UH coach Willie Fritz has more freedom with young talent thanks to new '5 for 5' rule from NCAA

Not long ago - just a few weeks, actually - University of Houston football coach Willie Fritz would have been forced to make some tough decisions on how to bring along some of his top young talent.

How many snaps (and in what situations) does he give Keisean Henderson, the No. 1 recruit and five-star quarterback? Do the Cougars use three-way player Paris Melvin Jr. for four games and then shut down the season to preserve a redshirt year?

That's no longer a worry. The NCAA in June approved a new age-based eligibility model, commonly known as the "Five-for-Five" rule, that would allow college athletes up to five years of eligibility. The new rule will eliminate redshirts and eligibility extension waivers. The eligibility clock starts upon initial full-time enrollment in college or at the beginning of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.

Under the old rules, a player could play up to four regular-season games and keep their redshirt. With the redshirt eliminated, coaches can play freshmen as much as they want - allowing for more development that could have a ripple effect on teams for the 2026 season.

"I like this 5-for-5 rule," Fritz said Monday at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention. "I think it's going to help elevate your special-teams play. Now everybody wants to play one snap, it counts for your season. You play zero snaps, it counts as a season. You play 700 snaps, it counts for a season. Guys are going to be fighting to get on the field."

While Henderson isn't a candidate to see any special-teams action, Fritz can still use him as much as he wants without worrying about playing time constraints. To Fritz's point, coaches can use freshmen on special teams without fear they might burn a season.

Henderson, who played at Legacy the School of Sport Sciences, a charter school in Spring, will begin this season as the backup quarterback to incumbent Conner Weigman. In some situations, having two high-profile players - both quarterbacks were five-star prospects out of high school - could make things awkward. In this case, Fritz said, the Cougars can use this season to get Henderson the experience as he prepares to become the Cougars' full-time starter in 2027.

By getting Henderson some valuable playing time, the Cougars can also prepare him in case of any unforeseen injury. Since joining the team for Texas Bowl practice in December, Fritz said Henderson has learned the "total (offensive) package."

"We're throwing the whole package at him," Fritz continued. "He's got to learn how to do everything. It's very rare you go through a season with one quarterback. We're blessed with two outstanding quarterbacks."

A similar approach will be taken with Melvin. Fritz said the Cougars are "intrigued" to possibly use the Cypress Springs product on offense, defense and special teams. During spring practice, Melvin worked at nickel corner, kick returns and some in the backfield. The plan is to get more work at running back when preseason camp begins in early August.

"When we recruited him, we felt he could be a three-way player, not just a two-way player," Fritz said. "But he's really done a good job and will definitely play on the defensive side for us and the kicking game."

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was among the many FBS coaches at this week's convention that support the rule change.

"Overall, it's positive, but I do think the effects of this are going to take a couple of years to get down the road," Sarkisian said. "We're really going to see the impact of it all."

TCU coach Sonny Dykes called the "5 for 5" rule a "common-sense approach." Dykes said there were instances in the past when freshmen would play three or four games and realized they would probably not see the field the rest of the season.

"They didn't practice in the same manner or kind of attack the day the same way," Dykes said. "This is something that should've happened a long time. The important thing is it happened."

In the past, Joey McGuire, the coach at defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech, said the staff was forced to "have some really hard discussions" when it came to roster size. In last year's Big 12 championship game, Ben Roberts, a key linebacker, suffered a lower-abdominal injury during the first series against BYU. He was replaced by Brock Golwas, a true freshman who had gotten experience throughout the season.

UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said he had between six and eight players sit out after hitting the four-game mark last season because they had plans to make money via the transfer portal.

"That might be the last time they ever had a chance to grab that kind of money, and I'm happy for them," Traylor said.

Those players that can now see the field without worry can ultimately help the team, Texas State coach G.J. Kinne said.

"Some freshmen, they're probably the best gunner. They're probably the best on kickoffs," Kinne said. "I don't want to ruin the redshirt over that. Now, you don't have to worry."

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko added: "Five for five will affect different programs at different levels differently."

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