The Red-Shirt: A Squeaky Wheel in College Football

The first game of every year raises the same questions for each program:  Who will red-shirt?  The question puts players, coaches, and fans in a bind.  Many times, a year of eligibility is wasted because a team needs depth on special teams or backing up at a key spot.  On top of that, too many times an injury in an early season game causes freshmen to lose a year in the weight and film room in order to play less than 10 snaps a game.

The red-shirt must go.  Give each player five years of eligibility.  Nothing would change.  Nothing besides young men getting screwed by the system. 

There are other issues at hand as well.  Look at Virginia Tech’s quarterback situation.  Head coach Frank Beamer has had to make the decision to red-shirt backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor.  He had to do so to max out Taylor’s potential and give him the best opportunity to contribute as a Hokie.

The loss of Taylor has already had an impact on Tech’s season.  Without the playmaker at quarterback on Saturday, the Hokies were upset by Skip Holtz’s East Carolina squad. 

Players still have to suit up in case an emergency causes them to be needed.  The mental strain of not knowing if you will play or if you will sit all year must inhibit preparation in some way.   

The coaches are also handcuffed.  Some coaches want to use players in specialized roles, but cannot afford to lose a whole year of playing time so a young speedster can return kicks or play five snaps a game as a change up for the offense.

The drawbacks extend to recruiting.  Today’s coverage of recruiting has caused many freshmen to look for a school that provides the option to play right away.  Because of this coaches across nation have had to incorporate this possibility into their recruiting strategy.  More times than not the 18 year-old shows up on campus unprepared.  But to keep the talent coming in, the coach plays him to show he is willing to do so.  Future recruits watch this and talk to the current players on campus.

Combine the football reasons with the fact that a majority of students no longer take only four years to graduate and we’re left with a system that is outdated and hurtful to the process of student athletes.  Many coaches, including Urban Meyer and Mack Brown, have asked for five years of eligibility to all student athletes.

Doing so would eliminate a number of unnecessary dilemmas.  No longer would coaches need to bend over backwards to show they are willing to put young players on the field.  Players, and coaches, would no longer need to make the choice between being on the practice squad for a year and wasting a year of eligibility to play special teams and in the fourth quarter of blowouts.

Another problem that could be eliminated is the issue of medical red-shirts.  The NCAA is notoriously erratic and late with their decisions to grant medical red-shirts to players.  The use of a five year eligibility plan would erase any grey lines that exist. 

Overall the NCAA has been slow to make positive changes to the game (see playoff system).  Each year new rules pop up, but none of them address any large issues that exist.  The red-shirt option does no good for anybody.  With five years at each player’s disposal the guys who need a year to develop still have it, and if a player needs to play in spot duty or on special teams the year would not be seen as a waste.  The college game has out grown the need for a red-shirt.  It is time the people in charge took notice.