Big Ten gauging interest in making freshmen ineligible

Published Feb. 20, 2015 2:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) The Big Ten is studying whether freshmen athletes should be ineligible to compete while they adjust to college life.

The league said Friday it has reached out to members to see if they are interested ''in beginning a national discussion regarding a year of readiness for student-athletes.''

The Big Ten says it has provided background information to its schools, but no proposals have been made.

The University of Maryland's student newspaper, The Diamondback, reported Thursday that the Big Ten has distributed a document titled ''A Year of Readiness'' that explores the idea of making freshmen ineligible in football and men's basketball.

For decades, the NCAA barred freshmen from competing in all sports. That changed for football and basketball in 1972.