Well, let me tell ya somethin’ ’bout playin’ college football after ya graduate. It ain’t as simple as just showin’ up and puttin’ on a helmet, ya know? There’s a whole lotta things ya gotta think about.
First off, ya gotta figure if ya even got any eligibility left. Them college fellas, they call it “remainin’ eligibility.” See, the NCAA, that’s the group that runs college sports, they got rules ’bout how long ya can play. It’s like, ya got so many years to play, and once them years are up, they’re up. But sometimes, ya might have some years left over, even after ya graduate. Maybe ya got hurt or somethin’ and didn’t play for a while. That might mean ya can still play after ya get that piece of paper they call a degree.
Now, hear this. Playin’ college ball is a big deal for lots of young’uns. I hear tell that only a few of them high school boys even get to play in college. It’s like, seven outta a hundred, or somethin’ like that. So, if ya even get a chance to play, that’s somethin’ special. And if ya can keep playin’ after ya graduate, well, that’s even better, I reckon.
- Eligibility: Gotta have years left to play, according to them NCAA rules.
- Academics: Ya gotta still be takin’ classes, even if ya already got a degree. Gotta be makin’ progress towards somethin’, they say. I heard some of them boys study things like talkin’ (Communications), how to run a business, or how the body works (Kinesiology).
- School Rules: Each school, they got their own rules too. So, even if the NCAA says it’s okay, the school might not let ya play. Gotta check with them folks.
Then there’s the schoolin’ part. Ya see, even if ya already graduated, ya probably gotta keep takin’ classes if ya wanna keep playin’. They call it bein’ a “graduate student.” It ain’t enough to just be a football player, ya gotta be a student too. Ya gotta be makin’ progress towards another degree or somethin’. It ain’t easy, lemme tell ya. Juggling books and football, that’s tough work. But some of them boys do it. They study hard and they play hard. That’s what it takes, I guess.
And let me tell ya somethin’ else. This football thing, it ain’t for everyone. It’s a rough game. I heard someone sayin’ ya’d get “decapitated” if ya tried playin’ without bein’ in shape. That sounds mighty scary to me! But these boys, they love it. They love the competition, the camaraderie, the whole shebang. And some of ’em, they even dream of playin’ in the big leagues, ya know, the pros. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.
Another thing to think about, is what ya gonna do after football is over. It can’t last forever. Them boys, they gotta have a plan for what they gonna do with their lives when they can’t play no more. Maybe they’ll get a job usin’ that degree they earned. Maybe they’ll coach. Maybe they’ll do somethin’ else entirely. But they gotta have a plan. It’s important.
I also heard tell that playing at them junior colleges, that’s like a smaller college, can give ya more chances to play. And it can save ya some money too. It gives ya more time to get better and maybe move on to a bigger school later.
Ya know, college football, it’s been around a long, long time. I heard tell the first game was way back in 1869. That’s a long time ago! And folks still love it. They love the tradition, the excitement, the whole thing. It’s like, folks remember when they was younger and watched the games with their families. It brings people together, ya know?
So, can ya play college football after graduatin’? Well, maybe. It depends on a lotta things. Ya gotta have eligibility, ya gotta keep up with your schoolwork, and ya gotta follow the rules. And ya gotta be tough, both on the field and off. But if ya got the heart and the drive, and ya play your cards right, maybe, just maybe, ya can keep that dream alive a little longer. And even if ya can’t play no more, there are jobs after football. Everyone wants to talk to a football player it seems.
And that’s all I gotta say ‘bout that. It ain’t rocket science, but it ain’t simple neither. Just gotta do your homework, so to speak, and see what’s what.
