Florida head coach Dan Mullen speaks to the team following practice this week. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Mullen Views New Redshirt Rule as Way to Keep Freshmen Engaged
Wednesday, August 22, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
And then, when the Gators take the field for their first drive of the quarter, Emory Jones is at quarterback, Dameon Pierce at tailback, Griffin McDowell spells a veteran offensive lineman and Dante Lang comes in at tight end.
Or imagine McDowell, who hasn't played all season, being called into service because of injuries in the Mississippi State game.
Under the guidelines of the new NCAA redshirt rule approved over the summer by the Division I Council, the above scenarios would not cost the freshmen a season of eligibility. Now, players who participate in four or fewer games can redshirt, regardless of when those games occurred. Until this season, players forced into the lineup late in a season lost a year of eligibility. And unless coaches were certain a freshman could contribute right away, the player often stayed on the sideline even in lopsided early season games to avoid risking a year of eligibility.
Baylor coach Matt Rhule expressed the sentiment of coaches across the country recently when he delivered an introductory primer to his freshmen on the new redshirt rule.
"I told a bunch of freshmen the other day, 'For the first time in college football history, you guys know you're going to play in a game this year. Even if you redshirt, you're going into a game at some point this year,' " Rhule told reporters at Big 12 Media Days. "To me, that changes your preparation. That changes your mindset. When you know you're going to play, there's a whole 'nother level of pressure."
Take the case of Gators receiver Daquon Green, who is entering his sophomore season. Green appeared in two games last season, at Kentucky and at Missouri due to depth issues. He did not record a statistic and did not factor into either game. However, he only has three years of eligibility remaining.
The redshirt rule has been well received in the industry, but Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said recently that he would like to see players such as Sooners linebacker Addison Gumbs, who appeared in four games last season as a reserve, grandfathered in under the new rule. Florida's Green is a similar case.
The NCAA has not indicated whether that is a possibility.
Gators coach Dan Mullen shared his thoughts on a player's traditional development at the end of Monday's practice by quizzing freshmen about their role. In his view, an ideal college career is for a player to get acclimated to college football as freshman, play special teams as a sophomore and possibly as a reserve, star on special teams and start as a junior, and make a bid at becoming an All-American as a senior.
Mullen said the new redshirt rule does allow for more strategic planning in using freshmen.
"I think there will be more freshmen to have the opportunity to get on the field,'' he said. "You know, guys that have worked their tail off, like I've always said, guys earn playing time. Guys that have worked hard, if there's an opportunity, I love playing a lot of players and I have no problem putting them in the game."
The ability to keep freshmen more involved throughout the season is a huge benefit of the new rule according to Mullen. In the past, if a player was not a factor in the season's first four games, they could disappear from the plans unless injuries piled up.
"I think the rule helps in a lot of different ways with an opportunity to get somebody on the field and get some game experience,'' Mullen said. "I think it keeps them much more engaged when they know they can still get into a game at some point, instead of , 'hey, I'm redshirting and I just shut it down.' I think it's great motivation for guys that have earned the right to get on the field and it doesn't have to hurt their career and it's more of a reward for doing things the right way."
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