Nebraska football: The good and the bad of a proposed red-shirt rule change
Nebraska football might get hurt by that talent stockpiling.
While the Nebraska football program would love the ability to play someone like Martinez for four games and still technically redshirt him, it’s possible they would be burned in the long run.
Yes, this rule would allow teams to stockpile talent. For a squad like the Huskers, arguing that a player won’t see the field as a freshman for Alabama is an effective tool.
The new rule would take away the ability to play that card to some extent. The Huskers don’t have the same recruiting tools built in that Florida and California schools do.
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The Cornhuskers don’t even have the same built-in pluses that Ohio State and Penn State do. Nebraska could find itself at a bigger disadvantage in the recruiting wars.
Disparity disappears?
While the Huskers might be at a slight disadvantage, the Group of 5 schools would be at a huge one. If the Cornhuskers make the argument that they can offer playing time that bigger Power 5 schools can’t imagine what Central Florida would feel like.
No, this isn’t the only pitch the G5 schools can make, but it’s hard to argue this rule doesn’t put them at a disadvantage. If P5 schools are able to stockpile talent more, G5 schools will be able to challenge them on the field as much.
Disparity in college football over the last few years is a good thing. It’s why people can argue UCF deserved the National title. This rule change would likely affect that.
The talent stockpiling is likely the reason why this rule could go down. While it seems as though it would be a boon for the Nebraska football team, it might also be a gamble.