The problem is that it doesn't work with the way the game works now. In order to make that work, you would need to make freshmen in general complain a lot more and be more likely to leave if they didn't play. Currently they complain little to none and virtually never leave as a result of not playing. Do you really think it would be better for the game to allow guys to be redshirted free of risk at the end of the season, but also have championship-caliber teams forced to find more minutes for freshmen? In order for the system to work, one of those sets of things has to happen. Either freshmen demand playing time and complain when they don't get it, with some risk of transferring, or they continue to treat redshirts the same way at any point in the season, as is currently the case. It is widely recognized that the old system, where guys would start to take redshirts (maybe because the season had moved along, or maybe by random chance - I think mostly random chance), was basically bad and too easy to manipulate. Even then it wasn't guaranteed any guy would eventually take it, many did not. I think this is the best way for the GAME, even if it isn't the most realistic thing in the world.