What is redshirting? How NCAA college football rule allows players to retain eligibility

Two UNLV players announced their intentions to redshirt the remainder of the 2024 college football season on Wednesday after playing in three games this season.

Both quarterback Matthew Sluka and running back Michael Allen have announced their intention to sit out the rest of the 2024 season, despite the Rebels' 3-0 record and being ranked No. 23 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Because both players played in fewer than four games this season and had not previously used a redshirt season, the 2024 season will not count against their NCAA eligibility.

REQUIRED READING: UNLV athletics issues statement after Matthew Sluka opts to redshirt remainder of season

Sluka, who announced his intention to redshirt and transfer after a dispute between he and UNLV's NIL collective, transferred in from Holy Cross and was listed as a senior on last year's Holy Cross roster. Both Sluka's and Allen's UNLV pages are already down.

"I have decided to utilize my redshirt year and will not be playing in any additional games this season," Sluka said. "I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled. Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope for the continued success of the program."

The NCAA transfer portal opens on Dec. 9, which is when college football players can officially enter and transfer to a new program. In three games this season for the Rebels, he completed 21 of 48 passes for 318 yards, six touchdowns, and an interception.

Here's what you need to know about the NCAA's redshirt rule and how it works:

What is redshirting?

Redshirting is the practice in which a player opts not to participate in a given season, allowing them to maintain a year of eligibility for the future. Prior to the 2018 college football season, participation in any game "burned" a redshirt, meaning a player could lose a year of eligibility for appearing in as little as a single play.

College football redshirt rule

According to the 2024-25 NCAA Division I manual, "any competition, regardless of time, during a season in an intercollegiate sport shall be counted as a season of competition in that sport. ..." However, it does provide exceptions for various sports, including Division I football players.

Here is the NCAA's "redshirt" rule for college football

• 12.8.3.1.6 Exception: In football, a student-athlete representing a Division I institution may compete in up to four contests in a season without using a season of competition.

Until 2018, college football players were prohibited from participating in contests to maintain redshirt status. The Division I Council amended the rule to allow players to appear in as many as four games before they lost the ability to redshirt.

Does the redshirt rule apply to the postseason?

No. In August, the NCAA announced a blanket rule (17.11.6.2 Annual Exemptions) that will exempt postseason games from counting toward a player's four allotted games in a given season. The new rule went into effect immediately for the 2024 college football season.

However, the rule still limits players to play up to four games in a season to maintain their redshirt eligibility. Still, it will not count conference championships, bowl games or College Football Playoff contests against the limit, allowing freshmen and other players who otherwise have retained their eligibility to gain valuable experience.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football redshirt rule: NCAA rules on player eligibility