Every fall there are plenty of incoming freshmen who sit out a season with a redshirt for any number of reasons. Some sit out to get a year of growth in them before being ready to take the field. Others are labeled with a redshirt because the depth at a position is so deep. Now the NCAA looks to force players to take a redshirt if their grades are not up to par.
Beginning in 2016, incoming freshmen will be required to sit out the season with an academic redshirt if they come to school with below a 2.3 GPA out of high school.
As reported by Coaching Search, “the NCAA sliding scale is still in effect, though any player below the 2.3 GPA in their 16 core courses will not be able to participate in games during the first calendar year at college.”
This is a solid decision by the NCAA in an attempt to place the emphasis on student in student-athlete, and it is one that will put the pressure on high school players to keep their grades up even after signing his (or her) national letter of intent. Senioritis may still exist, but if a kid wants to play the following fall out of high school, keeping the grades up will be even more of a necessity.