There’s no other way to say it: college eligibility rules in collegiate sports are wild right now. This fact is especially true in sports like football and basketball, where players are constantly attempting to work the system in an effort to gain another year of eligibility.
Currently, 71 eligibility lawsuits have been filed around the country, with most of them being denied. This rush for extra eligibility was initially started by Diego Pavia, who in November 2024 filed a lawsuit against the NCAA. His argument was that his community college years should not count against his four years to play five seasons in college football.
He won, leading to a frenzy of others attempting to do the same thing. Owen Heinecke is suing the NCAA for another year, while participating in the Senior Bowl, his school’s pro day, and the NFL combine!
Chandler Morris just sued the NCAA for a seventh year and lost. Joey Aguilar was hoping for another year of eligibility as well, taking classes like a normal student until his court battle was shut down. A week later, he was at the NFL combine. Trinidad Chambliss even sued the NCAA, arguing for a medical redshirt during one of his first years at Ferris State and won his appeal.
It is not only that college athletes are suing to gain usually another year to play, but that athletes in specific circumstances can play up to seven or eight years!! Take the example of TJ Finley, who got an extra year because of Covid-19, the traditional redshirt, and medical redshirt, will be playing for his seventh school since 2020.
Or look at Mohamed Toure, who will be suiting up for his eighth year of college football this fall. He has, at this point, gained a traditional redshirt, two medical redshirts, and an extra year because of Covid.
Out of this bunch, Logan Taylor has one of the most wild stories. He first started college football in 2018, benefited from the Diego Pavia lawsuit by gaining an extra year from his time in community college, and just finished his last year of college football last fall. Oh, and he has three kids.
Truthfully, college basketball may be considered even more of a mess than football when looking at recent events. Players have started to sue for more eligibility in college basketball—players who declared for the draft and even signed NBA contracts.
In light of this, President Donald Trump has recently signed an executive order in an attempt to revert eligibility rules back to what they once were, with those in these sports remaining hopeful for a solution but skeptical it will do something.