When the House v. NCAA settlement approval process started, schools made their preparations to get within the imposed roster limits. But Judge Claudia Wilken ordered a “grandfather” clause for athletes who might lose their spots as a result of the agreement, and that led to “Designated Student Athletes.” As a result, the roster limit cap […]
When the House v. NCAA settlement approval process started, schools made their preparations to get within the imposed roster limits. But Judge Claudia Wilken ordered a “grandfather” clause for athletes who might lose their spots as a result of the agreement, and that led to “Designated Student Athletes.”
As a result, the roster limit cap softened a bit as schools either kept those players or allowed them to enter the transfer portal in a one-time-only window. Once football rosters get down to 105, USC coach Lincoln Riley predicted it will become an “advantage” for the Trojans.
Riley said considering other teams in the Big Ten have traditionally carried more players – he specifically noted Nebraska, which is known for its walk-on history – the roster limits could create more of a level playing field in the future. However, teams will continue to feel the impacts in future years as rosters approach 105.
“It’s unique how it’s being done,” Riley said of the process. “It’s the – I don’t know if you say settlement, NCAA, whoever makes rules these days. They’ve gone with a more tapered approach where we’re not really feeling it this year. We’ll feel it a little bit more next year and then each year, it’s going to work its way down to 105. They’ve got these, we call them ‘Designated Survivors,’ but they’ve got these designated athletes that as their eligibility runs out or if they transfer, then you don’t just lose the player. You lose that spot. It’ll cause everybody to eventually whittle down to 105, which will be an advantage for us.
“I mean, we’re playing teams that carry – and especially in this league, sometimes I don’t think people realize – carry 30 more players on their roster than we do. I mean, Nebraska easily carries 30 more guys on their roster. There’s Title IX and all types of things with it. It’ll be competitively good for us when it gets to that number, where the playing field’s a little bit more level.”
How roster limits changed during settlement process
The House settlement officially took effect July 1, ushering in the revenue-sharing era in college athletics. Schools can now directly share up to $20.5 million with athletes, and that figure will increase annually under the 10-year agreement.
Roster limits were also a key piece of the equation, though there was uncertainty about what they would look like. After the settlement received preliminary approval, schools began making plans to reach the numbers. But Wilken sent the plaintiffs and defendants back to the drawing board to find a way to protect those players in danger of losing spots as a result of the settlement.
As a result, “Designated Student Athletes” came about. Schools could provide that designation to either go over the limit or allow those players to enter the transfer portal for more opportunities.
Category: General Sports
