Diego Pavia gets an extra year

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A federal court has barred the NCAA from enforcing its four-year rule against Vandy QB Diego Pavia for the 2025 season. The immediate effect is minimal, because Pavia only sought relief for himself, not a class. But the logic of the ruling applies NCAA-wide.

In brief, Pavia argued it violates antitrust laws for the NCAA to count time spent at non-member institutions (in Pavia’s case, two years of juco) against the four years a player can be eligible for NCAA competition. The court agreed for purposes of a preliminary injunction that will apply to the 2025 season while the parties litigate the merits in full.

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I think it’s funny that the NCAA has a rule to say that games played with an ineligible player deemed eligible by court injunction can retroactively be vacated if the injunction is overturned, and that the judge also granted an injunction against that.

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I think this could cut both ways for the MAC (good and bad). Sure, you’ll get some players that want to spend time in JUCO rather than the MAC and look to transfer up. But you will also have a whole lot of players that play 2, 3, hell even 4 years at JUCO and want to continue playing football that will be perfect MAC players that wouldn’t have sniffed Div I ball as 19 year olds.

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The real impact of this ruling would be felt in basketball where JUCO is a much bigger deal. Imagine if players could play 4 years of JUCO ball and then move up to NCAA for 4 more years.

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I agree with the author this is the obvious next step. Someone is going to sue and say there should be no limit on number of years of eligibility.

In Wednesday’s ruling, the court shot down all of the NCAA’s arguments for its rules around eligibility. Such rules, the NCAA contends, preserve the character and uniqueness of college, create open opportunities for future athletes, and prevent age and experience disparities among athletes.

The Court “is not persuaded,” the judge wrote. The arguments “fall flat.”

There are now millions of reasons for athletes to remain in college as long as possible.

The next court case is invariably right around the corner. Instead of receiving five years to play four seasons, why isn’t it six years to play five?

Or seven to play six?

Eight to play seven?

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Basically what we have learned over the past several years, is if the NCAA is taken to court, the NCAA will lose.

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Given all the rulings and the general direction, if Aaron Rodgers sued and said he wanted to go play a farewell tour at Cal next year, I’m not certain how the ruling would go, but I think there’d be a real possibly he’d win and be allowed to play as a Hall of Fame NFL QB.

Obviously the more realistic scenario (and more sympathetic plaintiff) would be someone who washed out of the NFL wanting to go back and make millions playing in the SEC/Big 10 (think someone like Bryce Young or even more sympathetic, a late round draft pick who only made NFL minimum for a year)

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Baseball would see by far the most impact. By a wide margin it is the sport with the most transfers from JUCO to D1

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Maybe that would actually help us and every other school in our situ. Suddenly our talent pool grows exponentially. The big guys can’t keep everyone unless there become no roster limits…

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At least if they made it to the pros you’d know who the players were

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And on cue: Syracuse’s Kyle McCord has started the process to argue for a 5th year of eligibility. He is going through the ncaa appeal process right now, but could be the case that eventually ends the 4 seasons in 5 years rule if he takes it to court.

There hasn’t been a court willing to side with the ncaa on pretty much anything eligibility limiting.

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NCAA today announced a blanket one year waiver for all students who competed at the juco level while they appeal the pavia decision

Any Miami players who we thought were done now eligible for one more?

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We almost never recruit junior college guys.

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Yeah, I couldn’t think of one. I took a quick look through roster this morning and doesn’t look like it will affect Miami.

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I think if the NCAA had chosen to be an advocate for ALL its embers equally, then they’d have not ran into these issues over the past decade or so….

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Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. In this case however most of the coaches, admin, TV execs, etc. who benefitted from the system for years are old and wealthy enough now that they won’t face any real consequences, and that sucks.