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Steven just completed his third year at BG. The first year he was academically ineligible. Is that year a Red Shirt year? He is listed as a junior but it seems he should have two years of eligibility left. An additional year would really help the program.

He was a partial qualifier. It's not the same as a red shirt, and he will be considered a senior next year. However, yes, he can get that fourth year of eligibility back IF he graduates with a baccalaureate degree by the end of his fourth academic year. If he does not meet the U's requirements to receive his degree by the end of next year, he will never get that fourth year of playing eligibility back (even if he would otherwise still be academically eligible).

Unlike a redshirted player who can take all five years to graduate, Steven will have to graduate within four years to be able to come back for a fifth year and fourth playing season.

Basically the NCAA operates under the assumption that the player will not get that fourth year of eligibility until he actually receives his degree. If he does, he'll essentially have two years where the NCAA calls him an eligible senior.

So would he have to grduate and come back for his masters then? Or would he be eligible for graduation but take crap classes as an undergrad for that extra year?

This rule is flawed. Here's why: to graduate on time and get the fourth year, the player must graduate on time. So, at no point can he change his major or he will likely lose that fourth year of play. Very few 18 year olds are equiped to pick a major without the option of changing, let alone someone behind enough to be in this situation. Yes, we must motivate all players to work hard in school, but the NCAA needs a wiser policy.

I'm sure they are advised not to even choose a major until necessary.

I assume he could either take masters level classes (if accepted into a program) or re-enroll as an undergrad again. Conceivably, a student athlete could get some kind of broad liberal arts degree after 4 years, then get something more specialized after another year.

I agree the rules are flawed. Although, for awhile partial qualifiers could not get the fourth year of eligibility back at all. That provision was added later (in 1997, I believe). Eligibility and qualification issues are always a heavily contested topic.

Well, UT's Triplett some how managed to get that elusive second senior year of eligibility so I would sure hope that Steven could. There might be some leeway here as well. I don't think Triplett has graduated yet. I think you can petition the NCAA for the fourth year as long as you are on pace to graduate by the end of the fifth year.

Yeah, you are correct about being able to petition the NCAA for the fourth year even if the player hasn't yet received his degree, but I think it's approved on a case by case basis and not decided upon until after the completion of the fourth academic year. It's more than just being on pace to graduate, but they do seem to be getting reasonably lenient these days.

And there are plenty of examples of partial qualifiers getting that year back. Andrew Mitchell and Eric Thomas from Kent's elite eight team are good examples. I think both of them did actually graduate "on time" to get that final year, which obviously was a big one. In fact, right off hand I can't think of an example of a MAC partial qualifier who didn't get that final year.