Casey Mulholland expects to enroll at Ole Miss and play baseball. It just won't be this fall when that happens.

Mulholland, a 2010 Ole Miss signee that underwent ulnar collateral ligament replacement (Tommy John) surgery March 31, is taking a somewhat uncharted path when it comes to beginning his college career.

Instead of being admitted at Ole Miss and redshirting during the 2011 season, due to the elbow rehabilitation, the Bradenton, Fla., native is enrolling at the State College of Florida (Bradenton, Fla.) as a postgraduate student and plans to re-sign with the Rebels in November and arrive in Oxford as a freshman in fall 2011.

The unorthodox plan allows him to rehab at IMG Academy - Mulholland's high school and one of the best baseball training facilities in the world - preserve all of his eligibility and not occupy a spot on Ole Miss' 35-man roster, nor claim a hefty percentage of one of the program's 11.7 scholarships.

Mulholland, a right-handed two-way player, and the Ole Miss coaching staff outlined this agreement during his unofficial visit for the Florida series earlier this spring. The scenario requires trust on both sides. Ole Miss isn't required to offer Mulholland a scholarship, and other schools prior to him signing in November could attempt to recruit Mulholland.

"We first talked about this, there was an awkward moment between coach (Mike) Bianco and I where we just stared at each other," Mulholland said. "But then we smiled and understood we were on the same page. It's unusual, but it works for both sides. I can finish my rehab at IMG, and it helps Ole Miss with scholarships and putting together the best team possible.

"Obviously it's a big step for me to give back a scholarship, but we all trust each other and are working toward the same goal."

While at SCF, Mulholland will only take nine academic hours each semester, and all classes will transfer to Ole Miss. Avoiding full-time status keeps Mulholland's eligibility clock from beginning - similar to a greyshirt in football, but this will last a full academic year. The year at SCF will be paid for, courtesy of a Bright Futures scholarship.

Since Mulholland isn't enrolling at a four-year university, he will also be eligible for the 2011 Major League First Year Player Draft. The Draft isn't a consideration for his timeline, but Mulholland will, of course, listen if his name is called. However, any franchise interested will have only past history to go on.

Mulholland is in the early stages of a 15-month plan to return to full strength. He's taking every precaution with his rehabilitation and is committed to not rushing it - for the Draft or anything else.

"You can see from my schedule that I'm not doing this with signing professionally as the thought," Mulholland said. "I won't even be full strength until right before the Draft, and that's if everything goes exactly like I plan. I won't have pitched in an actual game since March of 2010. Someone would have to really like me.

"I'm focused on 10 years from now, not next summer."

Once cleared to return to the mound, Mulholland will take part in what are essentially intrasquad games at IMG. The students play simulated games most days, and Mulholland will be able to participate and work on his mechanics and pitches.

"That will be a way I can get back some game experiences, playing the kids at the IMG baseball camp," Mulholland said. "Scouts could watch me there, but they won't see much. I won't be trying to get people out. I'll be working on location and making sure my change-up moves and my curve ball works like it should.

"I'm not worried about impressing scouts. I'm worried about getting ready and impressing the people at Ole Miss. Those are the ones I've got to prove myself to - that I'm worth all this."

Prior to the injury, Mulholland was rated as one of the top five players in Florida and a unanimous top-100 national prospect. Mock drafts had him coming off the board around the 100th overall selection in this summer's Draft.

On the mound during his cut-short senior season, Mulholland was 3-1 and allowed just five earned runs - four of which came on a grand slam against Seminole (Fla.) High School. Seminole beat him 4-3 for the first loss of his varsity career - a span of five years. It was also the game he was injured.

Mulholland struck out 33 and walked three in 2010.

The operation required taking a ligament from Mulholland's left leg to repair the right elbow. He'll soon be able to ride a bike and jog, and his throwing program begins in five months. Throwing in four months is standard instruction, but Mulholland is in no rush. Currently, he's working with two-pound dumbbells and just began band training.

"I've got serious work ahead of me to make an impact at Ole Miss when I get there," Mulholland said. "This is all going to pay off. The people at Ole Miss care about me, and I care about them.

"My mind is focused on developing a name for myself starting in the fall of 2011."