3 Key MSU Athletes Set To Gain Extra Year of Eligibility
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The NCAA is set to dramatically change how collegiate eligibility is determined.
Rather than limiting players to four years of eligibility, the NCAA is adopting a "5-in-5" rule at the Division I level. This also makes eligibility age-based, as the clock starts when an athlete enrolls in school or on their 19th birthday, whichever comes first. Such a change basically does away with redshirts as well. It has also given several key Michigan State athletes another season of eligibility.
Coen Carr
This rule change would give Coen Carr the option to play a fifth season at MSU if he so chooses. Carr is entering his true senior season in 2026-27. His all-world athleticism has allowed him to go viral plenty of times with his dunk-contest-worthy slams, but the lack of a reliable jump shot has kept Carr from leaping to the pros. Carr shot just 27.6% from behind the arc last season.
Getting this extra year should spare Carr from some pressure this year. This doesn't necessarily have to be the "all-in" year for him individually, since he'll be able to return to college for '27-28 if he needs to.
"Yeah, you're not trying to think about that too much," Carr said when I asked him about it on Tuesday at the Moneyball Pro-Am. "I kind of just try to be in the moment, not trying to think about the future too much... Of course, though, it's going to be in the back of my head, because I obviously know what it is and everything."
Carr averaged 12.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last year. That's without a reliable jump shot. If his three-point percentage gets into the mid-30s on similar volume, Carr probably won't need that fifth year. Still, the option will be there come April and May 2027.
Anton Bonke
Anton Bonke will also get the option to play another college season. He'll also be a true senior during his first season with Michigan State after transferring from Charlotte. Bonke spent his freshman year in junior college at Eastern Arizona, went to Providence as a sophomore, and then transferred to Charlotte as a junior.
Bonke and Carr are actually the only scholarship players entering their senior years. There should be some NBA Draft and maybe transfer portal decisions to be made following the 2026-27 campaign, but Tom Izzo could, theoretically, bring back the entire roster for '27-28.
Jordan Hall
Switching over to football, star linebacker Jordan Hall will also get the option for a fifth season. Redshirting was much more common in football than basketball, so the impact of '5-in-5' is a little less prominent there. Alas, Hall played right away at Michigan State during his true freshman season.
Hall could very well be NFL-bound following this year. He led MSU with 88 total tackles, with three forced fumbles as well. Sort of like Carr, this just opens up the interesting possibility that the coming season may not necessarily be the last one we see Hall in a Spartan uniform.
Overall Impact of Rule Change
Switching to "5-in-5" may cause initial confusion on the eligibility front. Those already in college can either use the old or the new system, depending on which is more beneficial to them.
There are also already lawsuits flying from true seniors who ran out of eligibility last academic year. It had seemed like there was a possibility Jaxon Kohler and/or Carson Cooper would become eligible again, but the fact that this wasn't officially approved until the day of the NBA Draft essentially prevented that from happening.
Cooper reportedly has already signed a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Kohler got an Exhibit 10 deal from the Utah Jazz. They'll both likely play in the NBA Summer League next month.
Overall, I find this to be a highly beneficial change to college sports. A big part of the focus is to prevent 24- or 25-year-old pros, or even those older, from suddenly deciding to go to college or return to it after the NBA doesn't seem to work out.
It also makes things simple, all-around, especially once athletes who were grandfathered in are done. Football coaches no longer have to dance around the rule with freshmen that allows them to play four games, but no more. Basketball coaches don't have to sideline a player for an entire season in the name of development. You either play a guy, or you don't. It counts no matter what. The new eligibility ruling will have a great impact.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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