Had a question on how many FBS teams are under the 85 scholarship limit?

UMass situation is just dark. Ended the prior year with 52 scholarship players and ended this year with 48 scholarship players. Will see if Walt Bell and staff can coach, but they where brought in for recruiting and to raise the APR. Abdul-Rahim was a great recruiter for the DC area, but we were raided by Boston College that plucked him away for 400k, a huge raise from 125k.

Thinking there are more teams under the 85 limit and curious of the number and teams.

Ending numbers can be deceptive because of graduation and attrition. The question is how many do you enter fall camp with?

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I think there is some type of requirement that you have (or at least average over a period of time) 90% of the 85 scholarship limit.

(01-20-2020 11:48 AM)bullet Wrote:  I think there is some type of requirement that you have (or at least average over a period of time) 90% of the 85 scholarship limit.

I know that for a win over an FCS to count toward an FBS team's bowl eligibility, that FCS team has to award 90% of their scholarship limit of 63.

(01-20-2020 11:48 AM)bullet Wrote:  I think there is some type of requirement that you have (or at least average over a period of time) 90% of the 85 scholarship limit.

Correct. So with 48 returning scholarship players plus 25 recruits (the annual limit), that would bring them to 73. Since that is under the required minimum of 77, they would presumably have to put at least four walkons on scholarship at least for next season, unless they can count two of their 2020 recruits against the 2019 class somehow. Or get a waiver from the NCAA, who seems to give out waivers somewhat randomly.

(01-20-2020 11:48 AM)bullet Wrote:  I think there is some type of requirement that you have (or at least average over a period of time) 90% of the 85 scholarship limit.

90% over a rolling two-year period.

Any team that needs more players on scholarship to meet that requirement can just give scholarships to a few walk-on players. Then the problem is only that the team doesn't have as many players that were recruited as scholarship athletes compared to the teams they compete against.

(01-20-2020 03:58 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(01-20-2020 11:48 AM)bullet Wrote:  I think there is some type of requirement that you have (or at least average over a period of time) 90% of the 85 scholarship limit.

90% over a rolling two-year period.

Any team that needs more players on scholarship to meet that requirement can just give scholarships to a few walk-on players. Then the problem is only that the team doesn't have as many players that were recruited as scholarship athletes compared to the teams they compete against.

It's an accounting issue. It doesn't just affect the bottom schools in FBS it also affects the very top.

I know Ohio State runs well under the 85 for recruited players because they have so many one and done or two and done players. I remember hearing only 58 recruited HS players were on the team at one point a couple years ago (don't hold me to that number it's /- a couple and probably excludes a few under scholarship but sidelined with injury, so still be counted for the NCAA). Some players stop mid-season to prepare for the NFL draft (usually some injury they decide it's not worth playing on given the financial risk). So there are a number of preferred walk on players. You only get 25 a year, and if they are staying less only 2 or 3 years you wont ever reach 75 on the team. But it's also true that such programs get a few transfers to fill some of those scholarships.

I am sure what is true for Ohio State is also true for Alabama and Georgia among others. You basically recruit 4 and 5 star HS players with the plan to start them as Sophs, expect half to depart after that year and the other half after their Junior year. If you do the math that gives you 62-63 on the roster at anytime. So you have to find another 15 players via transfer or walk on to reach 90%.

Note, it's popular to give walk on scholarships to Seniors so they don't hold it long, or specialists like long snappers and kickers who are rarely if ever give scholarships out of HS.

(01-20-2020 03:50 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(01-20-2020 11:48 AM)bullet Wrote:  I think there is some type of requirement that you have (or at least average over a period of time) 90% of the 85 scholarship limit.

Correct. So with 48 returning scholarship players plus 25 recruits (the annual limit), that would bring them to 73. Since that is under the required minimum of 77, they would presumably have to put at least four walkons on scholarship at least for next season, unless they can count two of their 2020 recruits against the 2019 class somehow. Or get a waiver from the NCAA, who seems to give out waivers somewhat randomly.

Please note there are a number of types/color shirts that can be used to increase the number. This includes 5 for early enrollees, which can count towards last year ( We have 7 EE.) and we have a few blue shirts that had no OV and can walk on get scholarships and not count. Think we are aiming for 33 this time and have 27 commitments.

Differences between blue grey red green shirts

It will still be 3 years to get to the limit and we will be very young. So not expecting more than a win this fall.

Any ways, back tot he original question.
I'm guessing about 10-15% of G5 teams are under the 85 limit.