There is no denying that the NCAA is taking a pummeling in court. When it comes to student-athlete eligibility, including their new “five-for-five” age-based eligibility rule, they can’t catch a break.
The new rule will give student-athletes five years to play five years of college athletics. The rule removes redshirts and only offers waivers in extreme circumstances.
But the NCAA did not grandfather in student-athletes who started in 2022 and played four years without a redshirt. That, and other missed eligibility decisions, are coming back to haunt the NCAA and two Big 12 programs recently benefited from legal decisions against the NCAA.
UCF Football
Linebacker Cole Kozlowski was one of the student-athletes who played four years of college football. He was part of the Class of 2022. Last week, a Colorado federal judge, Charlotte Sweeney, issued a ruling that granted a fifth year of eligibility to all Class of 2022 athletes.
That opened the door for Kozlowski, a third-team All-Big 12 selection last year, to return to the Knights. He reportedly attended the first practice of fall workouts but did not participate. His name has not been added to the team’s electronic roster. The Orlando Sentinel’s Matt Murschel reported on Wednesday that Kozlowski could return sometime this week.
This doesn’t mean the legal wrangling is over. The NCAA is seeking to overturn the preliminary injunction. Even if the NCAA can’t overturn the injunction, the case would still need to reach its natural conclusion in court. Kozlowski and his fellow student-athletes could ultimately lose the case, and the NCAA could punish UCF for playing an ineligible player.
But if it sticks, the Knights get back a linebacker who had 82 tackles last season and could made a big impact on a team that fell one win short of a bowl game in 2025.
Houston Basketball
On Thursday, former Texas basketball player Chendell Weaver reportedly committed to play the 2026-27 season at Houston under coach Kelvin Sampson. He only averaged 5.8 points 4.1 rebounds for the Longhorns last year. He played his first collegiate season, 2022-23, at UT Arlington.
Weaver also challenged the new age-based rule and was attached to a case heard in a Tennessee court. With the Colorado injunction, that opened the door for Weaver to seek a landing spot for a fifth year. Returning to Texas wasn’t an option as the Longhorns had no more scholarships. But the Cougars only have 13 players on their electronic roster, indicating the Cougars still have up to two scholarships remaining.
Weaver’s commitment gave Sampson the opportunity to add an energy player to his rotation, one that plays defense, grabs rebounds, and does the dirty work to open opportunities for his skilled offensive players. Weaver should be a great fit for Houston so long as he remains eligible.
As with Kozlowski, things may change as the case continues to wind its way through the court system. But, for now, the Knights and the Cougars reap the benefits of this decision.
