In an effort to simplify eligibility rules in college sports, the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a five-year eligibility model in June. However, the organization’s attempt to restore order has backfired. Players who previously signed with NFL teams are attempting to return to college for another season, and lawsuits and injunctions are rampant.
According to the NCAA, the age-based eligibility model replaces “rules that counted seasons of competition, included multiple waiver options and varied by sport.”
The new model removes redshirts, sport-specific enrollment timelines and seasons of competition. Student-athletes can no longer file for medical hardship, extension-of-eligibility, athletic activity, delayed enrollment and season-of-competition waivers.
According to the new model, the clock for eligibility begins either when a student-athlete first enrolls full time and attends classes, or in the academic year following the player’s 19th birthday. The rule does not guarantee five years of play; those who have delayed enrollments will not be eligible for the full five years.
Originally, the model determined that student-athletes who completed their final season of competition during 2025-26 (the high school graduating class of 2022), were not eligible for a fifth year. However, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney ordered an injunction on July 31 allowing these athletes to compete.
The NCAA successfully stayed, or paused, the preliminary injunction granted by Judge Sweeney in Wisne v. NCAA on Friday, Aug. 21. The approved stay request means the class of 2022 will not be eligible for another year of college athletics unless they secure their own temporary restraining order.
Players like Judd Utermark and Will Furniss, who announced their return to Ole Miss Baseball on Wednesday, Aug. 19, will have to seek eligibility in a state court.
Former Rebels Dae’Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris and Wydett Williams Jr. were among 30 other athletes that received a fifth year of eligibility from a Louisiana state court on Aug. 19, so the latest Wisne case update does not affect them. Wright and Harris both entered the transfer portal and committed to LSU after being released by NFL teams.
Following Wright’s and Harris’ commitments to LSU, the SEC issued a statement against former professional athletes rejoining college sports.
“College athletes, not former professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference,” the SEC statement said. “Individuals who choose to leave college athletics, sign professional playing contracts, and compete professionally should not then be permitted to return to college competition.”
The Big Ten passed a rule on Tuesday that prevents NFL players from joining any team in the conference. Currently, the rule only applies to football, but the conference is evaluating restrictions for other sports as well.
Shortly afterward, the SEC announced its institutions cannot have rostered athletes who declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA Drafts, signed a pro contract within one of those leagues (including the G-League) or were listed on a roster by any team within those leagues. The statement did not mention MLB.
The Big Ten was the first Power Four conference to pass a rule prohibiting professional athletes from coming back to college. Before the Big Ten’s ruling, the SEC only emphasized “the need to advance the Protect College Sports Act,” which is congressional legislation that addresses ongoing issues in college sports.
The statement ended with “The commissioner is authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions.”
If a program has professional athletes on its roster, the SEC will fine 50% of that sport’s annual budget, the coach will be suspended for half the season and the team will not be allowed to vote on business matters.
The ACC is also meeting to discuss the matter this week, while the Big 12 is taking action against NFL players who were recently made eligible.
Week zero of the college football season will begin on Saturday, Aug. 29. The season begins for every other team the following week, with games on Thursday-Monday.
