Matt Sluka Leaving UNLV

[MSU01]

I guess that would be another aspect of my rule change. Medical redshirts can be used at any time but non-medicals can only be used in the first two years. Essentially, if you are redshirting after your second year it's not for development, which is the purpose of the redshirt, so you can't do it unless you have a season ending injury. Teams would still probably abuse this rule by declaring a player "injured" but it would at least call attention to the issue.

Do you think there is a legitimate, non-medical, reason for redshirting after playing two seasons? Maybe I just haven't considered something but it feels more like an abuse of the rules than anything else.

The one that comes immediately to mind which I think happens fairly commonly would be a JC player transferring up to D-1 and then redshirting in his junior season before playing two more years. That to me seems completely legitimate as it would be about player development and getting the player up to speed against D1 competition, and I'm quite certain that MSU has done this on multiple occasions. Other potential reasons - a player switches positions after two years and needs a year to develop at his new one, or a player needs to miss a year for personal/family issues not related to an injury. Also, I think we need to consider that "redshirting" isn't even an official NCAA term, and all the eligibility rules say is that a player's eligibility clock runs for five years during which the player can compete in four seasons. We think of redshirt years as being for player development but the NCAA hasn't defined them that way.

I'm right there with you that redshirt years are being abused right now by some players, but I'm not sure if cutting them off for everyone after two years is the right way to solve that problem.

[coloradocat]

I guess that would be another aspect of my rule change. Medical redshirts can be used at any time but non-medicals can only be used in the first two years. Essentially, if you are redshirting after your second year it's not for development, which is the purpose of the redshirt, so you can't do it unless you have a season ending injury. Teams would still probably abuse this rule by declaring a player "injured" but it would at least call attention to the issue.

Do you think there is a legitimate, non-medical, reason for redshirting after playing two seasons? Maybe I just haven't considered something but it feels more like an abuse of the rules than anything else.

The one that comes immediately to mind which I think happens fairly commonly would be a JC player transferring up to D-1 and then redshirting in his junior season before playing two more years. That to me seems completely legitimate as it would be about player development and getting the player up to speed against D1 competition, and I'm quite certain that MSU has done this on multiple occasions. Other potential reasons - a player switches positions after two years and needs a year to develop at his new one, or a player needs to miss a year for personal/family issues not related to an injury. Also, I think we need to consider that "redshirting" isn't even an official NCAA term, and all the eligibility rules say is that a player's eligibility clock runs for five years during which the player can compete in four seasons. We think of redshirt years as being for player development but the NCAA hasn't defined them that way.

I'm right there with you that redshirt years are being abused right now by some players, but I'm not sure if cutting them off for everyone after two years is the right way to solve that problem.

You're just going to keep making me add exceptions to my rule aren't you?!

This is just one more thing that's going to make college football, and probably basketball, more convoluted due to the impact of the (lack of) other rules. At least it doesn't happen very often, although I expect an uptick until the NCAA/teams figure out some semblance of structure to this monster they've created.

[Helcat72]

How about Julius Davis...since he was hurt this year, he could play the last 4 games and still get another year by calling this year his redshirt year.

[91catAlum]

How about Julius Davis...since he was hurt this year, he could play the last 4 games and still get another year by calling this year his redshirt year.

Good question, he may have already used his red shirt at Wisconsin, but I'm not sure.

[MSU01]

How about Julius Davis...since he was hurt this year, he could play the last 4 games and still get another year by calling this year his redshirt year.

Julius already redshirted for Wisconsin in 2019, so the four game rule wouldn't apply to him.

[4KornerKat]

I think he was injured in 2019, so might be able to call that year a medical?

[Montanabob]

How about Julius Davis...since he was hurt this year, he could play the last 4 games and still get another year by calling this year his redshirt year.

Julius already redshirted for Wisconsin in 2019, so the four game rule wouldn't apply to him.

he can request a medical waiver....... ya know, mental anguish.