FBS coaches' vote favors 9-game redshirt rule

"CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- FBS coaches voted unanimously Tuesday to adjust the redshirt rule to allow players to participate in up to nine games while preserving a full year's eligibility in the sport. The vote, taken during the annual convention of the American Football Coaches Association, followed extensive discussion over ongoing eligibility concerns. The current rule allows players to participate in up to four regular-season games plus any playoff games and still maintain their redshirt."

"A number of coaches pushed for a more expansive approach -- a full five years of playing time in a five-year window. However, concerns about potential litigation in the wake of some controversial eligibility rulings, chief among them Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss -- led the group to the nine-game compromise. Any change would still need approval from the NCAA Division I committee."

"About half of the 136 FBS coaches, including Georgia's Kirby Smart, Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, attended the meeting. Many had hoped the conversations would include more rigorous debate on the current college football calendar. Instead, the redshirt rule was the primary topic discussed, according to multiple coaches, with the larger calendar left to a smaller contingent of coaches who met Monday for a discussion outside the AFCA formal agenda."

FBS coaches voted unanimously to permit players to participate in up to nine games while preserving a full year of eligibility, subject to NCAA Division I committee approval. The vote occurred during the American Football Coaches Association convention after extensive discussion about eligibility concerns. The prior rule allowed participation in up to four regular-season games plus playoff games while maintaining a redshirt. Some coaches advocated for a full five years of playing time in a five-year window, but concerns about potential litigation, including the Trinidad Chambliss controversy, produced the nine-game compromise. Broader calendar changes were deferred to a smaller group of coaches.

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