NCAA Leaders Considering Major Changes to Eligibility Rules, Transfer Dilemma Leads to Xavier Lucas' Transfer Without Entering Transfer Portal, and More | Newsletter #303
Welcome to the NIL Newsletter by Optimum Sports Consulting - providing valuable, actionable NIL resources for athletes, administrators, agencies and other sport professionals.
Today’s newsletter includes plenty college football and legal updates
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This Monday Newsletter includes:
1. College sports leaders mulling rule to eliminate redshirts, waivers and other exemptions
2. Former Wisconsin DB Xavier Lucas leaving school for Miami without entering transfer portal
3. What’s coming up in the world of NIL
4. Legal Updates: Dept. of Educations says NIL pay must be Title IX compliant
Major News
College sports leaders mulling '5-in-5' rule
College leaders are reportedly considering a rule that would allow athletes to play five full seasons of competition over a five-year span, while eliminating redshirts, waivers and other exceptions for additional seasons of eligibility.
While the “5-in-5” rule has been discussed previously, the idea has surfaced as a potentially urgent matter to simplify and solve attacks on the NCAA’s eligibility rules. This discussion comes weeks after a Tennessee court’s decided to extend the eligibility of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
Under current NCAA eligibility rules, athletes can play four full seasons in a five-year span and and are able to play a portion of a fifth season through a “redshirt” year. Additionally, athletes that have already used their redshirt season can apply for additional years of eligibility for various reasons such as season-ending injuries and other issues that may have prohibited them from completing a full season.
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Xavier Lucas transferring to Miami after signing a revenue-sharing contract with Wisconsin
Former Wisconsin defensive back Xavier Lucas is leaving the school for Miami after Wisconsin refused to let him enter into the portal when he requested a transfer.
Lucas, a freshman this past season, requested a transfer after learning his father suffered a “serious, life-threatening illness” while home for the holidays. Wisconsin then refused to follow NCAA protocol requiring institutions to comply with a player’s transfer request by submitting his or her name to the portal within two business days.
The situation has the potential to set precedent in both (a) the ability for schools to enforce revenue-sharing agreements that are contingent on the House settlement’s passage, and (b) for players to transfer at any time or without entering the portal at all.
By not formally signing with Miami, Lucas was able to skirts NCAA transfer rules. Lucas withdrew from classes at Wisconsin and enrolled academically at Miami for the fall 2025 semester, but is expected to be reclassified to spring 2025.
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Other Notable Stories to Follow
Deion Sanders 'met with resistance' after asking Colorado for more NIL resources - LINK
Power 4 conferences pushing to remake NCAA governance and have more control - LINK
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs signs exclusive NIL deal with Panini America - LINK
Former NBPA executive director Michele Roberts, who led the union from 2014 to 2022, is strongly considering making a formal objection to the House v. NCAA settlement - LINK
CFP seeding format is unlikely to change next season - LINK
What’s Coming Up Next For NIL
April 7, 2025 | Final Approval Hearing for the House v. NCAA Settlement
Legal Updates
Dept. of Education says NCAA athlete NIL pay must be Title IX compliant
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued guidance regarding college athlete NIL, putting the onus on schools to ensure their male and female athletes receive proportionate NIL opportunities and resources—regardless of whether the funding comes from external sources.
OCR stated NIL money, under Title IX, paid to college athletes should be held to the same gender-equity standards as athletic scholarships, and that amounts paid to athletes through NIL deals should be considered part of a school’s athletic financial assistance.
OCR’s release comes two weeks before settlement objections are due in the House v. NCAA case, and the House v. NCAA class co-counsel - Jeffrey Kessler - insisted OCR’s new instruction “has no impact on the settlement at all.”
CLICK HERE to learn more.
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