Andy Staples gives it a decent analysis, and a couple of things jumped out from his summaries.

Quote:Normal teams

These teams have more potential five-year players than the perennial national title contenders, so coaches likely will be more careful with how they parcel out playing time to the freshmen. They also aren’t likely to make the playoff, so they’ll probably hold out playing in the bowl game as a carrot to keep redshirting players engaged during the season. Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi believes young players will pay more attention in practice and meetings if they see the potential for playing time at the end of the season.

Quote:Rebuilding teams

These are the teams most likely to use the freshman class the way a Major League team uses the 40-man roster at the end of the season. Just like Clawson at Wake Forest in 2014, new coaches in programs that need major work don’t want to throw true freshmen to the wolves. But if they can replenish the roster before game nine with players who have spent the previous three months practicing, those teams have a chance to get better faster. Players will have some experience heading into the following year’s spring practice, and coaches will know how the young players responded in game action and what they need to improve upon most.

source: https://www.si.com/college-football/2018...ve-clawson

For those maybe not familiar with the totality of the rule, it now applies to up to 4 games, and it doesn't have to be the beginning of the season.

Quote:A new rule passed in June will allow players to play in four games—anywhere on the schedule—and still redshirt. This season will be a fascinating one as coaches try to determine how best to use that new roster flexibility.

I disagree with his assessment on rebuilding teams a bit. We have 34 new players (or thereabouts) who are redshirt possibilities (although a few of those are graduate transfers so they aren't truly redshirt candidates). And something like 67 returning players.

I think a better strategy is to let a ton of the new freshmen play vs Prairie View to see how they do in a game situation. Some will prove to be immediately ready and you don't redshirt those guys at all.

Others probably can be held back until the end of the year when injuries might take a toll on the roster a bit. So you can then use them for a few games at the end of the season (UTEP and ODU for sure). Maybe consider taking a few on the roster for an assorted road game (Hawaii, FIU, even LSU if our numbers are down).

I do agree that it will be fascinating to see how coaches manage their roster effectively. But I disagree with the notion that rebuilding teams should wait until the end of the season to start playing the incoming freshmen. Especially in our case with Prairie View to begin the season. Obviously you don't want to put yourself in a position where you lose that game. But that will be a great game to see how game ready some of the new guys are.

As an aside, this new rule will put extra pressure on stat crews and SIDs to monitor game participation correctly. The way it works now is (in Rice's case at least) we have the Overtons monitoring Rice's participation for a home game (with Chuck and perhaps Tim in the SID office double-checking on a few guys), and then the visiting SID's monitor their players. I get a list of who played and I input that into the program at the end of the game. The SID's can always correct mistakes later but sometimes they aren't even aware of a mistake until well after a game is over. Each team emails the participation report to the NCAA office after the game, and I'll assume that's how the NCAA will now monitor the 4-game rule for redshirt purposes.

And trust me, there are lots of opportunities for mistakes. For one thing, a lot of players wear duplicate numbers and especially on special teams, it's not easy to figure out right away what #56 was out there on the kickoff or punt unit. It's also very easy for the computer operator (me) to accidentally type in 7 instead of 7D for a particular play. SID's may not be aware a guy is injured and a late second scratch, and someone who hadn't played all year suddenly got in for a play or two.

In the past, it wasn't critical if you made a mistake unless perhaps at the end of the season you were typing in a players number who hadn't played all season long and burning up their redshirt season by mistake. But now, if you put in a player by mistake and don't catch it soon enough, you could easily find a guy losing his redshirt quicker than he's supposed.

(07-23-2018 06:18 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  As an aside, this new rule will put extra pressure on stat crews and SIDs to monitor game participation correctly. The way it works now is (in Rice's case at least) we have the Overtons monitoring Rice's participation for a home game (with Chuck and perhaps Tim in the SID office double-checking on a few guys), and then the visiting SID's monitor their players. I get a list of who played and I input that into the program at the end of the game. The SID's can always correct mistakes later but sometimes they aren't even aware of a mistake until well after a game is over. Each team emails the participation report to the NCAA office after the game, and I'll assume that's how the NCAA will now monitor the 4-game rule for redshirt purposes.

