LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As quickly as it began, college football's 2024 regular season is already heading into the final week. While who is and who is not taking a redshirt season has already long been decided, there are a few players to monitor for the Louisville football program as they head into the regular season finale.
As a reminder, a player can play up to four games in a season while still maintaining their redshirt – which allows them an additional year of eligibility beyond the normal allotment of four. Play more than that, and you've burned your opportunity to take a redshirt that season.
There are some complicating factors, such as injury waivers or older players who were granted an additional year thanks to the COVID pandemic in 2020. But outside of that, D1 players – according to the NCAA's official page – have five-calendar years to play four non-redshirt seasons of competition.
So who can still take a redshirt, and who has burned their opportunity? Below is our full tracker, separated by distinct categories:
*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.
Isaac Brown, Maurice Davis and Duke Watson had already burned their opportunity to take a redshirt prior to the Pitt game.
The only other true freshmen to see any sort of playing time outside of the Austin Peay game have been Trent Carter, Jathan Hatch and Rae'mon Mosby – who have gotten involved on special teams in a handful of games.
*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.
Most of the players in this category are heavy contributors to the team, and had long burned their opportunity to take a redshirt prior to the Pitt game.
For the sixth straight game, Antonio Meeks did not play while sitting at the redshirt threshold. He has seen minimal run this season (just 38 total snaps over four games played), so unless more injuries at wide receiver or on special teams pop up, we have to consider the possibility of a redshirt.
With Maurice Turner, he finally made his return to action this past week against Pitt. That being said, he's still a game under the redshirt threshold heading into Kentucky, so a redshirt year is already guaranteed.
As with Selah Brown, he has yet to make an appearance due to an undisclosed injury, so with just one game left in the regular season, a redshirt is in order here.
*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.
Tamarion McDonald, Dezmond Tell and Corey Thornton have played four full prior seasons, are on their COVID year, and had already crossed the redshirt threshold before the Stanford game.
With Caullin Lacy, he decided before the Boston College game that he will opt out of the rest of the 2024 season and utilize his redshirt season to get one more year of collegiate eligibility.
With Jadon Thompson, he is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury against Georgia Tech. However, he still has his normal redshirt left as he played three full seasons at Cincinnati and one full season at Louisville last year. He can use that this season for a potential return in 2025.
Lance Robinson used his extra COVID year in 2020 when he played just three games at MTSU as a true freshman. he then had a full 2021 season at MTSU followed by a full 2022 season at Houston. While he only played one game last season in his first year with Louisville, it counts as a full season due to then-NCAA eligibility rules, which were amended during bowl season to allow him to play the Holiday Bowl. With Robinson out for the season due to an injury suffered in fall camp, his normal redshirt will be used this season so he can return in 2025.
Mason Reiger didn't play a game in 2020, but used his COVID year for that season, and has played three "full" seasons since. He was in line to play his final year this season, but with him still being sidelined after complications from offseason knee surgery, he will likely use his normal redshirt this year and return for 2025.
(Photo of Isaac Brown: Bob Kupbens – Imagn Images)
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McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic
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