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NCAA makes changes to transfer, redshirt rules

Alabama third-string quarterback Mac Jones redshirted last season as a freshman, but he could have played in four games and still redshirted had an NCAA rule change announced Wednesday been in place this time last year.
Alabama third-string quarterback Mac Jones redshirted last season as a freshman, but he could have played in four games and still redshirted had an NCAA rule change announced Wednesday been in place this time last year. Alabama third-string quarterback Mac Jones redshirted last season as a freshman, but he could have played in four games and still redshirted had an NCAA rule change announced Wednesday been in place this time last year.

By David Paschall 4 min read

College coaches can jump from school to school without asking for permission.

Division I student-athletes now can, too.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that Division I student-athletes will have the ability to transfer to a different school and receive a scholarship without having to ask their current school for permission. The rule change takes effect Oct. 15.

The NCAA Division I Council adopted a proposal this week in Indianapolis that creates a new “notification-of-transfer” model. This new system allows a student-athlete to inform his or her current school of the desire to transfer and then requires that school to enter the student-athlete’s name into a national transfer database within two business days.

Once the name is in the database, other coaches are free to contact that individual.