And trust me, there are lots of opportunities for mistakes. For one thing, a lot of players wear duplicate numbers and especially on special teams, it's not easy to figure out right away what #56 was out there on the kickoff or punt unit. It's also very easy for the computer operator (me) to accidentally type in 7 instead of 7D for a particular play. SID's may not be aware a guy is injured and a late second scratch, and someone who hadn't played all year suddenly got in for a play or two.

In the past, it wasn't critical if you made a mistake unless perhaps at the end of the season you were typing in a players number who hadn't played all season long and burning up their redshirt season by mistake. But now, if you put in a player by mistake and don't catch it soon enough, you could easily find a guy losing his redshirt quicker than he's supposed.

I agree that it puts extra pressure on the stats crew but it *should* be pretty easy to correct with game film should a mistake be made.

Bloomgren has made it very clear whenever asked that true Freshmen will be given every opportunity to prove themselves on the depth chart, and if they're one of the two best at their position they will play and not be redshirted. When I asked him the question, he did not hesitate in saying this was going to be a meritocracy, and not based on seniority. If they're better than the experienced guy, they're going to play. Period.

IMO, the way it should be.

That will be neat morphing the MLB roster expansion paradigm onto CFB.

Interesting points. It seems impossible to monitor the play of each player for this rule unless thete willbe no changing of numbers all year. Sounds like cheating could occur pretty easy with this new rule.

So which true freshmen are likely to be the impact players? I'd argue that we need help on the OL so perhaps Syptak or Ferraro? Perhaps a WR too (Harmon?). And then we'll need a couple of defensive players who are ready to play right away as well (Montero if he's a Sendejo clone will have an impact; one of the DL's??).

(07-24-2018 06:00 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So which true freshmen are likely to be the impact players? I'd argue that we need help on the OL so perhaps Syptak or Ferraro? Perhaps a WR too (Harmon?). And then we'll need a couple of defensive players who are ready to play right away as well (Montero if he's a Sendejo clone will have an impact; one of the DL's??).

Great picks. O-Line is my biggest worry, because to "pound the rock and control the clock" requires moving some bodies in front of you. Without that, we can't run or pass, so looking at kids who physically might be ready for D1 play, Ferraro looks the most ready, with Syptak next. I think French at TE might be able to help in the blocking schemes and has the size to do what Bloomgren likes to do with tight ends. At WR, I agree with Harmon, He did amazing things in HS and is a terrific athlete.

On defense, we need help up front so maybe Enechukwa or Valentine, and in the secondary maybe Calderon. Who knows really. Bloom brought in a huge freshman class including a boat load of PWOs (many of whom had scholly offers elsewhere) so I am thinking he thinks there is a lot of help needed in a lot of places.

(07-24-2018 08:31 AM)Rice FB Fan Wrote:  Who knows really. Bloom brought in a huge freshman class including a boat load of PWOs (many of whom had scholly offers elsewhere) so I am thinking [he thinks there is a lot of help needed in a lot of places.

I would hazard a guess that last years record and stats make any guess that 'there is a lot of help needed in a lot of places' a pretty safe position to argue.

(07-24-2018 08:31 AM)Rice FB Fan Wrote:  

(07-24-2018 06:00 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So which true freshmen are likely to be the impact players? I'd argue that we need help on the OL so perhaps Syptak or Ferraro? Perhaps a WR too (Harmon?). And then we'll need a couple of defensive players who are ready to play right away as well (Montero if he's a Sendejo clone will have an impact; one of the DL's??).

Great picks. O-Line is my biggest worry, because to "pound the rock and control the clock" requires moving some bodies in front of you. Without that, we can't run or pass, so looking at kids who physically might be ready for D1 play, Ferraro looks the most ready, with Syptak next. I think French at TE might be able to help in the blocking schemes and has the size to do what Bloomgren likes to do with tight ends. At WR, I agree with Harmon, He did amazing things in HS and is a terrific athlete.

On defense, we need help up front so maybe Enechukwa or Valentine, and in the secondary maybe Calderon. Who knows really. Bloom brought in a huge freshman class including a boat load of PWOs (many of whom had scholly offers elsewhere) so I am thinking he thinks there is a lot of help needed in a lot of places.

I like your picks. I would also add that due to the emphasis on Special Teams, a lot of freshmen such as JaQuez Battley, Ari Broussard, Matthew Sams, and Antonio Faaeteete will see significant time.