Redshirt Rules/Transfer Portal

If I was king of the NCAA I would just do away with the redshirt rules. I would just give everyone 5 years of eligibility rather than do the redshirt dance.

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Redshirt Rules/Transfer Portal
Can someone give us a primer?

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Oh boy. This should make for some nice casual reading. I guess you asked for it..

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Do you get to go twice if you use the freebie then go as a graduate too?

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The rules state that a graduate student qualifies for immediate eligibility as long as they meet all of the criteria for the one-time transfer exception. The first requirement to qualify for the one-time transfer exception is that “the student has not transferred previously from one four-year institution.”

In other words - the way the NCAA wrote the rules, graduate transfers are basically just an extension of the one-time transfer exception now. Which means that if they’ve already transferred in the past, they don’t get immediate graduate eligibility. As with everything NCAA-related, there is a waiver process for certain extenuating circumstances. But that’s the gist of it.

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What prevents every player that doesn't play in 5 games from taking a Redshirt?

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Nothing, other than the fact that a player can only use one redshirt year once their eligibility clock starts.

So if a player uses their one-time transfer, then decides to transfer again, they have to sit out a year. But they can use a redshirt for that year as long as they have not previously used a redshirt year. If they have already used a redshirt previously, they will effectively lose a year of eligibility unless they can get some other type of waiver.

That being said, a player still can’t transfer mid-season and be eligible the following year unless they qualify for a one-time exception (meaning it’s their first transfer, along with some other rules). The reason is that the NCAA requires a full academic year in residency before the player is eligible at their new school - in other words they have to complete a fall + spring semester. The current semester does not count, even if they receive full credit at the new school, unless they transfer prior to the 12th day of class.

So basically if a guy transfers mid-season, he can’t play at his new school this season or next season unless he uses his one-time exception. Even if he plays in less than 4 games the year he transfers, he still loses a year of eligibility because he can only redshirt one of the two years.

There are a million different scenarios but here are a few that I think will satisfy your curiosity..

Let’s say a football player qualifies for a one-time transfer exception - meaning he hasn’t transferred before, is academically eligible, etc. - and decides to transfer at some point in 2021:
- If he transfers between January 1 and May 1, 2021, he is eligible at his new school immediately for the 2021 season.
- If he transfers between May 1 and December 31, 2021, he will not be eligible until the 2022 season. In this case he can use a redshirt for the 2021 season, provided he plays in 4 or less games and hasn’t previously used a redshirt, to avoid losing a year of eligibility.

Now let’s say a player does not qualify for a one-time transfer exception - meaning he has already used his exception or doesn’t meet the other criteria - and decides to transfer at some point in 2021:
- If he transfers any time before 12th day of the fall semester, he will not be eligible until the 2022 season. He can use a redshirt for the 2021 season, provided he plays in 4 or less games and hasn’t previously used a redshirt, to avoid losing a year of eligibility.
- If he transfers any time after the 12th day of the fall semester, he will not be eligible until the 2023 season. Even if he has a redshirt available, he will lose a year of eligibility. If he doesn’t have a redshirt available, he will lose 2 years of eligibility.

Note that the one-time exception effectively does nothing if the player transfers between May 1 and the 12th day of fall classes. I assume this was done to prevent players from transferring out at the 11th hour and then immediately playing for another school.

It gets way more complicated for other sports, especially those that cross multiple semesters (e.g. basketball). I’m also not 100% clear on how they are handling the one-time exception for players who previously transferred before the one-time exception existed. As far as I can tell, if you transferred at all in the past you’re SOL regardless of whether you had to sit out a year. But I could be wrong.