Frieder Says Give Freshmen a Year to Adjust to College Life

Michigan basketball Coach Bill Frieder says college basketball should go forward by dipping into its past.

“I think freshman should be ineligible to play,” Frieder suggests, “and then have four years of eligibility. And if we don’t graduate them in that time, then we lose a scholarship.”

It’s thinking similar to that of Michigan football Coach Bo Schembechler, which should not be shocking since the two frequently help one another. Both realize the idea has as much chance of happening as a referee getting through a game without getting yelled at.

“It would give freshmen a chance to get academically and socially oriented,” Frieder said. “It’s a big jump from high school to college. There’s a lot of pressure.”

High school stars get tremendous buildup and it’s especially big for those who chose to stay near home to go to school.

“Putting a gap in there between when they get out of high school and when they play would help. It would take some of the pressure off to have them drop out of sight for a while,” Frieder said.

“If a kid transfers, then he loses a year of eligibility; he gets three years instead of four,” Frieder said. “We have to remember these kids chose a school for a lot of reasons. The academic and social environments, and job opportunities that come with the degree.”

It may happen some day but not right away. The lure of instant help is too strong.

And the idea, if implemented immediately, could be a disaster at some places. It could cost some coaches their jobs. Any coach who has four seniors starting is automatically opposed to taking away their immediate solution.

The plan would have to be phased in, inequitable as that seems, over something like a five-year period. Five freshmen would be eligible to play the first year, four the second and so on until all freshmen were ineligible. The record keep would not be a joy.

“They’ll never do it,” Frieder acknowledged, “because freshmen are tremendously important to too many programs. ‘Hey, come here. Start immediately. Play now.’ It’ll never happen.”