Red-Shirt Terminology

[Mackrel829]

Could someone please clarify the terminology around red-shirts?

If a player is red-shirted year one, are they a freshman or a red-shirt freshman? Also, how are they then referred to in their fifth year? Red-shirt senior? Or is that year 4?

Is the following correct:

Year 1 - RS FR
Year 2 - RS SO
Year 3 - RS JR
Year 4 - RS SR
Year 5 - Fifth year senior(?!)

Also, if a player was red-shirted earlier in their career and are now in their fifth year, is this specifically designated in game, or will they just appear as SR?

Thanks in advance!

[Tdubs112]

I'm pretty sure it's

Year 1 - Redshirt season (freshman)
Year 2 - RS Freshman
Year 3 - RS Sophomore
Year 4 - RS Junior
Year 5 - RS senior

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[Solidice]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mackrel829

Could someone please clarify the terminology around red-shirts? If a player is red-shirted year one, are they a freshman or a red-shirt freshman? Also, how are they then referred to in their fifth year? Red-shirt senior? Or is that year 4? Is the following correct: Year 1 - RS FR Year 2 - RS SO Year 3 - RS JR Year 4 - RS SR Year 5 - Fifth year senior(?!) Also, if a player was red-shirted earlier in their career and are now in their fifth year, is this specifically designated in game, or will they just appear as SR? Thanks in advance!

assuming they get red shirted as a freshman.

year 1 - FR
year 2 - FR-RS
year 3 - SO-RS
year 4 - JR-RS
year 5 - SR-RS

[Carsten]

Keep in mind two important things with redshirting, and please correct me if I am wrong.
Players with 3 years of eligibility can go through the transfer portal or declare for the NFL Draft.
SO(RS) would be the earliest the player could do the above.

Redshirting your players could cause you some unexpected consequences.

[Feros Ferio 7]

A RS Sophomore is eligible to leave for the draft at the end of the season.

I believe any player can transfer.

If you're not playing a freshman at all you may as well red shirt them. There's nothing bad that will happen unless they have a playing time deal breaker.


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[sherrane]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mackrel829

Could someone please clarify the terminology around red-shirts? If a player is red-shirted year one, are they a freshman or a red-shirt freshman? Also, how are they then referred to in their fifth year? Red-shirt senior? Or is that year 4? Is the following correct: Year 1 - RS FR Year 2 - RS SO Year 3 - RS JR Year 4 - RS SR Year 5 - Fifth year senior(?!) Also, if a player was red-shirted earlier in their career and are now in their fifth year, is this specifically designated in game, or will they just appear as SR? Thanks in advance!

Either reference is correct. The NCAA give players 5 years to play 4. Anyone designated as a Redshirt (eligibility) just identifies they have already used their redshirt year. You can get more years with a hardship waiver, which is typically referred to as a medical redshirt. Players also did not use any eligibility to play in the 2020 season, which is why some recent graduates played 6 or 7 years.


Generally a redshirt senior is typically referred to as a 5th year senior. While the NCAA may have a transfer sit out a year, a 5th year senior who is a Graduate Transfer (he has his degree) will never have to sit out that season.

[Mackrel829]

Quote: Originally Posted by sherrane

Either reference is correct. The NCAA give players 5 years to play 4. Anyone designated as a Redshirt (eligibility) just identifies they have already used their redshirt year. You can get more years with a hardship waiver, which is typically referred to as a medical redshirt. Players also did not use any eligibility to play in the 2020 season, which is why some recent graduates played 6 or 7 years. Generally a redshirt senior is typically referred to as a 5th year senior. While the NCAA may have a transfer sit out a year, a 5th year senior who is a Graduate Transfer (he has his degree) will never have to sit out that season.

If they’re a redshirt freshman in year 1, what are they in year two? A redshirt sophomore? If that’s the case, then what are they when they get to year five? Because they’ll be a redshirt senior by year four.

Apologies if I’m being obtuse. If I haven’t already given myself away, I’m from over the pond >_<

[DonkeyJote]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mackrel829

Could someone please clarify the terminology around red-shirts? If a player is red-shirted year one, are they a freshman or a red-shirt freshman? Also, how are they then referred to in their fifth year? Red-shirt senior? Or is that year 4? Is the following correct: Year 1 - RS FR Year 2 - RS SO Year 3 - RS JR Year 4 - RS SR Year 5 - Fifth year senior(?!) Also, if a player was red-shirted earlier in their career and are now in their fifth year, is this specifically designated in game, or will they just appear as SR? Thanks in advance!

Year 1 - True Freshman

Year 2 - Redshirt Freshman

Year 3 - Redshirt Sophmore

Year 4 - Redshirt Junior

Year 5 - Redshirt Senior or 5th Year Senior

So if you have a player in their True Freshman year, it will say "FR". If you Redshirt them that year, the following season they'll be "FR (RS)"

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