NCAA is pondering a massive rule change and what it means for Mark Stoops and Kentucky football

The NCAA is pondering a decision to review the eligibility window for athletes, following the ruling on New Mexico State then Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. If a change occurs, it could have significant implications for college football and the Cats.

If adopted, the proposal would allow athletes a five-year window to play sports, effectively granting many football players up to six years in a program if they utilize a redshirt year. This extended timeline could reshape how programs approach player development and team-building strategies even in the portal era.

The Advantages of More Time

For a sport like football, which demands physical maturity and a deep understanding of complex systems, an extra year in a collegiate program offers distinct benefits:

1. Physical Development: An additional year in a collegiate strength and conditioning program can be transformative for athletes. Football is a physically demanding sport, and the extra time allows players to build strength, improve endurance, and recover from injuries without rushing back to the field.
2. System Familiarity: Football is highly system-dependent in college, requiring players to understand intricate offensive and defensive schemes. Extra years in a program mean more time to master playbooks, adjust to a coach’s style, and develop situational awareness that only comes with repetition. This is particularly beneficial for athletes who may not have elite natural talent, but can excel within a well-defined system.
3. Academic Opportunities: With the potential for six years in college, many players could earn graduate degrees. This is a valuable option for athletes whose professional aspirations may not include the NFL, ensuring they leave college better prepared for life after football.

Kentucky’s Opportunity—and Challenges

For Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, a five-year window could be a game-changer. Stoops has often relied on under-the-radar recruits rather than consistently landing elite high school talent. The additional time would allow him and his staff to focus on long-term development, giving players the opportunity to grow physically and mentally within the system.

However, recent trends in player development at Kentucky raise questions. Standout recruits like wide receiver Barion Brown and defensive lineman Deone Walker, both highly touted out of high school, have struggled to fully capitalize on their potential though both had fine careers. Whether this is due to the players themselves or systemic issues within the program is an open question.

Defensive coordinator Brad White has generally succeeded in implementing effective systems, though sometimes unspectacular. However, the offense under new coordinator Bush Hamdan is still an unknown quantity that really struggled to do anything well this past year. For this extended eligibility window to work in Kentucky’s favor, the coaching staff must prove its ability to develop players consistently—something that hasn’t been as evident in recent years, maybe since Josh Allen.

The System Is Key

Football is inherently a system-dependent sport. A talented athlete in a poorly constructed system will struggle, while an average athlete can thrive in a well-designed, disciplined scheme. Programs with strong developmental pipelines, like Iowa and Wisconsin, have long demonstrated the value of system-based success over raw talent.

For Kentucky, the question remains: Can Stoops and his staff create a system good enough to maximize the potential of players over a longer developmental timeline? The answer will determine whether the proposed eligibility change becomes a competitive advantage or a missed opportunity.