The landmark eligibility model approved by the NCAA during the offseason is changing how coaching staffs organize their rosters moving forward. The Oregon Ducks didn't shy away from playing young players last season, and Dan Lanning's philosophy when it comes to building the roster isn't changing.
"I think we've always had the conversation: if you're good enough, you're old enough for us," Lanning said at Big Ten media days. "And if guys are playing above-the-line football, we want to find roles for them on our team. And as you play in those roles, your role grows if you perform."
Lanning was asked at Big Ten media days about the future of walk-on players within the program, given the new eligibility model, which gives players five years to play five seasons.
The Ducks recruit at an elite level, and the new eligibility model could lead to some recruits reclassifying to get to the college level even faster. That leaves very little room for the underdog story to make an impact on Saturdays, let alone make the roster.
Yet, the Ducks' leading tackler the past two seasons, Bryce Boettcher, was a walk-on safety who Lanning found a role for at linebacker. In Eugene, names and star ratings alone won't land you on the turf in Autzen Stadium. Effort and ability, however, will.
That's a key reason why the Ducks leaned on freshmen like Jordon Davison, Dierre Hill Jr. and Brandon Finney Jr. last season.
"You know, Jordon Davidson is a great example for that," Lanning said. "Last year for us, he started off as a short-yardage back and became a guy who carried the ball a lot for us. That's what we're looking for. How can we expose them to that? But now there is that decision that no longer has to be made. Do you preserve this guy's redshirt or do you go ahead and play him? Now we have the opportunity to play him, and they have an opportunity to help their team."
The model, colloquially dubbed the "five-for-five" rule, gives athletes five consecutive years to play five seasons of competition in an effort to do away with medical waivers and hardship cases. That could help several veteran stars for the Ducks stick around a little longer, but it's also an incentive to get young playmakers on the field as soon as possible.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dan Lanning breaks down how new redshirt rule changes roster management
