An extra year of eligibility can be granted via a "hardship waiver" if a student-athlete suffers an incapacitating injury or illness in the course of a season. The injury must occur during the first half of the season and the student-athlete, in Divisions I and II, must not have participated in more than two contests or 20% of the school's completed contests, whichever is greater. Conference championships/tournaments are counted as one contest or date of competition, regardless of the actual contest/dates used. To meet the first-half-of-the-season requirement, all competition must cease prior to the start of the contest or date of competition that begins the second half of the season. If the percentage calculation for the 20-percent rule results in a decimal -- any decimal -- the whole number preceding it is always rounded up.
According to UM's Game Notes, KC McDermott played four out of the first 5 games (FAMU, ASU, NEB, and DU). McDermott meets the the first-half-of-the-season requirement but he fails to meet the 20-percent rule. To have qualified under the 20-percent rule, he couldn't have play more than 3 games.