How many years can you redshirt?

You can typically use one redshirt year within a five-year window, allowing you four years of competition in college sports (like NCAA Division I football), but recent rule changes let players participate in up to four games in a season without losing that redshirt year, extending flexibility for development or injury recovery. Essentially, you get five years to play four seasons, using the extra year (the redshirt) to develop or recover, especially useful for freshmen or transfers.

Can you redshirt for two years?

A student-athlete can be a redshirt for one year. The total number of seasons a student-athlete can compete in college games is four.

What are the rules of redshirting?

Redshirt rules in college sports, especially football, let athletes practice but sit out games for a season to preserve eligibility, typically using four games or less in a season to keep a full year, with recent changes exempting postseason games from this count, and coaches recently proposing a nine-game limit to balance development with expanded seasons. Essentially, it's a strategic way to get an extra year of playing time within the standard five-year eligibility window for a four-season career, allowing for player development and new rules accommodating more games and transfers.
 

Is there a limit on redshirts?

Shortly after the start of the 2024 season, NCAA Division I (both FBS and FCS) adopted a change to redshirt rules. The four-game limit now applies only to regular-season games. Conference championship games, bowl games, the FCS playoffs, and the College Football Playoff no longer count against the limit.

Can you play 5 years of college sports?

For decades, the NCAA has enforced the Four Seasons Rule, which provides Division I college athletes with a five-year window to exhaust their competition eligibility. Within this five-year “eligibility clock,” the NCAA limits college athletes to competingin only four seasons of intercollegiate competition.

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Is NCAA changing to 5 years of eligibility?

Yes, the NCAA has been actively discussing and considering a "5-for-5" eligibility model (five seasons of competition in a five-year span) for all sports, with a potential shift away from the traditional four-season limit, but they've postponed a final decision for Division II until at least 2028, while maintaining current rules for Division I through the 2026-27 academic year due to ongoing legal challenges and internal studies. This proposed change aims to standardize rules, but faces debate over roster sizes, recruitment, and potential impacts on younger athletes, with some legal pressure pushing for broader changes. 

What college player has 9 years of eligibility?

The college player granted a ninth year of eligibility is Miami Hurricanes tight end Cam McCormick, making him the first in major college football history after suffering multiple season-ending injuries at Oregon (2016-2023) and Miami (2023-2024), with his unique case approved due to extensive medical issues that prevented him from playing in several seasons, including 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. His waiver was approved by the ACC, allowing him to play his unprecedented ninth season in 2024, a testament to his perseverance and the NCAA's allowance for extraordinary circumstances.
 

What are the downsides of redshirting?

Downsides of redshirting (delaying kindergarten) include potential long-term negative academic and social outcomes, increased costs for childcare/preschool, creating boredom or acting out in older, more mature students, exacerbating inequality for low-income families, and delaying entry into the workforce, potentially leading to less lifetime earnings. While early advantages in elementary school are often noted, some research suggests these benefits fade, and younger students can catch up, while redshirted students may face frustration or boredom later. 

What is the 5 for 5 rule?

The "5-5 rule" refers to different concepts, most commonly the postpartum 5-5-5 rule (5 days in bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days around the bed for new mothers' recovery) and the mental health 5x5 rule (if it won't matter in 5 years, don't worry about it for more than 5 minutes). There's also a legal version in trust law (beneficiary can withdraw 5% or $5,000 annually). The postpartum rule promotes healing, bonding, and rest for new mothers, while the mental health rule helps manage stress by prioritizing long-term significance.
 

Is being redshirted good or bad?

Redshirting (delaying kindergarten entry) has mixed results, offering potential early academic/athletic advantages (being older/more mature) but also risks like boredom, potential long-term academic/behavioral disadvantages (some studies), and socio-economic inequity, as it often favors wealthier families who can afford the extra year of childcare. While some research shows initial gains, others find younger students catch up or surpass redshirted kids in the long run, making it a complex decision with no single "good" or "bad" answer, depending on the child's needs and family circumstances. 

How many games can you play if you're redshirted?

Currently, players can redshirt if they play four regular-season games or fewer, but exhaust a year of eligibility with the fifth regular-season game in a season. A rule change last year made it so postseason games don't count toward the redshirt rule.

Can you be 19 in high school and play sports?

