# College football question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631 "2003-01-04T17:36:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@RickQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickQ)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/1 "2003-01-04T17:36:19Z")
I have been watching some snippets of games and hightlights and such, but I have been a little confused by something the commentators have been saying. My question is: What is a “true freshman”? I have heard of people referred to as this but neither my wife nor I know what it means. Any ideas? Cheers Rick ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/2 "2003-01-04T17:37:50Z")
WAG: A Freshman to the university as well as the team. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/3 "2003-01-04T18:01:44Z")
A player who has not been red shirted. [http://ohiostatebuckeyes.ocsn.com/genrel/102000aaa.html](http://ohiostatebuckeyes.ocsn.com/genrel/102000aaa.html) > [@](#): > > Q. The term “red shirt” is not used in the NCAA compliance manual. Where did this term originate and why is it used? > > A. The term “red shirt” actually originated on the football field. In the past, at the beginning of each season, coaches would decide which student-athletes would be permitted to compete during the season, using a year of eligibility, and which ones would only be permitted to practice. The ones who did not compete during the season preserved a year of eligibility. These student-athletes wore red jerseys at practice so the coaches could easily identify which student-athletes were not going to compete that year. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/4 "2003-01-04T18:04:30Z")
Most football players don’t play during their first year of college. This is referred to as a “redshirt” year (from the custom of having those players wear a red jersey during practice to indicate that they didn’t need to practice with the first team). Very good players will play their first year of college and these are the “true freshmen”. In general, you can compete in a sport for 4 years over a 5-year period. In most other college sports, the athletes play during their freshman year, but in football, it is advantageous to take a year off to get in better shape and to learn the new offense or defense. Not to mention become a bit more acclimated to college. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/5 "2003-01-04T18:21:40Z")
By the way, you can take your redshirt year any year. If someone played as a true freshman and then injured themselves in a later year, they can take the next year to recover as their redshirt year. Haj ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/6 "2003-01-04T18:26:11Z")
Is it limited to 1 year? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/7 "2003-01-04T18:29:21Z")
It’s almost always limited to one year, but some players have taken two (and some 3!) because of a combination of injuries and/or personal problems. I also think that Mormon players get two years off for missionary work. ---
**Author:** ![RickQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@RickQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickQ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/8 "2003-01-05T02:25:17Z")
Thanks for your answers. They do raise another question thought. If a player is referred to as a “freshman” does that mean the the player is not in his freshman year at college, but instead is playing with the team (in competition) for the first time (this is his first year on the team)? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-question/146631/9 "2003-01-05T02:34:32Z")
If you are watching a college athletic event and you hear that a player is a “freshman” assume that he or she is playing that sport for the first year. Some multisport athletes may be “freshmen” in one sport and “sophomores” in another. I don’t think you can be offset by more than one year in two different sports however.