What is the the difference between a true and red shirt freshman in college sports?

LOL at some of these answers.


the difference is 12 months





A common mistake made by alot of fans is they think a redshirt freshman can not play at all through out the season but that is not really the case. You can play the first 3 weeks but anything after that you lose your redshirt. A redshirt freshman gains a year of eligibility and can play stay on the team for 5 years instead of just 4 so he might not be ready to play his first season so he gets that extra year to prepare.





RESPONSES TO OTHER ANSWERS:


Redshirt is someone who got hurt and can make that year up. True is someone who comes in, and is a big contributer to the team.----- You do not have to get hurt, you are just not ready to play. If a player has redshirted and then gets hurt say his senior year and misses alot of it he can apply for a medical redshirt and if NCAA approves it he can stay for a 6th year. A true freshman does not have to be a big contributer but just someone who steps in for one play.





a true freshman is one that is a starter





while a red shirt is basically like the 3rd string etc.------ once again he doesn't have to be a starter just has to play one play- redshirt can't be 3rd string because that would consist of them at sometime having to play





you'd rather be a true frosh than a red shirt, put it that way----- he just has no idea probably hasn't watched more than a couple games in his life.





as much as I hate to say it Buckeye fan is the only one who knew what he was talking about.What is the the difference between a true and red shirt freshman in college sports?
a true freshman is one that is a starter





while a red shirt is basically like the 3rd string etc.What is the the difference between a true and red shirt freshman in college sports?
a red shirt freshman sit out the season before and thus can still play 4 years where as a true freshman is in his first season and playing
Redshirt is someone who got hurt and can make that year up. True is someone who comes in, and is a big contributer to the team.
wow. so everyone has it wrong pretty much. redshirt means that you don't play during your freshman year of school, but you still have 4 years of eligibility. so during your sophomore year of classes you will only be recognized as a freshman as far as sports eligibility is concerned. This also comes into play when athletes are injured... if they only play a small part of the season before they are injured they do not lose the year of eligibility.
A redshirt freshman doesnt play but true freshman does play.
A red shirt freshman is a player who has sat out his first year without being in a single snap. ( If a red shirt is in a play, he will forfeit red shirt role.





A true freshman didn't sit out a year and pays as a freshman





The main difference between a red-shirtt and a true freshman is that the red-shir will be on the team five years, while the true freshman will only have four.
a red shirt freshman is someone who was hurt in their actual freshman year, and they redshirt so they can have 4 years of healthy football, a true freshman, however, is someone who is a freshman who starts as a freshman
you'd rather be a true frosh than a red shirt, put it that way