One of the guys I just signed is one of those recruits with high ATH and DEF ratings but really sucky LP. BH and REB.  I have no seniors on my squad this year and have arranged my roster so I will have 2 schollies open next year.  I figured I would redshirt this PF to give him a chance to bump his LP, BH and REB.   He isn't going to help me much this season.

So I put a shirt on him before the first exhibition.  He grumbled mildly so I pulled it off.  In retrospect I should have kept it on him, because after not playing him in the exhibition game, he got cranky and dropped 45 WE points!


That scared the hell out of me so I jerked the 'shirt off him again, and his WE is back to 71.  Now I'm scared to death to try redshirting him one more time.  Think I should just give up on him and give him mop up minutes this year or will the third try stick?

whatifsports.com/hd/PlayerProfile/Ratings.aspx

I always get that msg when i pull it and put it back on.

If I try again, though, will his WE drop be permanent?

no, it shouldn't. i've never had a WE drop permanently if I pull it. you can keep trying throughout the season and maybe he takes it after sitting the bench for several games.     

The WE drop will never be permanent. But odds are if they got a little upset the first time that was the least upset they were going to be and his WE will just keep going down everytime you RS him.

Posted by kmasonbx on 4/12/2011 6:16:00 PM (view original):
The WE drop will never be permanent. But odds are if they got a little upset the first time that was the least upset they were going to be and his WE will just keep going down everytime you RS him.

Well crap.  I should have just left it on him the first time.  No harm, I guess, in just leaving it off and seeing how he develops.  I just wanted to try to redshirt a player every season if I could since my recruiting is sub-par.

Is the theory that your odds of them accepting the red shirt increase if you sit him on the depth chart and redshirt after the first game. Or is it strictly hit or miss?

From my experience it's pretty hit or miss (and I've never hit). I had a guy ride the bench for the first 14 or so games of the season and tried to RS him after every game and saw his WE drop to 1 everytime. I've also tried it a few other times but just for 1 or 2 games before giving up. Could be one of those forum myth or I could just have bad luck trying it.

For the record, this is the first guy in about 6 tries that I've had reject a redshirt (and I'm not sure he really counts because I probably goofed up and should have kept the 'shirt on him the first time I tried).

Just read a new comment in another about 2-3 sometimes another home visit combined with inform of redshirt works. Bit expensive in d3 unless player is close to home, not a pulldown but another option.

the inform of redshirt button is a whole different thing - you risk losing him in recruiting or having to spend more on him

if you have not informed of red shirt, some guys will have small WE drop, some will have large.  Big risk that if you take it off and put it back it could get worse - as we saw here

I think .... cant say for sure....that what the kid says depends on

a.  his personality - is he a team player who lets another kid play in the 4th quarter and would do anything for the team or is a selfish bum or something else

b.  how good a prospect he is compared to your school status - a kid who would be happy to redshirt for one of oldrestorers multichampionship teams will be unhappy redshirting for the Eastern Lower Little Sisters of the Poor....if the kid was a reach for you, he is less likely to take the shirt

c. it may be affected by roster and depth chart

This kid wasn't even a pulldown.  I got him cheap for a couple of HVs and an offer.  And I'm already well stocked on my front line this year, which is why I wanted to redshirt him.  His ATH and DEF ratings, however, are really good for a D3 player - which is why I recruited him.

All that said, judging from my assistant's emails this kid is borderline psycho.  So I'm not going to try the 'shirt again for fear I'll get shanked in the shower room :)

This was the email:  "Let me be the first one to say congratulations - oh, wait, that's what I'd say if I were happy. Let me rephrase that - you signed Howard Moore?!? Are you insane? The kid's mental."

Ethan, just curious, what is this guys WE, and what did it drop to the first time you tried to RS?

I received that message with this player http://www.whatifsports.com/hd/PlayerProfile/Ratings.aspx?tid=0&pid=1728980 a couple of seasons ago - did as you said, planting the red shirt before first exhibition game.  I removed it, placed back on and then the syrup and waffles chatting began.  I tried again 5 games into the season and still received the message. 

I had no intentions of playing the kid and decided to to just sit out for a bit - so I tried again after non-con. games had passed after the bye night into the conference games, and he said it was the best path to go and didn't the W/E hit was no more.  If you're not really going to play him much, I'd roll the dice and wait it out with him - may or may not work and perhaps I just got lucky.