A free PDF of the NCAA Manual for those that want to see the 452 page source document yourself
Definitions
15.5.6.3 Initial Counters—Football (Also see Bylaw 15.02.3.1). [FBS/FCS]
15.5.6.3.4 Midyear Replacement. [FBS/FCS] A counter who graduates at midyear or who graduates during the previous academic year (including summer) may be replaced by an initial counter, who shall be counted against the initial limit either for the year in which the aid is awarded (if the institution’s annual limit has not been reached) or for the following academic year, or by a student-athlete who was an initial counter in a previous academic year and is returning to the institution after time spent on active duty in the armed services or on an official religious mission. In bowl subdivision football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year to the maximum number of overall counters (85 total counters). In championship subdivision football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year that equals the maximum number of overall equivalencies or overall counters.
Definitions
- The NCAA uses 2 terms for scholarship limits
- Counter = total athletes counted against the max # of athletic scholarships (85 for football)
- Initial Counter = newly awarded scholar athletes (limited to 25 per academic year in football with exclusion exceptions and rules that determine which year they can be counted against)
- Blueshirt as defined by the NCAA
- 15.5.6.3.3 Nonrecruited Student-Athlete Receiving Institutional Financial Aid During First Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete not recruited (per Bylaw 15.02.9) by the institution who receives institutional financial aid (based in any degree on athletics ability) after beginning football practice during the first year of enrollment becomes a counter but need not be counted as an initial counter until the next academic year if the institution has reached its initial limit for the year in question. However, the student-athlete shall be considered in the total counter limit for the academic year in which the aid was first received.
- How was KU burned so badly?
- 15.5.6.3.8 Delayed Initial Counter Who Does Not Return to School. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete who receives countable financial aid but whose status as an initial counter under this bylaw is delayed until the following academic year shall be counted against the initial limit the following academic year, regardless of whether the student-athlete reports for participation or attends the institution in that academic year.
- 15.02.9 Recruited Student-Athlete. For purposes of Bylaw 15, a recruited student-athlete is a student athlete who, as a prospective student-athlete:
- (a) Was provided an official visit to the institution’s campus;
- (b) Had an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with a member of the institution’s coaching staff (including a coach’s arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s family members); or
- (c) Was issued a National Letter of Intent or a written offer of athletically related financial aid by the institution for a regular academic term.
- 85 Scholarship Limit: the NCAA doesn't have a single point in time that school must be at the 85 scholarship limit (I found nothing in the manual that supports the claim that the NCAA only cares about the count at the beginning of the fall semester). Midyear graduates going off-aid create space for mid-year enrollees.
- Athletics Aid. A student-athlete who receives financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability shall become a counter for the year during which the student-athlete receives the financial aid
- Bowl Subdivision Football. [FBS] There shall be an annual limit of 25 on the number of initial counters (per Bylaw 15.02.3.1) and an annual limit of 85 on the total number of counters (including initial counters) in football at each institution.
- 15.02.8 Period of Award. The period of award begins when the student-athlete receives any benefits as a part of the student’s grant-in-aid on the first day of classes for a particular academic term, or the first day of practice, whichever is earlier, and continues until the conclusion of the period set forth in the financial aid agreement.
- 15.5.6.3.4 Midyear Replacement. [FBS/FCS] A counter who graduates at midyear or who graduates during the previous academic year (including summer) may be replaced by an initial counter, who shall be counted against the initial limit either for the year in which the aid is awarded (if the institution’s annual limit has not been reached) or for the following academic year
- 15.5.1.4 Cancellation of Aid. Once an individual becomes a counter in a head-count sport (see Bylaws 15.5.2, 15.5.4, 15.5.5, 15.5.6, 15.5.7 and 15.5.8), the individual normally continues as a counter for the remainder of the academic year. However, if he or she voluntarily withdraws from the team prior to the first day of classes or before the first contest of the season (whichever is earlier) and releases the institution from its obligation to provide financial aid, the individual no longer would be considered a counter
- Athletics Aid. A student-athlete who receives financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability shall become a counter for the year during which the student-athlete receives the financial aid
- Initial Counters:
- I think Togiai would count as an Initial Counter in 2020 if he signed and went on a Religious Mission
- Derick Netwon
- 15.5.6.3.7 Returning Two-Year Transfer. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete who previously was an initial counter and who transferred to a two-year college shall not be an initial counter upon return to the original institution.
- 15.5.6.3.4 Midyear Replacement. [FBS/FCS] A counter who graduates at midyear or who graduates during the previous academic year (including summer) may be replaced by an initial counter, who shall be counted against the initial limit either for the year in which the aid is awarded (if the institution’s annual limit has not been reached) or for the following academic year, or by a student-athlete who was an initial counter in a previous academic year and is returning to the institution after time spent on active duty in the armed services or on an official religious mission. In bowl subdivision football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year to the maximum number of overall counters (85 total counters). In championship subdivision football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year that equals the maximum number of overall equivalencies or overall counters.
- Accounting for the Summer
- 15.5.1.9.1 Exception—Football. [FBS/FCS] In football, a prospective student-athlete who receives athletically related financial aid during a summer term prior to initial full-time enrollment at the certifying institution shall be an initial and overall counter for the ensuing academic year.
- Walk-Ons: are not initial counters as long as they have been on campus for at least 1 academic year
- 15.5.6.3.5 Aid First Awarded After First Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete who has been in residence at the certifying institution for at least one academic year may receive athletically related financial aid for the first time without such aid counting as an initial award, provided the aid falls within the overall grant limitation.
15.5.6.3 Initial Counters—Football (Also see Bylaw 15.02.3.1). [FBS/FCS]
15.5.6.3.1 Recruited Student-Athlete Entering in Fall Term, Aided in First Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete recruited (see Bylaw 15.02.9) by the awarding institution who enters in the fall term and receives institutional financial aid (based in any degree on athletics ability) during the first academic year of residence shall be an initial counter for that year in football. Therefore, such aid shall not be awarded if the institution has reached its limit on the number of initial counters prior to the award of institutional financial aid to the student-athlete.
15.5.6.3.2 Recruited Student-Athlete Entering After Fall Term, Aided in First Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete recruited (per Bylaw 15.02.9) by the awarding institution who enters after the first term of the academic year and immediately receives institutional financial aid (based in any degree on athletics ability) shall be an initial counter for either the current academic year (if the institution’s annual limit has not been reached) or the next academic year. The student-athlete shall be included in the institution’s total counter limit during the academic year in which the aid was first received.
15.5.6.3.4 Midyear Replacement. [FBS/FCS] A counter who graduates at midyear or who graduates during the previous academic year (including summer) may be replaced by an initial counter, who shall be counted against the initial limit either for the year in which the aid is awarded (if the institution’s annual limit has not been reached) or for the following academic year, or by a student-athlete who was an initial counter in a previous academic year and is returning to the institution after time spent on active duty in the armed services or on an official religious mission. In bowl subdivision football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year to the maximum number of overall counters (85 total counters). In championship subdivision football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year that equals the maximum number of overall equivalencies or overall counters.
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