Explanation of 15.5.6.4.1 Voluntary Withdrawal:

This exception rule does allow a replacement scholarship (that doesn't count against signing and initial counter limits) if a player voluntarily withdraws from the team. But it does not allow the replacement scholarship to be immediately provided to a new incoming recruit or transfer.

A replacement player must already be a member of the team enrolled without a scholarship before he can receive a replacement scholarship; i.e., he must be a walk-on. Also, if a recruit has already signed an NLI or aid agreement, he will count toward the signings limit for the academic year in which he initially receives financial aid.

That's why Paul Tyson didn't sign an NLI or aid agreement before enrolling. Instead he practiced with the team in December, probably paid his own way as a walk-on for the very short miniterm that's during the break between the fall and spring semesters, and then got the replacement scholarship for the regular full spring semester.

Will Reichard also didn't sign, but he enrolled in January, so he probably paid his way as a walk-on for the short spring-1 term and then got the replacement scholarship for the spring-2 term. Bama offers some courses that way.

A summer enrollee replacement player (e.g., Michael Parker) can also establish walk-on status quickly and cheaply by paying his own way for a short summer-1 or -2 miniterm.

It's also important to understand that the two guys Tyson and Reichard replaced voluntarily withdrew from the team before the prior fall term classes and playing season started. Per the rule, Tyson and Reichard could receive replacement scholarships after that fall term without having been on the team as a walk-on for a full year.

Since some players have withdrawn from the team and transferred to other schools during the spring and summer of 2019, Bama may be able to take advantage of this exception rule again with a couple of 2020-cycle recruits.

This post was edited on 12/31/19 at 6:22 pm