re: WAFB: SEC loses appeal…“Greg Sankey is a misguided missile and is going to ruin the SEC”

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Limitations and Drawbacks

No guarantee of five full years: Delaying enrollment past the academic year after turning 19 shortens the available window. Reclassing, prep/PG years, or gap years can cost eligibility time if the age trigger is hit.
Loss of flexibility for injuries and hardships: Medical redshirts and most waivers are gone. An injury year still counts against the continuous clock.
Impact on development paths: Sports that rely on junior leagues, delayed enrollment, or extended development (notably hockey, and to varying degrees baseball and others) are particularly affected, as time spent outside college after the clock starts counts against eligibility. JUCO time starts the clock.
Roster and recruiting effects: Coaches lose redshirt strategy tools; roster management becomes more rigid and age/enrollment-date driven. It can compress evaluation windows and change transfer-portal dynamics.
No retroactive fifth year for many: Those who exhausted eligibility under the old rules by spring 2026 generally do not get an extra year (though court challenges have created some exceptions or ongoing litigation for certain classes, such as aspects involving the Class of 2022).
Still subject to other rules: Academic eligibility, amateurism, and other NCAA requirements continue to apply. An athlete can be inside the five-year window but still ineligible for other reasons.
Legal and transitional uncertainty: The rule has faced lawsuits over application and retroactivity. Implementation details and court outcomes can create short-term roster chaos.
Not universal: It does not apply the same way (or at all) in Division III, and sport-specific nuances or further refinements can exist.

In short, the model prioritizes clarity and a firmer age/enrollment-based limit over the old system’s case-by-case flexibility. Athletes and families should carefully track birthdates and enrollment timing, and consult school compliance offices or the NCAA Eligibility Center for individual cases, especially during the transition. Official details are available on NCAA.org.

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