Possible NCAA Change Will Make Hogs Fans Feel Like Pesky Volunteers Never Go Away

Car sales lots, insurance offices will clear out in hopes of shot at year of NIL, revenue money

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Stanley Umude (0) drives against Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Seigler (5) during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 58-48. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's almost perfect poetry that Arkansas is prepping to play No. 1 Tennessee immediately after word begins to leak out that the NCAA is looking to streamline a lot of the eligibility process by simply saying all players have five seasons to get it done.

Over the years, Razorbacks fans have felt the Volunteers were playing guys like Admiral Scofield, Santiago Vescovi and Zakai Zeigler for at least eight years each. In reality, it has actually been over a decade since Rick Barnes didn't have at least one or more of those players on the team.

It's an interesting and welcome change to the rule if implemented as rumored. It will eliminate the red-shirt season, which, especially on the football side of things, gets rid of. a lot of confusion and manipulation. No longer will coaches have to leave a needed player off the field while trying to preserve an extra season of eligibility and fans won't have to remember whether bowl games count toward the previously regulated four games of availability.

The situation with Patrick Kutas, where he convinced Arkansas coach Sam Pittman to not play him in games so he could keep his extra year on the broken promise he wouldn't transfer would no longer be a game of lies and deception. Pittman will be able to simply play guys as needed without wondering whether he's doing the right thing for the program or the bidding of a cunning Lane Kiffin.

The interesting side of this is the reaction of former NCAA athletes. Literally the first question in the comments once the story came out was asking whether it would be retroactive because the person posting thought he had enough left in the tank to go play another season.

Insurance and car salesmen across the country have suddenly perked up. The idea of taking a shot at college glory with revenue sharing and NIL now in the equation has men and women anxious to hit the gym hard once again.

For many, depending on sport and position, the money to be made going back could be worth five to eight years of salary at their current jobs. Of course, the NCAA will most likely say it begins with only players currently enrolled or an upcoming freshman class, but, as has been seen over and over again, all it takes is one player to challenge it in court and suddenly the Razorbacks have a 32-year-old starting at left tackle.

If it doesn't go through, Arkansas fans can still enjoy having a 30-year-old red-shirt freshman lining up at wide receiver, but if it does, the world of 24-year-old men and women dominating the NCAA Tournament is the future in store. However, it will certainly be a much less complicated future than the past several years of COVID roster calculations when no one seemed to be able to confidently ascertain when a player's expiration date might be.

HOGS FEED:

• Top 25 national recruit details thoughts of visit with Arkansas, talks decision date

• BREAKING: Status of Davis revealed ahead of Hogs' SEC Opener

• Hogs need better plan than Baylor's to beat No. 1 Tennessee

• One major reason Hogs fans think Hasz left easily disproven

• Analyst divides SEC into three levels, but on which tier did Razorbacks land?

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