NCAA continues rule changes
Last week, we looked at the NCAA making an unpopular rule change in taking away the student-athletes guaranteed day off during their seasons under certain circumstances.
The NCAA made two more changes late last week, so let蘑菇视频 get right to them.
Transfer rule altered
Any time a player has wanted to transfer from a school, the team蘑菇视频 head coach and athletic department could block the student-athlete from transferring to any number of institutions.
But now, the players will no longer need permission from the school or coaches and they can no longer block them from transferring to certain school.
However, the conferences can still put rules in play that would forbid the student-athletes from transferring within the conference without having to sit out a year or even adding another provision.
The ACC as a conference, for example, already has a rule in place that you cannot transfer to another conference school, and I would expect other conferences to make similar decisions.
The NCAA policy, which goes into effect in October, states that, 鈥淭his new system allows a student to inform his or her current school of a desire to transfer, then requires that school to enter the student蘑菇视频 name into a national transfer database within two business days.
鈥淥nce the student-athlete蘑菇视频 name is in the database, other coaches are free to contact that individual.鈥�
Redshirt rule changed
Unlike last week蘑菇视频 negative backlash on the day off rule, there has been little negative talk about the redshirt rule being altered.
Starting this season, college football players will be able to play in up to four games and still be able to take a redshirt, and have an extra year of eligibility.
Previously, if a player played in any game, it meant that his redshirt year was exhausted, and whether the player played one more snap the rest of the year, or played in every game, he could not redshirt.
In the press release, the NCAA stated:
鈥淒ivision 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.鈥�
So now coaches don鈥檛 have to worry about playing a freshman if he has a chance to redshirt.
Redshirting provides many positives, such as giving incoming freshmen the chance to make the adjustment to college and get acclimated to balancing academics with their athletic requirements.
Or sometimes players get hurt and use a redshirt.
But far too many times coaches are torn as to whether they should burn a redshirt to put a player in due to another player getting hurt.
Putting a player in for one play has actually saved coaches jobs in the past, literally, but coaches truly try to save the redshirts unless the player is a legit stud, the best option has been exhausted, or there are no other options.
A great example is how Penn State coach James Franklin has always approached redshirting dating back to his days at Vanderbilt.
He uses three colors of lights, green, yellow and red to categorize first-year freshmen.
If a player has been a green light under the old rule, then the player will see the field without question.
A yellow light player would possibly play if others got hurt or made enough strides throughout the season.
Lastly, a red light player meant he was redshirting no matter what.
Now Franklin, and the other football coaches, won鈥檛 have to make these decisions as quickly.
So now players can play in the first four games or in any combination of games, for that matter, and still have the chance to redshirt.
A West Virginia player, for example, could play in the opener, the ninth game, the Big 12 championship game and then either a bowl game or playoff game if the team made it that far.
Two rights greater than one wrong?
The NCAA made two solid rules changes, and although it doesn鈥檛 make up for its bad decision last week, chances are fans will remember these two rule changes more.
College World Series coverage next week
I will be in Omaha, Nebraska, later this week for a pair of baseball games, and I am looking forward to sharing the experience!
Share college sports news and names!
If you know someone currently playing a sport in college, coaching, or holding another role, email me or tweet me and we will get them mentioned in this column!
Email questions/comments to Bill at powerhousehughes@gmail.com or tweet them to me @BillHughes_III.