According to the father of Alabama signee Nick Kyles, the NCAA Clearinghouse has rejected his son's application for freshman eligibility.

"The Clearinghouse said Nick's grade point average wasn't high enough," Alton Kyles told BOL. "We feel like we've been held hostage by everybody involved in this thing. I think Alabama knew all along that he wasn't going to be eligible, but they waited until a few days before we were going up there to tell us because they wanted to try and keep him."

According to the elder Kyles, the wide receiver prospect from Milledgeville, Ga., has been told that he can return to Baldwin High School this fall in an effort to raise his grade point average to an acceptable level.

However, that doesn't appear to be an option Alton Kyles is open to.

"I don't see that happening at all," Mr. Kyles said. "He's still a kid and he needs to get out of this environment."

While he's frustrated by the recent turn of events, Alton Kyles hasn't looked into other possibilities (limited as they would be given Nick's academic status) for his son.

"I need to hear a concrete plan for Nick from Alabama," Mr. Kyles said. "I'm supposed to talk to (UA assistant) Coach Cheese (Charlie Harbison) this evening, so hopefully we'll find out what they have planned."

According to Alton Kyles, Nick needs to raise his GPA in two courses. Ironically, Nick's twin brother, Jarvis, met qualifying standards and enrolled at Mississippi State last week.

If Kyles does return to high school in the fall, he'll follow the same route 2004 signee Travis McCall took after failing to qualify a year ago. McCall went back to Prattville High School and passed the courses he needed to become eligible. He enrolled at UA last month.

With Kyles now out of the 2005 class, one of the Tide's three grayshirt candidates --defensive backs Travis Sikes, Sam Burnthall, and offensive lineman Cole Harvey-- will likely be asked to report in August.

Kyles joins Antonio Forbes, Desmond Jennings, Mike Ford and Michael Ricks as the latest member of the Tide's 2005 signing class to fall short of qualifying standards.