Ryan Day in favor of 5-for-5 NCAA eligibility rule proposal

Count Ohio State football coach Ryan Day among those who are in favor of the five-for-five eligibility rule in NCAA athletics. The NCAA is set to propose a major change where athletes have five years to compete in five varsity seasons.

It’s not done yet, but it could be implemented by the start of the 2026-27 school year. With that, it would eliminate redshirts and waivers entirely, barring very specific exceptions.

The way Day sees it, especially in football, it makes the most sense. He joined Sirius XM recently to explain why he is in favor.

“I think it’s the right thing to do, for sure,” Day said. “To think that the rule has been the last few years where you can play in four games, but not a fifth. You can play in (a postseason) game. I just think, you know, at the end of the day, we should just let them play five for five. And I do also agree with that part of it, there needs to be some sort of a cap in terms of age. 

“And I know that we’re all trying to, you know, put more and more of these guidelines together. It’s a very, very competitive environment, and everybody’s going to do everything they can to try to find a competitive advantage and edge. So I think that this is a good idea, for sure.”

Athletes would now have five years of eligibility once they turn 19 years old or after their high school graduation. There would be no redshirt or waivers in that case, per Ross Dellenger’s original report of the rule proposal.

As Day noted, there should be some sort of cap in his mind. The last six years have been filled with athletes who have stretched their eligibility, especially in a few sports, with COVID waivers from 2021, medical hardships, etc.

“Members of the NCAA Division I Cabinet are set to review the proposal at their meeting next week,” Dellenger wrote. “While a timeline for approval remains unclear — it is likely weeks or months away — the legislation is considered an urgent matter with potential for implementation as soon as this coming academic year (fall 2026).

“Any implementation is expected to be phased in, as is the case with most new NCAA policy. For instance, leaders will take strides to avoid adversely impacting any current athlete’s long-term eligibility under existing rules. What’s unclear is if those players completing or having completed their final, fourth season of eligibility will regain a fifth season if they fall within the new policy’s five-year window.”