I think the collective knowledge oh here could answer this for me quicker/easier than a Google search.
When a player signs on to play, is his or her scholarship guaranteed a certain number of years or is it really more of a year to year basis?
I realize there are things that could lead to the dismissal of a player for conduct etc. and forfeiture of that scholarship, but let's just say they do everything right off the court/field but just don't fit a particular style/philosophy of a new coach?
I'm guessing it's not a simple answer but wanted to ask those who know more about it.
Thanks!
Athletic Scholarships (save a very few number of institutions) are 1 year renewable contracts.
But keep win mind 82 -- this is at the sole discretion of the school. The player can choose to leave - with the penalty of sitting out a year, and, often with restrictions (as imposed by his original school) as to where he can transfer. The payer can not stay on scholarship if the school decides he/she is no longer of value to the program. This includes when a new coach arrives, evaluates the current players on the roster and determines if they are a fit for what he wants to do.
This is something that is often overlooked as fans look at the "portal." You will hear statements from fans such as, "I want players that want to be here." In fact, the player may want to stay at the school (e.g., Ohio), but it is the new coach that has conveyed to the player that he/she will not be a fit for the team going forward and perhaps should look elsewhere. That leaves the player with limited choices - enter the transfer portal and find a school and coach that indeed does want them, or they can stay at the current school, give up the sport, and pay their own way....if they have the means.
Not saying any of the Ohio players entering the portal were told to leave, or that they were not a fit going forward, just that there is often much more communications that quickly takes place behind the scenes that fans do not know about. So we should be tentative in declaring a player as the sole instigator in some sort of abandonment. In fact, I found it curious that many were overjoyed when Boles apparently conveyed to Ben Wight that looking elsewhere would be wise, but then are upset when a current player declares for the portal (or in fact does transfer). But as always the same rules do not apply to the coach as they do the player when it comes to leaving or staying. And the attitude of fans toward players leaving also is quite different when the player is a contributor ("traitor") versus one that is a bench player ("best for everyone involved").