The Louisville football program's 2025 season if officially off and running, so it's time to start tracking a crucial component when it comes to roster construction and management: who has crossed the games played threshold for redshirts.
As a reminder, a player can play up to four games during the regular season while still maintaining their redshirt - which allows them an additional year of eligibility beyond the normal allotment of four. Play more than that, and you've burned your opportunity to take a redshirt that season.
There are some complicating factors, such as injury waivers or older players who were granted an additional year thanks to the COVID pandemic in 2020. But outside of that, D1 players - according to the NCAA's official page - have five-calendar years to play four non-redshirt seasons of competition.
Considering Louisville blew out Eastern Kentucky to start their season, it gave the opportunity for a lot of players to play in-game snaps. But who can still take a redshirt this season? Below is our full tracker, separated by distinct categories:
*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.
With Louisville going up 41-7 at halftime, it paved the way for most of their true freshmen to get some in-game rep in the second half.
However, there were a few exceptions. Jamarice Wilder and C.J. May were nursing injuries, hence why they didn't get in. Brady Allen and Deuce Adams got most of the second half drives at quarterback, which is why Mason Mims didn't play.
In theory, this was the perfect opportunity for guys like Grant Houser, Dillon Smith and Micah Rice to get some snaps. That being siad, there are still a couple more opportunities for them to get some in-game experience.
*games played in parenthesis. Bold w/no parenthesis indicates redshirt opportunity burned.
No surprises here. Most of the players in this category are heavy contributors to the team, and are expected to burn their opportunity to take a redshirt this season in the coming weeks.
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