Maybe it has always been that way.

Does anyone remember Bill Lalla? He was the highly recruited QB from Dallas Jesuit HS in 1965, signed with OU and sat on the bench. Back then, the big money programs like OU could give out hundreds of scholarships, and a lot of their potential opponents would be sitting. I doubt he was allowed to even "suit up" at OU, but Bill Lalla was an academic all-American at OU before he transferred to Wichita State, where he became team captain and was voted honorable mention all conference in 1968 in the MVC.

https://jesuitrangers.org/honors/hall-of...m-lalla/88

https://obits.dallasnews.com/us/obituari...d=18001050

Great story about Bill Lalla. At UT, they would recruit fine players and sit them on the bench just so other schools could not have them. There was a sit out a year penalty if an athlete transferred. I had a friend who was given a football scholarship and all he ever did was run up and down the stands -- never played a down.