Question about the " Red Shirt"

[Rod6275]

For  years  its  been talked  about.... and  every year  it  comes  up... Red Shirt, Medical Red Shirt, "Red Shirt his Junior year" or this  guy is  a  5th year  senior. For  our  viewing  audience how  about someone  explain  in plain English how all this  works  in the  NCAA. Example... can I guy play on down  first  game on special teams  but  be  a  red  shirt  that year? Or a  guy  get hurt  in the  4th game  of  the  season  medical red shirt and  he  get an  extra  year later?

[lefty08]

U get 5 years to play 4

[PorkRinds]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirt_(college_sports)

[BRHogfan]

U get 5 years to play 4

ehh Sorta.

Tyler Wilson is an interesting example of a redshirt. 

Tyler actually played in 2 games in 2008 and played in games in each of 5 seasons. Tyler actually received a medical redshirt during the 2008 season and maintained his eligibility.  He got a medical redshirt (hardship waiver) due to getting Mono and having only played in 2 football games that season. 

So technically a player can get 6 total years.  Here's a scenario.

2014 - Redshirt (no play on the field against outside competition, still practices and attends school)
2015 - Redshirt Freshman playing
2016 - ACL tear in 2nd football game.  Medical Hardship granted
2017 - Redshirt Sophomore playing
2018 - Redshirt Junior playing
2019 - Redshirt Senior

This is how sometimes you see a player on the other team, and you're like "geez this guy has been there forever"

[Hogarusa]

You can't compete and get a redshirt.  Once you have played, the redshirt is gone.  Medical redshirts are granted for season ending injuries if you have played in less than 30% of games.  When in doubt, always google or wiki, that stuff is great


en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirt_(college_sports)

[DeltaBoy]

It is a interesting set up.

[Dumb ole famrboy]

Once all the NCAA anti-trust and restraint of trade litigation is over with redshirts might just be a thing of the past. Isn't limiting the number of years a person can play college football also restraint of trade?

[Biggus Piggus]

Once all the NCAA anti-trust and restraint of trade litigation is over with redshirts might just be a thing of the past. Isn't limiting the number of years a person can play college football also restraint of trade?

Probably not. It is unreasonable to ask universities to provide scholarships that last longer than the normal amount of time it takes a regular student to finish a degree. Eligibility is tied to that.

[Pigsknuckles]

Oddly enough, bowl games (apart from conference/league championship games) don't count against the eligibility for a medical redshirt. So, as long as you didn't play in more than 30% of the regular (traditional) season contests, and played in no games after the first half of the regular season, a player could go bowling, and still get a medical redshirt if there is a regular season ending injury.