▁the ▁season . ▁If ▁a ▁player ▁shows ▁great ▁talent , ▁or ▁there ▁are ▁inj uries ▁on ▁the ▁team , ▁the ▁coach ▁may ▁remove ▁the ▁red sh irt ▁status ▁and ▁allow ▁the ▁player ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁competition ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁ath lete ▁known ▁to ▁extend ▁his ▁el ig ibility ▁in ▁the ▁modern ▁era ▁of ▁red sh ir ting ▁was ▁Warren ▁Alf son ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Neb r aska ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁Alf son ▁requested ▁that ▁he ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁sit ▁out ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁season ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁experienced ▁players ▁ahead ▁of ▁him . ▁In ▁addition , ▁he ▁had ▁not ▁started ▁college ▁until ▁several ▁years ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁high ▁school , ▁and ▁thus ▁felt ▁he ▁needed ▁more ▁prepar ation . ▁The ▁year ▁off ▁greatly ▁benef ited ▁him ; ▁Alf son ▁was ▁All - Big ▁Six ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and ▁an ▁All - American ▁guard ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁trade ▁association ▁for ▁college ▁football ▁coach es , ▁the ▁American ▁Football ▁Co aches ▁Association , ▁proposed ▁a ▁change ▁to ▁that ▁sport ' s ▁el ig ibility ▁rules ▁that ▁maintain s ▁the ▁current ▁model ▁of ▁four ▁years ▁of ▁play ▁in ▁five ▁years , ▁but ▁significantly ▁changes ▁the ▁red sh irt ▁rule . ▁Under ▁the ▁proposal , ▁medical ▁red sh ir ts ▁would ▁be ▁elimin ated , ▁but ▁red sh irt ▁status ▁would