What does it mean to "gray shirt" in college sports?

Answer by  Godfather (116)

A gray shirt is a type of accounting trick teams use to get around the annual scholarship limits. For example, football teams can grant 25 scholarships each year. But they can grant more than that by enrolling the extra players in January and counting them against the next year's class.

Answer by  AtomicBaldie (6)

A "Gray Shirt" is a recruit that signs a letter of intent, but doesn't start taking classes until the spring semester of college, basically giving the player another year to develop before his eligibility to play is used.

Answer by  Mike59 (139)

Media invented the term. They use it to refer to a college player who signs a letter of intent in February. , but doesn't report to the team in the fall.