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How a Possible ACC Rule Change Could Affect Syracuse with Justus Ross-Simmons
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- How a Possible ACC Rule Change Could Affect Syracuse with Justus Ross-Simmons
On Tuesday morning, it was reported that the Big Ten Conference is set to pass legislation that will not allow professional football players to return to college.
With the advent of the NCAA's "Five-in-Five" rule, we've heard about former college football players looking to return to college athletics, even after taking part in NFL training camps and preseason games.
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Reports indicate that the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is also considering such legislation, which would make players who have declared for the NFL Draft and not withdrawn ineligible, as well as players who have previously signed a pro contract or appeared on an NFL roster.
As are most things with college athletics these days, this is layered and complex, so let's dive in.
What exactly is happening?
The NCAA passed a rule this summer called the "age-based eligibility model." This new rule allows players five calendar years to play five seasons of their sport.
As a result, players will gain an extra year of eligibility than they had before. However, there are no more medical redshirts and no more redshirts for simply sitting out. If a player misses a season, then they just end up with four years of eligibility as they had previously.
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Take Syracuse men's basketball player Kiyan Anthony for instance. He just played his freshman season. He now has four more years of eligibility, if he wants them.
Syracuse Orange wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons (12) catches a touchdown near Clemson Tigers cornerback Ashton Hampton (23) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Ken Ruinard/GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
So what's happening with NFL players?
Well, players cannot declare for the NFL Draft until they are three years removed from high school. As a result, several players will leave college for the NFL after their third or fourth year in college, meaning they will have left college eligibility on the table.
There are now players who have gone to the NFL, participated in camps, training camp and preseason, that are looking to head back to college to use their additional eligibility. Perhaps they are doing this because their current outlook in the NFL is not as good as it would be in college.
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How does this impact Syracuse?
Syracuse has tried to bring back wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons this offseason. He was been ruled eligible at first, but is currently ineligible because of an NCAA stay that was granted. The NCAA has been fighting against players who are looking to return to college, and now it appears the conferences are taking it upon themselves.
Ross-Simmons was not drafted and did not participate in any NFL camps, but because he had played four seasons, it stands to reason that his name was in the NFL Draft. Therefore, presuming he officially declared for the draft, this new proposed rule would officially make him ineligible.
Of course, there's always the chance that players can seek court injunctions against these policies. So, around and around we go.
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Why would leagues do this?
On one hand, bringing back pro players who have gained professional experience is good for college programs. Simply put, the players have gotten better via NFL coaching and NFL training.
However, this mess also impacts recruiting and your current team, which has been built around the idea of these players not being there. This is what Oregon coach Dan Lanning said earlier this week.
