Leading off this series is a term most commonly heard around college football: "redshirt", i.e., "Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett played the 2009 season as a 'redshirt sophomore' after transferring from Michigan."
In collegiate athletics, athletes are given four years of playing eligibility, based on [what used to be] the normal amount of time needed to complete a degree. If an athlete is given the redshirt label, it means that they can attend classes as well as associate with and practice with the team without using a year of their eligibility. They cannot, however, play in any form of game competition. If a football player plays just one down in a season game, that counts as one of the player's four years of eligibility.
A player can be designated as a reshirt for a number of reasons. Three of the most popular reasons are:
- A freshman coming in a position that is currently occupied by an upper classman. For example, if a college recruits a stud quarterback out of high school and currently has a QB in his last year of eligibility, they will likely redshirt the freshman his first year so that they can still potentially get 4 years of play with him. This also enables the redshirt freshman to get used to the college system and playbook so that he already has some experience when he starts competitive play.
- An athlete coming out high school suffered a serious injury and so the school could redshirt that athlete to give them more time to recover and be active with the team outside of competition.
- Whenever an athlete from a Division I school transfers to another D-I school, they are required by the NCAA to redshirt one year. This is to keep schools from trying to poach players from other schools. Going back to Mallett at Arkansas, he played for the University of Michigan in 2007. When Michigan hired a new coach, Mallett transferred to Arkansas and therefore had to redshirt the 2008 season. He then was referred to as a "redshirt sophomore" in 2009 because while he may have been a Junior in terms of academic standing, he was playing in only his second year of athletic eligibility.
On a related note, you will also hear the term "true freshman". As you might suspect, this is simply an athlete who is playing in his first year at that level of institution.
So I hope this has given you a better understanding of the term "redshirt." If you still have questions, just ask I'll be happy to find out the answer for you.
3 comments:
See, this helps. A lot.
I need an explainer for the Infield Fly Rule, complete with diagram and/or video.
I'll give you more terms as the need/confusion arises. Thanks, babe!
Fantastic!!!! Without naming players or schools in my area which if you know me you know what school...ANYWHO...this term has been thrown around my office over the past year because the player in question was injured the first game of last season (possible scrimmage time). It being his 1st senior year, they decided to "red shirt" him last year so he would be able to play this year.
I, of course, with no sport smarts whatsoever, had no clue what they were talking about and kept smiling and nodding.
Thank you Stepping Up staff for clearing things up! I'll let you red shell me a few times as thanks :)
Topic for future discussion: Who was Cy Young and why is there an award named for him?
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