FRISCO, Texas -- As schools begin preparing for the NCAA's move toward a five-year, aged-based eligibility model, one of the most prominent groups who'll soon be affected are senior quarterbacks.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier told ESPN on Wednesday he's hoping to enter the NFL draft after this season, but he's one of several fourth-year starters who'll have a compelling decision to make in December.
Under the new eligibility model, players entering their fourth year in college who haven't utilized a redshirt season will have the option to return for a fifth year in 2027.
"I want to go to the league this year," Dampier said during Big 12 media days. "I would say that's my dream and aspirations, but I guess it's a nice safety belt for me to know I do have another year now."
The list of FBS starters who can take advantage of an extra year includes Dampier, Kansas State's Avery Johnson, Iowa State's Jaylen Raynor, Nebraska's Anthony Colandrea, Northwestern's Aidan Chiles, UNLV's Jackson Arnold and Delaware's Nick Minicucci.
Johnson, a 26-game starter for the Wildcats, and first-year coach Collin Klein agreed that's a conversation they're planning to put off until after the season. "All I'm really focused on is this year," Johnson said. "That's what I had been focused on since January, so I don't want to put too much in my brain right now. We'll see how this year goes and go from there."
Raynor, a three-year starter at Arkansas State who transferred to Iowa State this offseason, said he has put some thought into potentially playing two seasons with the Cyclones. He's on track to graduate in December and could pursue a Master's degree if he returns for a fifth year, but that's a decision he's not in a hurry to make.
Dampier was pleased to see the reform be approved and bring an end to four-game redshirts and eligibility waivers, two topics that have become far more complicated across college football in the NIL era.
"A lot of people are kind of happy about it, for sure," Dampier said. "I think it's the safest route for college football to start going into. I think it allows players to play a little bit through injuries. That's kind of what we're known for a little bit as football players in general. We play through hard things that we're capable of doing.
"It just kind of eliminates all the suing, all the people getting their sixth and seventh years. I think it makes it fair all around."
For first-year Utah coach Morgan Scalley, the possibility of one more year for Dampier is another dynamic to navigate for one of the Big 12's most talented quarterback rooms. Byrd Ficklin is the clear successor to Dampier and agreed to re-sign with the Utes ahead of his sophomore year to keep developing with the hopes of starting in 2027.
"It's a good problem to have, I'll tell you that, to have two really good quarterbacks," Scalley said.
Big 12 coaches said they had been eagerly awaiting eligibility reform and were hoping it would be approved by the end of last year so they'd have a chance to bring back more seniors. Players who used their final season of eligibility in 2025 will not be granted any additional seasons.
But the topic became a popular one among coaches last October as they again dealt with players opting out for the rest of the season after appearing in four games, often to preserve a year of eligibility and enter the transfer portal after the season
Klein remembers working through difficult circumstances in 2021 as Kansas State's offensive coordinator. The coaching staff intended to redshirt Will Howard that year, but injuries to starter Skylar Thompson resulted in Howard having to play in six games and lose a season of eligibility. He's glad he won't have to have those tough conversations going forward.
"I think it's a great thing for players and I think it's a good thing for programs," Klein said. "It's the ability for programs to not put a kid's best interest in jeopardy of putting them on the field and having to manage that. There are some crazy situations, and it only happens when it happens and it's crazy when it does. You're eliminating any room for that. That got us in trouble with Will Howard."
Klein has already talked with Johnson's agent about how they'll deal with the decision between a fifth year and the NFL draft. Depending how the season ahead plays out, the new opportunity could end up becoming a major luxury for his quarterback and his program.
"I told him, when it was looking like it was going to happen, don't worry about it," Klein said of Johnson. "Let's go have a great year, keep our head down and we'll have a discussion of what's best for you when that time comes."