The Division I cabinet unanimously approved a change in eligibility rules for student athletes last Tuesday.
The approved “five-for-five” rule now permits athletes competing in college for five years, rather than the previous four years they received. However, there are additional restrictions on it that’ll likely limit collegiate athletes to compete into their late 20s.
Here’s everything to know about the new rule that’ll change collegiate athletics and which Penn State players could take advantage of this.
Rule explained
The new rule states that an athlete’s five years begins upon enrollment into their college or the academic year after their 19th birthday, a slight change from the initial proposal after pushback from hockey stakeholders among others.
This becomes a major change that’ll eliminate both redshirts and medical redshirts from the equation. Additionally, it prevents athletes from applying for eligibility extension waivers, something that has become prevalent in college football over the past year.
The 2026-27 season will still feature many players who hold eligibility designations beyond their senior year, but that’ll change after this season. It’ll completely go away for the 2027-28 season when the five-year rule fully goes into effect.
Those listed as seniors will get another year, but players with redshirts will have a fifth year anyways despite not playing for at least one season, so nothing will change with those players.
This rule could change how coaches and programs approach their teams and recruiting. Many players opting to return could leave less roster spots for younger players, something programs will have to work through to still operate successful teams and programs year in and year out.
Penn State players impacted
While many of the underclassmen could make use of this down the line, there’s only six players that could take advantage of it this year. Any player with a redshirt designation will have exhausted that fifth year of eligibility when their senior year comes.
Six Nittany Lions are listed as seniors, but only five of the six have a fifth year of eligibility to use while still playing in 2026, something they wouldn’t have been able to do prior to the rule change.
Quarterback Connor Barry is listed as a senior, but he was in college for four years already prior to joining Penn State. He began in 2022 with Appalachian State, before playing three years with Christopher Newport from 2023-25.
On the other hand, cornerback Zion Tracy, running back Carson Hansen, tight end Benjamin Brahmer, linebacker Kooper Ebel and safety Jamison Patton all could return to the Nittany Lions for the 2027-28 season, using that fifth year of eligibility with the new rule.
All five of those players are likely to make an impact this upcoming season, and with a chance to play for another season, the Nittany Lions could continue to build a veteran team, as many of its starters this year have been in college for multiple years already. There’s still the likelihood that some turn to the NFL after this season, but an additional option that initially wasn’t there could change some minds.
It could also affect recruiting and the transfer portal for Matt Campbell. If someone like Hansen were to return, that means all the running backs this year will be back, barring any transfers. And 4-star Aiden Gibson and 3-star Chukwuma Odoh will be added, as both will join the team next season.
Hansen’s production this season could decide whether he returns. But if he were to return, the running back room becomes even more clogged, making for some interesting decisions for the players and coaching staff.
While coaches have the opportunity to bring back some important players for another year with the new rule, it can also cause change in approach to decisions from the Penn State coaching staff and other programs around the country, depending on choices made by the players impacted by this new rule.
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