The annual NCAA Convention often produces noteworthy legislative changes for many football fans. Last week's 2025 NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tenn., included notable changes to NCAA Division II football. These changes left many, including this writer, with plenty of questions. So, I contacted administrators and coaches across the Lone Star Conference to help understand what the changes accomplish.

The NCAA’s press release highlighted the approval to provide automatic qualification to the NCAA DII football playoffs to all conferences that sponsor football. This move eliminates the confusing earned access used by the NCAA in previous seasons. Instead of earned access, the move ensures every conference champion will be represented in the playoffs.

In previous years, a conference champion was only guaranteed a spot in the playoffs if they were among the top nine teams in their respective region's final regional ranking. The Lone Star Conference champion has never used the exemption in the history of earned access. However, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference have advocated for this change for years. The Northeast-10 Conference sponsored the legislation with the CIAA, the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference co-sponsoring the move that achieved 60 percent of the vote.

While the highlighted legislative change has a minimal impact on the LSC, three of the other six changes will considerably impact every DII football team. Many of the approved proposals were intended to bring DII more in line with current Division I rules.

Beginning in the 2025 season, an athlete in their “initial year of collegiate enrollment to participate in up to 30 percent of the maximum permissible number of contests…without using a season of competition.” The industry experts I contacted clarified this proposal, which contained some confusing wording. In particular, “up to 30 percent” is not a maximum. In other words, players can play in 39 percent or fewer contests and retain their ability to redshirt.

In previous seasons, an athlete seeking to redshirt their freshman season could only play in three football games, considering a DII team can schedule a maximum of 11 regular season games. This change allows players to participate in four football contests without burning their redshirt. UTPB head coach Kris McCullough said four freshmen on his roster would’ve played in the Heritage Bowl powered by Riot if the new rule had been in effect.

Other coaches and administrators emphasized how this change could help a team experiencing depth issues due to injuries during the playoffs. If the team plays 16 games in a season, an athlete could maintain their redshirt and participate in six games. However, to play 16 games, a team must play 11 regular-season contests and not receive a bye in the first round. A freshman could play in five games and maintain redshirt status if the team plays 13 games.

The following proposal, which was approved at the NCAA Convention, raised the ire of some coaches and administrators. Effective Aug. 1, an athlete must earn nine semester hours of credit and have at least 24 semester hours of academic credit during the regular academic year to meet progress-toward-degree requirements and be eligible for the season. A player must hold a 2.0 minimum grade-point average (GPA) before the fall term begins. Previously, an athlete had to earn at least 18 semester hours of credit or 27 hours of academic credit during a regular academic year. 

Simply put, an athlete must only pass nine semester credit hours, attend at least 24 hours of academic credit during the previous academic year, and maintain a 2.0 GPA to be eligible for the season.

One LSC head coach noted the changes make it possible for a football player to fail every class during the season and still be eligible for the next season as long as they pass at least nine semester credit hours during the spring. An LSC administrator said, “This is another step toward ending the concept of being a student-athlete.” Another LSC head coach said, “A lot of coaches already don’t give a shit about players getting a degree anymore as long as they're eligible to play in the fall. This (change) only hurts the athlete.”

Another proposal of note to football fans received mixed responses from the coaches and administrators. The delegates approved a “proposal that eliminated the requirement that a qualifier who is a two-year college transfer must earn transferable credit hours in English, math, and science.”

In other words, a junior college athlete who met NCAA qualifications in high school can transfer to a DII school without earning additional English, math, or science credits. In previous years, that same player would have to obtain their associate degree before being eligible to transfer to a DII institution.

Coaches noted this proposal brings Division II schools on equal footing with current DI requirements. However, one LSC administrator opined, “I don’t know why we’re trying to be Division I. We should focus on ensuring our athletes receive their education, considering the small percentage of players who reach the professional level from DII.”

Regardless of their feelings toward the legislative changes, coaches and administrators said they are busy ensuring that their programs and departments will be in compliance with the updated rules when they become effective in August.