How the NCAA allows medical exemptions

MEDICAL HARDSHIP (A.K.A. MEDICAL REDSHIRT)

A student-athlete can apply for a medical hardship waiver, which allows for an extra year of eligibility, if he or she suffers an injury or illness that prevents them from finishing the current season. The injury must occur during the first half of the season, and the player can't have participated in more than three games (or 30 percent of the scheduled games, whichever is greater). The Big 12 Conference determines whether to grant the waiver, but it can be appealed to the NCAA if denied. The medical hardship is sometimes called a “medical redshirt,” but can be used to gain a sixth year if an injury occurs when the player has already used his or her regular redshirt season.

Examples of OU football medical hardship waivers: Jason White (1999, 2002, suffered a back injury as a freshman and then had ACL tears in back-to-back seasons, allowing him to return for a sixth year, one season after winning the Heisman Trophy); Dusty Dvoracek (2005, was dismissed after allegations of violent, off-the-field behavior as a senior in 2004, had a hardship waiver denied by the Big 12 before a successful appeal to the NCAA, which allowed it on the basis of alcohol addiction).