NCAA's New Eligibility Rule: Five Years, Five Seasons

0:00The NCAA is pushing a new age-based eligibility rule for college athletes, starting from their 19th birthday or high school graduation. Whichever hits first, it gives them five years to play five seasons, aiming to clean up the messy eligibility rules that exploded after the COVID pandemic. This set up scraps the old red shirt system where players could sit out most games to save a year. Now, freshmen can dip into special teams like kickoffs or pun blocks without burning eligibility, making it easier for coaches to develop young, talent right away. Tennessee Coach Alex Golesch sees it as a win, saying it lets teams ease rookies in when they're ready without the old restrictions. It's already sparking buzz among programs tired of endless waiver fights. Post-pandemic, schools like Auburn handed out extra years to guys like Ed Rusher, Chris Murray, and defensive lineman Dallas Walker IV. The proposal limits waivers to rare cases like military duty, religious needs, or maternity leave, tightening things up.

1:00The Division I cabinet will review it again in May, and with the NCAA winning recent court battles on eligibility, this could stick and reshape how. Teams build rosters for years to come. You've been listening to Burmihem News today, AI-powered local news.