you don't know for sure if he was denied admission. That was just the conclusion that everyone came up with. I don't think that those in the know ever came out and confirmed it.
Regardless, I know that ND isn't for everyone. If he was denied admission, maybe they truly felt that he would have trouble doing the work here. Isn't it better for him to find a better fit for himself, rather than perhaps having difficulty staying eligible to play here?
There are plenty of cases, even in recent years, that ND admitted borderline students because they could play football, so your rant is kind of misplaced. IMHO.