I know that applying a redshirt causes a player's improvement rate to slow down (the logic behind this evades me). Does the improvement rate in free throw shooting decrease as well? I'd assume it does, but does anyone have a definite answer?

everything seems to slow just a bit. 
But the difference of improvement between a redshirted player and a freshman that is eligible, but doesn't play, is close to zero.  I've had reshirts improve close to 100 points in a season.

Where the improvement accelerates is when the player gets some meaningful playing time. 

Posted by usc4life on 8/17/2011 11:20:00 AM (view original):
I know that applying a redshirt causes a player's improvement rate to slow down (the logic behind this evades me). Does the improvement rate in free throw shooting decrease as well? I'd assume it does, but does anyone have a definite answer?

Their growth rate "slows down" because they are not getting any playing time. Slap a RS on a player, and leave another player off the depth chart, their growth should be roughly similar, assuming potential and work ethic are similar as well. 

That makes sense. It's just frustrating to redshirt someone for an extra years worth of improvement, then have him improve...so...slowly (the guy you mentioned Iguana1 must've been spectacular). Thanks guys

Posted by usc4life on 8/17/2011 12:10:00 PM (view original):
That makes sense. It's just frustrating to redshirt someone for an extra years worth of improvement, then have him improve...so...slowly (the guy you mentioned Iguana1 must've been spectacular). Thanks guys

Think of it as an extra 20-50 rating points and a full IQ grade before the player becomes an eligible freshman.    If you redshirt one freshman every season, you'll end up being a better team overall.

Consider this guy:   whatifsports.com/hd/PlayerProfile/Ratings.aspx  He had an overall of 476 out of high school and gained 36 points his redshirt season.  But more importantly, his IQs in my Man/Motion scheme also climbed to B level before he ever played a minute.  Last season he was my leading scorer as a soph and I'm looking for good things from him as a JR.  

Another guy I redshirted out of high school: whatifsports.com/hd/PlayerProfile/Ratings.aspx  who went from 481 to 520 (39 points) and figures to either start or play major minutes this season as a soph.

I'm sold on redshirting now and look at their IQ improvement as being just as important, if not more so, than their ratings gains.  They become much more usable freshmen after learning your system for a season.