Pops. Grandpa. Methuselah. College football players are getting older.
Tom Brady briefly tried out retirement, but at age 45 he’s still a few years away from being able to fully join the AARP. The University of Georgia’s soon-to-be 25-year-old quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, on the other hand, is already embedded with the retirement group.
College football careers are being stretched from four or five years to as many as eight—and the primary reason is the pandemic. The NCAA gave all football players who competed in the truncated 2020 season a bonus year of eligibility. College football’s old-timers aren’t just hanging around on campus with nothing to do. NCAA rules require them to be actively working toward a degree to remain eligible. And unlike former USC quarterback Matt Leinart, who famously was enrolled only in ballroom dancing during his senior season in 2005, today’s veterans are nearly all graduate students.
While he wasn’t able to be on the football field, Mr. Pugh was busy in the classroom earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a masters in sports management. He’s on track to finish a second master’s degree in sports psychology this spring, meaning he has more degrees than most of Northern Illinois’s graduate assistants.
While these players are still closer in age to the youngest 17-year-old freshmen than they are to their coaches, the age gap can create some laughable moments in the locker room. Now 32, Mr. Hutton is constantly confused for his coaches when he checks in with training table attendants for meals.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Proposed New CFB Calendar Calls to Move Season EarlierA proposal to revamp the 365-day college football calendar includes the idea of moving both the regular season and the start of bowl games up, reports RossDellenger
Read more »
College football Week 4 best bets for Saturday gamesFrontPageBets takes a look at some wagers to watch this weekend in college football.
Read more »
2023 NFL Draft Prospects: Risers After Week 3It’s never too early to look at the top draft prospects in college football. RJ_Writes details the latest intel on five players rising on draft boards
Read more »
Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy Explains Why Bedlam Rivalry Is EndingOklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy made it clear why he thinks the popular college football rivalry 'Bedlam' is ending
Read more »
The College Football Playoff is expanding. So how will all the moving parts — schedules, TV, venues — fit together?Expanding for the 2024 and ‘25 College Football Playoff largely hinges on whether the games can be pushed back from their existing dates.
Read more »