Quote:DI football to offer more participation opportunities
Starting this season, football players can play in up to four games without losing a season of competition
June 13, 2018 12:37pmMichelle Brutlag Hosick
College athletes competing in Division I football can participate in up to four games in a season without using a season of competition, the Division I Council decided this week at its meeting in Indianapolis.

Division I student-athletes have five years to compete in up to four seasons of competition. The new exception allows football players to preserve a season of competition if, for example, injuries or other factors result in them competing in a small number of games.

Council chair Blake James, athletics director at Miami (Florida), said the rule change benefits student-athletes and coaches alike.

“This change promotes not only fairness for college athletes, but also their health and well-being. Redshirt football student-athletes are more likely to remain engaged with the team, and starters will be less likely to feel pressure to play through injuries,” James said. “Coaches will appreciate the additional flexibility and ability to give younger players an opportunity to participate in limited competition.”

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/med...ortunities


This rule could easily turn a team into a bowl team that might not have been. I can see a kid sitting out the first 8 games and getting his body college ready. He learns the system and then a injury takes place to a starter and you move that redshirt player in to play or start.

We all have kids redshirting that are going to become key players the next year but with experience starting in front of them you don't want to waste a year on limited snaps. I can see this making teams stronger 2/3 way through the season.

Unless I'm misreading the rule

I had the same interpretation, YG. They approved a new transfer rule too. Schools can no longer block players from transferring to specific schools. However, conferences can still make rules for the whole league. They also increased the penalty for tampering.

http://footballscoop.com/news/players-wi...ch-school/

So the bowls become where to showcase future talent. Interesting.

Great rule, I can remember a couple of cases where Marshall coaches burned a redshirt for a player due to a key starter getting injured, THEN the starter returned the next week.

I'm gonna be very interested to see how this is gonna play out. Is this a way for red shirts to get some experience in bowl games and mop up duty in blow outs or is it a way for the Alabama's and Ohio State's to play 5* freshmen as a secret weapon at the end of the season without losing a year of their eligibility?

I like the idea of the new redshirt rule but I think four games (a third of the season) is a bit too much. I just hope it's strictly enforced. The new transfer rule is down right scary.

clt says this helps wku, fau, and l tech. What about the rest of us?