He's been around the block a few times. Obviously that one player can make a huge difference. Like Brown, Wiggins didn't think he had much chance of regaining the year. As a freshman, Wiggins was a partial qualifier and had to sit out. Then, he redshirted his second season.
Athletes normally have a five-year period to use their four years of eligibility.
Wiggins' eligibility clock ran out after last season. But Proposition 16, a new NCAA rule implemented last year, allowed athletes who were partial qualifiers to appeal to the NCAA to get the lost year back. Wiggins figured he had nothing to lose. While he was waiting for the ruling, Wiggins skipped chances to go to the Hula Bowl and NFL Combine because they would have jeopardized his eligibility. Then, he got the initial ruling right before spring football started saying his appeal had been rejected.