TRENDING: Oregon’s freshmen early enrolling challenges

As college football progresses into the 21st century, the distinction between student-athletes and professional athletes becomes increasingly blurred. With the advent of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities, student-athletes can now profit from their personal brand. Additionally, the demands of the college football season necessitate a rigorous weekly routine during the season, and the offseason is filled with continuous training, leaving little downtime.

The spring football season has gained prominence in recent decades, prompting more incoming freshmen to graduate early and enroll at their new university for the spring semester. This allows them to participate in spring workouts and practices, providing a head start on their collegiate careers. However, this quick transition can be demanding for young athletes, especially considering the significant time commitments involved.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning recently addressed this issue during the Oregon Football Coaches’ show while previewing the upcoming Oregon football season. With a sizable portion of their 2024 class enrolling early, Lanning discussed the challenges that early enrollees may face as they adapt to the demands of collegiate football.

“Well, just your schedule in general,” Lanning said “It can be pretty taxing when it’s starting off with football in the morning and finishing the class in the afternoon and possibly having a meeting after night. So it becomes really important how you manage your time.”

Twenty of the 27 top prospects from Oregon in the class of 2024 were anticipated to enroll early. Elijah Rushing, Aydin Breland, and Jeremiah McClellan are among those twenty.

Although enrolling in the spring can be difficult, the main reason it’s grown in popularity is the advantage it provides to the players. It is possible for freshmen to take more time to become familiar with the team’s structure, form bonds with their teammates, and hone their talents. It’s important for new players to demonstrate their abilities as soon as possible because coaches use the spring season to fill out the depth chart.

“Yeah, I mean, anytime you can get acclimated, get into the process, you know, start early as far as learning the substance of the playbook,” Lanning said.  “And learning you know, what’s it like to be a college student all those things that it gets is really valuable time.”