BAD: NCAA Considering PENALIZING BYU, Utah for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Missions

The NCAA’s proposed "5-in-5" eligibility rule, which reached a fever pitch in April 2026, has ignited a fierce debate over the future of student-athletes who serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Under the new framework, the eligibility clock starts immediately upon high school graduation or a player’s 19th birthday, giving athletes five consecutive years to play five seasons. By effectively eliminating redshirts and traditional waivers, the rule threatens the established pipeline for programs like BYU and Utah, where mission service is a cultural staple. The "Clock" Dilemma For most athletes, a two-year mission typically occurs right after high school. Under the strict "5-in-5" model, a missionary returning home would find two of their five years already expired. This creates an immediate disadvantage: Recruitment Drop-off: Critics argue that high-level programs may be less likely to recruit prospects who can only offer 60% of their total eligibility window. The "Choice" Conflict: Potential missionaries are forced into a heartbreaking choice between their religious devotion and a full collegiate athletic career. The Fight for a Carve-Out While the NCAA has signaled that the rule aims for "uniformity" to end endless eligibility litigation, proponents of LDS athletes—including Robert Griffin III—have been vocal that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is inherently unequal. Fortunately for the Cougars and Utes, recent reports from Yahoo Sports and ESPN suggest the NCAA is leaning toward a specialized religious mission exemption. If adopted by the Cabinet in May, this "carve-out" would pause the five-year clock for the duration of the service, ensuring that faith doesn't come at the cost of the field. Without it, the 5-in-5 rule could fundamentally dismantle the competitive identity of schools with high Latter-day Saint populations. Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast RugietGet 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhlRugiet. Performance medicine for men. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.