On the hardship application form it states again that the doctor must provide documentation that
"that the injury resulted in the SA’s incapacity to compete the remainder of the season." Not only would Ferentz have to find a crooked doctor to put his entire career on the line to lie, but would also have to have the signatures of athletics director, head trainer and compliance coordinator all lying on this document.
Here's an example of a hardship application..
http://www2.sfasu.edu/athletictraining/Forms/HardIndi.pdf