All eligibility requirements are set by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the North Coast Section (NCS), the Vine Valley Athletic League (VVAL) and Justin-Siena. No student whose 19th birthday is on or after June 15th shall participate or practice on any team in the following school year.

Do coaches decide who gets redshirted?

Coaches and athletic staff typically decide whether a player will redshirt based on team needs and player readiness. You don't need to submit paperwork to the NCAA for a regular redshirt—just not playing in games for a full season is enough.

Does redshirt mean you don't play?

Yes, being "redshirted" means you don't play in official games for a season, but you still practice and train with the team, preserving a year of your athletic eligibility to use later, essentially giving you five years to play four seasons of college sports. It's a strategic tool for development, injury recovery (medical redshirt), or to extend a player's career by allowing them to gain experience without burning a year of competition. 

How can someone play 7 years of college football?

A college football player can play for 7 years primarily through a combination of redshirting (sitting out a year to preserve eligibility), medical hardship waivers (extra years granted for significant injuries), graduate transfers, and the COVID-19 pandemic waiver, which gave all players an extra year of eligibility; these factors stack up, allowing players to exceed the standard four years of play within a five-year window, sometimes even stretching to seven or more seasons. 

Do redshirt freshmen get a ring?

Redshirts and Injured Players

In most programs, redshirt players—those who practice but do not compete to preserve a year of eligibility—also receive rings. Similarly, injured players who miss games but remain involved in team activities typically receive rings as well.

Is NCAA giving 5 years of eligibility?

Yes, the NCAA has been actively discussing and considering a "5-for-5" eligibility model (five seasons of competition in a five-year span) for all sports, with a potential shift away from the traditional four-season limit, but they've postponed a final decision for Division II until at least 2028, while maintaining current rules for Division I through the 2026-27 academic year due to ongoing legal challenges and internal studies. This proposed change aims to standardize rules, but faces debate over roster sizes, recruitment, and potential impacts on younger athletes, with some legal pressure pushing for broader changes. 

What is the 40-60-80 rule?

The 40/60/80 Rule is an NCAA standard for Division I student-athlete academic eligibility, requiring them to complete specific percentages of their degree by set times: 40% of degree requirements by the start of their third year (end of sophomore year), 60% by the start of their fourth year (end of junior year), and 80% by the start of their fifth year (end of senior year) to remain eligible for competition. This rule ensures athletes make steady academic progress toward graduation, preventing last-minute rushes to finish coursework. 

How many years can you redshirt in college football?

The current rule allows players to participate in up to four regular-season games plus any playoff games and still maintain their redshirt, effectively allowing four full seasons plus another one-third of a season within a five-year window.

What is the #1 hardest school to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it changes slightly by year and criteria, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top with extremely low acceptance rates (often 3-4%) and intense competition for spots, though other top global universities like Oxford and Tsinghua are also incredibly selective. Harvard is frequently cited as the hardest due to its high volume of applications and focus on global leadership potential, while Caltech is known for its extreme difficulty in STEM. 

What percentage of kids are redshirted?

Depending on the exact data, estimates of academically redshirted students in the U.S. falls between 3.5 to 5.5 percent of those eligible to enroll in kindergarten based on age.

Do you lose eligibility if you redshirt?

Under NCAA rules, football players have five calendar years to play four seasons. A redshirt allows you to preserve a season of eligibility by limiting game appearances. This is especially important in 2025, because postseason games are now exempt from the four-game redshirt cap.

Can a 40 year old play college sports?

While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) does not set an official age limit for student-athletes to play college sports, their strict eligibility requirements can limit older students' ability to play.

Are there any 400 pound college football players?

Yes, there are college football players weighing over 400 pounds, with Florida's Desmond Watson being a prominent recent example who played at weights up to 449 lbs in college and even over 460 lbs at his pro day, and another freshman, Stephon Shivers, was also listed at around 400 lbs at Florida in 2025. These massive players, typically defensive tackles or offensive linemen, are rare but exist, often making headlines for their size and surprising athleticism, like Watson's strength feats at the NFL combine.
 

How did Cam McCormick get 9 years of eligibility?

McCormick, who referenced 2024 as his "last ride" on social media, started his career at Oregon in 2016 but suffered season-ending injuries that caused him to miss parts or all of the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons. His waiver for a ninth season of eligibility was approved by the ACC, according to ESPN.