What do you think about freshman football?

[82hoosier]

With everybody getting an extra year of eligibility there might be a lot of people heading to Junior College because they can't find a home.

I imagine Big Ten junkies would watch freshman or junior varsity football on the Big Ten Network. One thing that 2020 has shown us is that you don't need to have real crowds or real crowd noise at games.

 

[4IUSox2]

Near the end of Big Ten freshman teams in the 70's, a neighbor/good friend of my oldest brother played for the Purdue squad. Was probably '73, '74 or so. Not sure how long they lasted after that. Think they played 3-4 games. Probably my first wake up as a kid to just how good you have to be to play D1 sports as this guy was an absolute stud in Football and Track in HS, yet don't think he ever even got to dress for a regular game.

 

[82hoosier]

I think 1972 - 1973 was the last school year of collegiate freshman basketball and football.

 

[Crossblock]

With everybody getting an extra year of eligibility there might be a lot of people heading to Junior College because they can't find a home.

I imagine Big Ten junkies would watch freshman or junior varsity football on the Big Ten Network. One thing that 2020 has shown us is that you don't need to have real crowds or real crowd noise at games.

Funny you should post this. I was just thinking something similar the other day. It would give younger players the opportunity to play against outside competition on a limited schedule. Logistically and to keep costs down, maybe you keep Games within Bus ride distance and don't even consider Conference Affiliation. So if Louisville and/or Kentucky have Freshman Football, play them.

The problem I see is that you would have to have at least 3 Coaches dedicated to practicing and running the team -Head Coach and Coordinator on each side of the Ball. Maybe you turn this over to some of the Graduate Assistants to give them some hands on experience in Coaching.

 

[TMFT]

I'm against it. With the 85 schollie limit and the number of freshman that end up contributing in some respect at the varsity level, you'd be playing with a pretty limited roster or basically a bunch of walk-ons and a few developmental scholarship guys.

The ONLY way freshman football would return is if they go back to the rule making freshmen ineligible for varsity, but even then, the max class of freshman signees is 25 and even with 10 walk-ons that's a terribly small roster to try and safely put together a team.

 

[Charlesroast]

I'm against it. With the 85 schollie limit and the number of freshman that end up contributing in some respect at the varsity level, you'd be playing with a pretty limited roster or basically a bunch of walk-ons and a few developmental scholarship guys.

The ONLY way freshman football would return is if they go back to the rule making freshmen ineligible for varsity, but even then, the max class of freshman signees is 25 and even with 10 walk-ons that's a terribly small roster to try and safely put together a team.

Highly unlikely freshman football returns. In this year with the stupid way the B1G set up the too long delayed football schedules, I would seriously consider the 9th game as an exhibition game (except of course for the O$U coronation game) and give 2nd and 3rd string members the majority of the snaps.

 

[Crossblock]

I'm against it. With the 85 schollie limit and the number of freshman that end up contributing in some respect at the varsity level, you'd be playing with a pretty limited roster or basically a bunch of walk-ons and a few developmental scholarship guys.

The ONLY way freshman football would return is if they go back to the rule making freshmen ineligible for varsity, but even then, the max class of freshman signees is 25 and even with 10 walk-ons that's a terribly small roster to try and safely put together a team.

Remember, we may only be doing this for a period of a couple of years. If the NCAA gives everyone a "Do Over" and doesn't count this year as a year of eligibility, we are assuming they will increase the Scholarship Numbers. If you have 3-4 Freshman games, it doesn't proclude someone from playing the freshman games and also playing for the Varsity. You can still use the 4 varsity games or less to determine whether a year of Eligibility has been used by a Freshman.