Newly eligible seniors will count toward roster caps and cannot transfer, court clarifies

Friday’s court order granting a fifth year of eligibility to high school class of 2022 players whose college careers ended last spring threw the college sports landscape into a tailspin as many football programs were preparing to open their fall camps.

Before beginning the appeals process, the NCAA immediately sought clarification, which came from Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney on Sunday.

Sweeney clarified that the court order was only meant to grant those seniors a fifth season and the decision did not make them exempt from House settlement rules, such as those regarding transfer windows and roster caps.

Those seniors sought the same “five years to play five seasons” that the players before them (due to COVID) and after them (new “5 for 5” rule being in place) got.

The court’s clarification meant only players who were already in the transfer portal — many of whom entered preemptively ahead of the “5 for 5” rule being passed — would be allowed to transfer to a new team and others would have to remain on the same team.

There was previously a special Aug. 3-10 transfer portal window expected.

The “5 for 5” rule is rooted in age-based eligibility, so any class of 2022 players who were already at least 20 years old when they began their college careers will not be eligible for the fifth season.

The seniors will also count toward teams’ roster caps of 105 for football and 15 for basketball, with many teams’ rosters already set in stone.

What can Arizona State do following court order clarification?

Arizona State football opens its fall camp on Wednesday.

Its seniors from 2025 who could now have eligibility are safety Myles “Ghost” Rowser, linebacker Jordan Crook and defensive lineman Jacob Rich Kongaika.

Rowser was already reported to be exploring a return to the college game. Crook, however, may be precluded from a college return due to playing in the Canadian Football League since going undrafted in the NFL.

Because of two late-summer additions, the Sun Devils may be up against their roster cap and unable to add Rowser or the others.

Meanwhile, ASU men’s basketball has one roster spot open. Guards Moe Odum and Pig Johnson were previously expected to enter the special transfer portal but their plans have not been made clear since the court’s clarifications.

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