Aric Becker/NCAA Photos via Getty ImagesThe NCAA is reportedly considering changes to the redshirt system in multiple sports and the potential elimination of the National Letter of Intent in recruiting.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported Sunday that documents the NCAA Division I Council is set to review during the coming week reveal possible changes in “what is expected to be a year-long comprehensive review of NCAA athlete-eligibility rules.”
The redshirt changes would mean athletes in all sports and not just football and wrestling can compete in a certain percentage of games and still maintain the ability to redshirt. Football players are allowed to participate in up to four regular-season games and still count the year as a redshirt one.
Under the current redshirt rule for football, postseason contests such as College Football Playoff and bowl games do not count against the four-game policy. That allows players to participate in those games and maintain their redshirt even if they played in four contests during the regular season.
If other sports adopt a similar policy with these potential changes, the sport-specific NCAA committees will be in charge of deciding exactly how many games players can participate in and maintain their redshirt.
As for the possible changes to the National Letter of Intent, they would be largely in name only with many of the mechanics remaining.
Dellenger noted eliminating the NLI would usher in a “new signing model” that includes most of the “core benefits” of the existing system when a player commits to a program.
“Similar recruiting rules tied to the National Letter of Intent will continue with the signing of school aid agreements,” Dellenger wrote. “They end a prospect’s recruitment. For instance, all communication with the signed prospect and family members must end, and the prospects are prohibited from signing more than one aid agreement prior to enrollment.”
The NCAA is reviewing athlete-eligibility rules following a House settlement and the expected arrival of revenue sharing with athletes in the near future.
While Dellenger noted rule recommendations and approval votes will happen “on a rolling basis and be presented to the DI Council for consideration at regular quarterly meetings through October 2025,” the elimination of the NLI system could happen as soon as next month.
This is all happening as college sports continue to change.
The start of a new football season ushered in significant conference realignment with Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC and the combination of Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington joining the Big Ten.
Elsewhere, SMU, Stanford and Cal joined the ACC, while Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah joined the Big 12. The Pac-12 is all but eliminated with just Oregon State and Washington State remaining.
Athletes also have more opportunities than ever to make money based on their name, image and likeness, which surely plays a role in recruiting processes that may once again be altered with the removal of the NLI.
Source : Bleacher Report