Usually in the offseason...it means you play no games. At least that's what the manual says.
out of season by definition
17.1.5.2.1 Institutional Vacation Period and Summer.
A student-athlete may not participate in any countable athletically related activities outside the playing season during any institutional vacation period and/or summer. Certified strength and conditioning coaches, including countable coaches, may design and conduct specific workout programs for student-athletes, provided such workouts are voluntary and conducted at the request of the student-athlete. (Adopted: 10/31/02 effective 8/1/03; Revised: 4/29/04)
17.1.5.2.2 Skill Instruction. Effective Date: Aug 01, 2004
Participation by student-athletes in individual skill-related instruction [including the activities set forth in Bylaw 17.02.1-(f)] in sports other than football is permitted outside the institution's declared playing season, no more than four student-athletes from the same team are involved in skill-related instruction with their coach(es) at any one time in any facility. (Adopted: 1/10/95 effective 8/1/95; Revised: 1/9/96, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 10/27/98, 10/31/02 effective 8/1/03, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04)
Nice article on the status of summers for incoming frosh.Gives a good idea of how things go to folks outside the programs
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/80... ND Compliance document given to student athletes
http://ncaacompliance.nd.edu/countable_hours.shtml