NCAA rule change ... 5 to play 5
What's the potential impact on baseball?
With the recent NCAA rule change for D1, players will have 5 years to play 5. It becomes “age-based,” and will definitely change current practices. The timer starts when the player turns 19 or graduates from high school. From those two triggers, the eligibility clock starts during the next academic year. From there the players have 5 years of eligibility to play 5 years . . . no red shirts or exceptions, except for military service, maternity, or missions.
The new rule will begin to impact recruiting practices almost immediately . . .
Many claim there will be limited room for Freshmen due to the extra year of eligibility for players. With the roster limitations, average team ages should increase. The transfer portal will have more impact than the 5/5 rule change, as colleges continue to pull in older transfer players. The proposed one free transfer rule change, should help to curb that.
For JUCO players, after playing two years, they will still retain three years of eligibility. D1s will be able to pick up transfers that they can potentially keep for three years, increasing their value as transfers.
With 5/5, there will be no red-shirts. That will provide colleges with potential opportunities to provide game experience for younger players without burning their potential red-shirt. Even limited exposure as a Freshmen still leaves them with four more years to play.
This new rule should limit the reclasses in high school. If the player turns 19 prior to their senior year of high school, they will lose a year of eligibility.
Aging out of college ball becomes a reality.
I’m looking forward to more stabilization of rosters in college, and the limited transfer rule, if enacted, should help with some stabilization.