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Zack Mahoney had a fantastic idea about how to raise money and show solidarity with 7-year-old Lillian Belfield. Unfortunately, Syracuse couldn't navigate the NCAA rulebook in time.

(Stephen D. Cannerelli | Syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Quarterback Zack Mahoney wanted to do a nice thing. Unfortunately, the need to work around the complex regulations of the NCAA, and the fear of committing a potential rules violation, spoiled what might have been a memorable moment.

About a year ago the Syracuse football team adopted Lillian Belfield as one of its own. A brave 7-year-old from Mexico, Belfield has inspired the team with her toughness as she fights a rare form of brain cancer, and served as the face of its "Lift for Life" fundraiser, an event in which the team raises money to fight rare diseases.

Recently, Belfield suffered a recurrence of her disease. She'd undergo surgery and chemotherapy. And Mahoney, a college junior, had an especially heartfelt and thoughtful reaction.

The football player feared Lillian might lose her hair, and he wanted to cut his in solidarity. With Syracuse's chapter of Uplifting Athletes approaching its annual fundraiser, he hoped to use that moment to raise money to fight the disease at the same time.

Mahoney announced on social media that the fan who donated the most money to Syracuse's event could cut his hair however they wanted. Shapes in the back? Fine. Words? That was good, too. Something outlandish? Naturally.

Mahoney planned to put on a show at Syracuse's "Lift for Life event," getting a haircut on a tarp in the middle of Manley Field House. The football team and a handful of fans would get some laughs. The Belfields would get some support. It's easy to imagine the video going viral and drawing national attention to a good cause.

Colleges, however, have set up a web of rules to protect their financial well-being and retain the idea of amateurism, often at the expense of common sense and being able to act normally. Somewhere in the Syracuse football team's efforts to make sure they remained within NCAA rules, Mahoney's plan got nixed.

Mahoney said he was told about two weeks before the event that the auctioned haircut could violate NCAA rules, although he and Jason Emerich, the president of Syracuse's Uplifting Athletes chapter, were somewhat hazy on the exact rule that would have been an issue.

"I was a little disappointed," Mahoney said. "I tried to see if there was a way around it. Hopefully next year we can try something similar. I think if we do it somewhere else, not in the facility, it will work. I would have loved it. Hopefully we can do something along those lines."

Zack Mahoney had hoped to cut his hair to show solidarity with the Belfield twins, Lillian and Emma.

Dan French, the school's senior vice president and general counsel and the head of its compliance department, said on Wednesday that he doesn't believe the concept would have violated NCAA rules but the idea of the haircut wasn't submitted with the plans for the event.

"Internally there was a miscommunication," French said. "These types of events are supported. The overall package was approved. The plans for that aspect didn't make it to us in the paperwork. If we'd have known earlier we would have likely approved it."

Mahoney said he's hopeful he can resurrect the idea somehow next season and remained upbeat about the whole experience, particularly the time the team spent with Lillian.

During SU's event, Mahoney brought T-shirts to the Belfield family that included a pair of hashtags (#TeamRob and #TeamLillian) in honor of Lillian and former Syracuse player Rob Long. Lillian, and her sister, played tag with the players and giggled at Otto so hard that they fell down.

Most importantly, Mahoney noted, neither one will suffer through a bad haircut. Lillian's treatment is not expected to cause her to lose her hair.

"In March I had my hair a little long and the (team) started talking about it," Mahoney said. "When I heard Lillian might have surgery again, I thought it would be awesome to do something. Everything kind of fell through but it's all right how it worked out. She doesn't have to lose her hair. She's not on pain (medication) or anything. That's a great thing."