Big news hit the MAC basketball world on Aug. 16 when Jackson Paveletzke announced he was granted a fifth year of eligibility and will return to the Ohio Bobcats this coming season. That is amazing news for head coach Jeff Boals as he will have his best player back to lead what became a very well-rounded roster loaded with impactful offseason additions.
Paveletzke’s newfound way back to college basketball comes from a rule the NCAA recently passed allowing athletes to now be able to play five seasons in five years. This “5-in-5” rule opposes the previous four seasons in five years format, with the new age-based model allowing players to play five seasons in five years.
The college eligibility window will now be tied to high school graduation or the athletes’ 19th birthdays. Meaning, their five-season tenure begins once they are either enrolled full-time in college, or at the start of the first academic year following their 19th birthday--whichever comes first.
The biggest takeaway from the new legislation is that it removes redshirt and injury loopholes that have corrupted collegiate sports. Injuries and sitting out will no longer extend an athlete’s eligibility, but there are some exceptions to this rule, including mission trips, maternity leave or military service.
When talks of that new eligibility format ensued, many thought it would not go into effect for the upcoming fall and winter. However, several court rulings in states around the country, and even stipulations from the NCAA itself, have granted hundreds of athletes in all sports the ability to return for their coming seasons.
That stipulation stirred controversy and has become the elephant in the room for coaches everywhere. It is late August, meaning most rosters are all-but fully constructed. Now, many players are returning to their teams and even entering the transfer portal very late into the offseason.
Many of those players are established NCAA stars whose college careers were essentially over. Now, they can return to their schools or transfer to new schools where they may take playing time, or even a roster spot, from other players on said team. That has coaches and players across the country feeling very uneasy.
Aside from the Ohio Bobcats, one men’s basketball team that has heavily benefitted from this rule is the Texas Tech Red Raiders. What they did since the passing of that rule shows the full extent of what it could mean for college basketball as early as the coming season.
Two weeks ago, the Red Raiders had an objectively-subpar roster heading into the 2026-27 season after losing last season’s star point guard Christian Anderson Jr. to the NBA and standout-freshman Jaylen Petty to the transfer portal.
Since the official passing of the NCAA’s new rule, the team’s expectations have flipped. Fifth-year guard Donovan Atwell, one of the best shooters in the country, will return. They also brought back former star Darrion Williams, who spent last year at NC State but will return to Lubbock for his fifth year.
That shows the true power of the ruling, as it has allowed a high-level program that looked like it may be in for a gap year to completely revamp its roster and remain a serious threat in the Big 12.
Although that rule certainly comes with a wave of controversy and will not be universally loved, it does take care of serious eligibility loopholes that were abused for years. Competition will also be at an all-time high in college sports in 2026-27, with stars now able to return for one more year.
For basketball fans in Athens, that rule became a huge positive and will elevate the Bobcats in a multitude of ways. Paveletzke returning to the Bobcats not only adds an established leader to a roster full of new faces, but also bolsters an electric, high-level backcourt. He will be alongside IU Indy transfer senior Kyler D’Augustino, Idaho transfer junior Kolton Mitchell and Australian floor general freshman Che Brogan.
Paveletzke also reunites with star big man redshirt senior Javan Simmons, giving one of the best duos in the MAC one last dance. That is the perfect cherry on top of a fruitful offseason. With the roster at the peak of its power, Ohio has the chance to make a lot of noise in 2026-27.
@JackMuldowney1
