College football players are normally eligible to compete for four years, although some who are injured or opt to start after their freshmen year are given an extension. Now, UVA has won a special extension for seven of its players after three of their teammates were murdered. Preston Willett, sports director for the CBS affiliate in Charlottesville, says the decision was unusual.
"There really haven’t been that many cases of an individual university getting an extra year of eligibility," he says.
And it means some players could actually have seven years of college football.
"The NCAA over the past couple of years has actually granted an extra year of eligibility a couple of times with COVID obviously ruining a lot of these college athlete’s season and careers," Willett explains.
The decision came at the request of the University.
“Carla Williams, the athletic director there, initiated a request to the NCAA to grant an extra year of eligibility to a couple of players who would have exhausted their eligibility and therefore been done playing college football.”
But Willett doubts all of those eligible will opt to play for the Cavaliers in the fall.
4 – Two have already declared for the NFL draft – Anthony Johnson and Billy Kemp, but there are a couple of other guys on the team – Darrius Bratton has been a guy who’s battled injuries throughout his career, Keytoan Thompson another receiver.
After the shooting, UVA cut its season short -- cancelling its last two games against Coastal Carolina and Virginia Tech.
