ATLANTA -- The Southeastern Conference cleared the way Friday for former Alabama defensive back Maurice Smith to transfer as a graduate student to Georgia.The SEC granted two exceptions to conference bylaws as requested by Georgia on behalf of Smith. Smith wont have to sit out a year and will be eligible this season. He also was given an exception to the SEC rule which says transfers have at least two years of eligibility remaining.The ruling Friday by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey comes after Alabama granted Smiths release. Smith can follow former Alabama assistants Kirby Smart and Mel Tucker to Georgia. Smart is Georgias new coach and Tucker is the defensive coordinator.Sankey said Smith earned the exceptions by graduating from Alabama in three years.The standard for granting waivers has been clear and compelling evidence that there is reason for allowing an exception to SEC rules, Sankey said in a statement. I found, among other contributing factors, that a student-athlete who graduates in three years and exhibits a strong commitment to his or her academic future provides compelling motivation to help them achieve their goals on and off the field.Sankey also said Smith has clearly and passionately stated his desire for a graduate degree in Public Health.Smith will be allowed to receive financial aid from Georgia immediately.Georgia coach Kirby Smart thanked Sankey for granting the waiver which will allow Maurice Smith to pursue his dreams at the University of Georgia as a graduate transfer.This has been a difficult situation to navigate and we are grateful to all who have been involved in bringing it to a resolution, Smart said in a statement released by Georgia on Friday night. Now that it is behind us, we are all anxious to move forward.Smith has the option to complete his final year of eligibility in 2016 or 2017. He is expected to play this year and must complete nine hours this semester to be eligible for postseason play.Alabama coach Nick Saban initially blocked Smiths request to transfer within the conference.After Wednesdays practice, Saban said Alabama had done everything it could to allow the conference to make the decision about whatever they decide is in the best interest of the conference and the SEC rules relative to Maurice Smith.Smith was a first-team nickel back for Alabama during spring practice. He had 15 tackles while playing every game in 2015.It was not immediately known when Smith might join Georgias team.---AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.orgCheap NBA Jerseys . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. 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Shami has troubled the West Indies batsmen with extra bounce, and has eight wickets at 24.62 after two Tests.Shami had been sidelined for much of 2015 by a knee injury that required surgery and left him in crutches for more than a month. He made his comeback in the Antigua Test last month, and responded by cutting through the West Indies middle order in the first innings. In the next Test at Sabina Park, he struck twice early on the fourth day before the rain arrived and stalled Indias hunt for a win.Im really happy for Shami. Coming back after 18 months is not easy, Kumble said. The way he has come back and bowled aggressively, yesterday I thought he bowled the best spell that I have seen, a fast bowler running in and right through the Test. Even today in the last session he was running and bowling at 140. That says a lot about his fitness and his motivation to come back as well.Afterr his return to full fitness, Shami was a key member of the Indian Test side, Kumble said.dddddddddddd I think he feels a lot stronger now and his rhythm has been good. The problem was with his knee which was affecting his run up. Once that was sorted and he was fit and came back... fast bowling is all about rhythm and the run up. Once he got the rhythm I think the confidence came back. Weve seen from the start of the Antigua Test to now, his confidence is far greater. Thats because he has a lot of overs under his belt.With Shami having played two Tests in two weeks, Kumble noted the need to monitor the workload of a quick bowler on the comeback trail. Hes an important cog for us. We dont want to look too far ahead. The workload is something we are aware of. 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