Ineligible Baylor running back Silas Nacita apologized Thursday for accepting impermissible benefits.
One day after the walk-on's removal from the Baylor football team drew national attention, Nacita issued a new statement on his Twitter account accepting responsibility for his ineligibility.
"The bottom line is that I broke the rules," he wrote on Twitter. "I should've never accepted the help and I am deeply sorry for my actions."
Nacita went on to acknowledge that the "close family friend" who has provided his housing was merely an acquaintance from his hometown of Bakersfield, California, and that Baylor's compliance department had warned him of its concerns.
"At the time I did not think this was inappropriate behavior, but now I can see that I made a mistake by disregarding guidance from Baylor compliance on what benefits I may accept," Nacita wrote. "I take full responsibility for my choice to accept these inappropriate benefits."
Nacita had initially accused the NCAA of wrongfully punishing him for accepting housing and benefits while homeless in 2014. But his removal from the team this spring was a decision made by Baylor's compliance office when it determined he had made "rules violations that impacted his eligibility."
In his statement, Nacita also thanked Baylor coach Art Briles, who said Wednesday he would welcome the backup back onto the team if a "remedy" can be reached to restore his eligibility. Nacita rushed for three touchdowns and earned academic All-Big 12 honors as a sophomore in 2014.
"From here," Nacita wrote on his Twitter account, "I would like to get back to my studies so that I'm not paying off these student loans when I'm 50. Thank you."