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The NCAA 5 for 5 eligibility issues have dominated headlines for the past few weeks after the matter was discussed during the authority's annual convention. In a fast-changing college sports world, under the 5 for 5 eligibility rule, student-athletes would be granted five years of eligibility while doing away with waivers and red shirts. On Wednesday, On3 reporter Pete Nakos revealed on X that after October's Division I meeting, the NCAA decided to shelve the 5 for 5 eligibility proposal for the 2026-2027 season and keep the current eligibility format."The NCAA has sent out messaging to members that the 5 for 5 eligibility rule change that has been circulated is not coming to college sports for the foreseeable future," Nakos tweeted.According to the statement released by the chairman of the Division I cabinet, Josh Whitman on Wednesday, the NCAA is seeking the intervention of legislation by Congress to settle the eligibility debate rather than the courts, which have been a dominant figure in the process. NCAA 5 for 5 eligibility proposal causes discourseThe NCAA 5 for 5 eligibility issue cropped up after Vanderbilt Commodores' Heisman-contending quarterback Diego Pavia won a reprieve from the courts that allowed him an extra year of eligibility after starting his career playing JUCO. After his landmark win, several student-athletes have sued the NCAA to gain the same consideration despite the blanket waiver granted to former JUCO players. During his weekly news conference, Oklahoma Sooners coach Brent Venables weighed in on the proposal and supported its implementation to benefit student-athletes. “I’ve been told it’s inevitable, it’s supposed to happen very soon,” Venables said. “And it’s not going to be grandfathered in where after this year you get five total years. This will be a year that counts toward that. But I’ve been told it’s supposed to happen sooner rather than later. So, I think that’ll happen soon, it needs to, for lots of reasons. "Let guys have five years. One of the reasons the NCAA would likely pass that is so they don’t have to have all these (legal) cases of giving an additional year and getting into the sixth and seventh year. You get five years. So that’s hopefully coming really soon.”According to Yahoo Sports reporter Ross Dellenger, the NCAA's attorneys have advised the body to hold off on implementing the 5 for 5 proposal as they currently battle several lawsuits by student-athletes seeking extra years in college sports.
