ESPN: FBS coaches vote unanimously to adjust sport's redshirt rule (play up to 9 games without losing redshirt)

[Taji34]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- FBS coaches voted unanimously Tuesday to adjust the redshirt rule to allow players to participate in up to nine games while preserving a full year's eligibility in the sport.

The vote, taken during the annual convention of the American Football Coaches Association, followed extensive discussion over ongoing eligibility concerns.

The current rule allows players to participate in up to four regular-season games plus any playoff games and still maintain their redshirt, effectively allowing four full seasons plus another one-third of a season within a five-year window.

A number of coaches pushed for a more expansive approach -- a full five years of playing time in a five-year window. However, concerns about potential litigation in the wake of some controversial eligibility rulings, chief among them Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss -- led the group to the nine-game compromise.

Any change would still need approval from the NCAA Division I committee.

FBS coaches' vote favors 9-game redshirt rule

FBS coaches voted unanimously Tuesday to adjust the redshirt rule to allow players to participate in up to nine games while preserving a full year's eligibility in the sport.

www.espn.com

 

[Taji34]

When I initially saw the headline my first thought was "why not just let them play 5 full years at this point?". Turns out that was the initial proposal, however due to some recent controversial eligibility rulings they decided to dial it back a bit and compromise on 9 games instead.

 

[MNfootballfan]

Here is my proposal.
- 5 years of eligibility
- no redshirts, medical redshirts allowed
- Free transfer after you graduate
- Any transfer results in automatic eligibility but you have to buy it by using a year of eligibility.

 

[#2Gopher]

Here is my proposal.
- 5 years of eligibility
- no redshirts, medical redshirts allowed
- Free transfer after you graduate
- Any transfer results in automatic eligibility but you have to buy it by using a year of eligibility.

Question though about the medical redshirt. Wonder if teams will play games with that. Perhaps that needs to go. You've got 5 years to get it done. Like you've only got to grade 12 to get it done in highschool.

 

[fmlizard]

A side effect of this will be certain guys shutting it down the last couple weeks of the season

Maybe even guys who have been starters for 2-3 seasons taking a "redshirt" by sitting out the last couple games of their senior year.

Get that college fantasy football championship in before rivalry week

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

This is like whose line is it anyway where the numbers don’t matter

 

[MNVCGUY]

A side effect of this will be certain guys shutting it down the last couple weeks of the season

Maybe even guys who have been starters for 2-3 seasons taking a "redshirt" by sitting out the last couple games of their senior year.

Get that college fantasy football championship in before rivalry week

Could definitely see that happen although I think the majority of players will end up using their redshirt year as true freshman because even some of the best true freshman aren't always ready to go in the first few games.

If the 5 year thing was a no go this seems like a decent compromise. Gives teams a lot more flexibility to play talented freshman without burning that year.

Redshirt years aren't really that important to teams anymore but they will be important to the athletes with no pro potential who want to squeeze as much money out of playing college sports as possible.

 

[fmlizard]

Could definitely see that happen although I think the majority of players will end up using their redshirt year as true freshman because even some of the best true freshman aren't always ready to go in the first few games.

If the 5 year thing was a no go this seems like a decent compromise. Gives teams a lot more flexibility to play talented freshman without burning that year.

Redshirt years aren't really that important to teams anymore but they will be important to the athletes with no pro potential who want to squeeze as much money out of playing college sports as possible.

For sure the majority of players will still redshirt early. But there will be some who are college stars who:

Start early in college
Are highly valued by college programs
Aren't considered top-tier NFL prospects

These guys will want to use all possible avenues to stay in college for one more year and make millions and be stars. A lot of these guys will be QBs and RBs and may shut it down late in the season. It will go as far as someone sitting out on a 9-0 playoff-bound team so they can get paid one more year.

 

[MNVCGUY]

For sure the majority of players will still redshirt early. But there will be some who are college stars who:

Start early in college
Are highly valued by college programs
Aren't considered top-tier NFL prospects

These guys will want to use all possible avenues to stay in college for one more year and make millions and be stars. A lot of these guys will be QBs and RBs and may shut it down late in the season. It will go as far as someone sitting out on a 9-0 playoff-bound team so they can get paid one more year.

Obviously nothing would really be shocking with how backwards everything is but I think scenarios like those would be very rare.

 

[GoldenMAV30266]

Seems to me like they're realizing the quality of football is better with older players, so they're doing their best to figure out a way to keep them around. I believe this year is the last of the covid eligibility mumbo jumbo.

As mentioned above, could cause for some interesting situations. Like a "star" player sitting the last few games of his senior season if its not gonna end in a playoff appearance, so he can transfer and or have one more year to play.

 

[matt]

Will players be able to retroactively file for this redshirt? We might see a slew of players trying to get redshirt credit from a previous season where they played between 4 and 9 games.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Will players be able to retroactively file for this redshirt? We might see a slew of players trying to get redshirt credit from a previous season where they played between 4 and 9 games.

I think there is zero doubt that there will be players that try to retroactively get credit for a reshirt year if they didn't take one (no clue if there is anything built in for that). I am sure Pavia is trying to figure out a way he can use this to get a 15th year of eligibility.

 

[FanSinceTheFifties]

Might as well eliminate all restrictions. Players can play all their lives and there should be no academic requirements. Finish off the remnants of amateur, student athlete programs. RIP.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Might as well eliminate all restrictions. Players can play all their lives and there should be no academic requirements. Finish off the remnants of amateur, student athlete programs. RIP.

You can see them working to bring some semblance of sanity back to things but it is going to take time. Things changed so dramatically, so quickly, with no guardrails in place. Correction will happen but it will be a slow and frustrating process.

 

[howeda7]

This is like whose line is it anyway where the numbers don’t matter

Where the rules are made up and the points don't matter.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Where the rules are made up and the points don't matter.

We can't even be sure if that matters....

 

[howeda7]

Perhaps just say you're eligible until you're 30. Although the Vanderbilt QB would still sue....

 

[upnorthkid]

I’m going to love when a lower tier team with a star qb plays games and then shuts it down to enter the portal without burning a year

This is an unbelievably dumb spot to put kids in

 

[MNVCGUY]

Perhaps just say you're eligible until you're 30. Although the Vanderbilt QB would still sue....

Pavia and some Aussie punters might have issues with that age limit. Pretty sure at least one of the Aussie punters out there is 30 or maybe older.