NCAA bans teams using former football players from practice

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The NCAA Division I Council has banned college football teams from using former players in practice and tabled a proposal to let players participate in four games while still redshirting.

The Division I Council announced several rule changes Wednesday , including a new recruiting calendar for all sports not including football and basketball. The council also lifted a ban on alcohol sales at NCAA championships, following a two-year pilot program where alcohol was available at several events.

Alabama has drawn attention for using former players such as Trent Richardson and Blake Sims on scout teams in recent years. Last year, Clemson had former Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd mimic Alabama's Jalen Hurts in practice to prepare for a playoff game against the Crimson Tide.

The change to the redshirt rule, which has drawn wide support from coaches, will be reviewed by the Football Oversight Committee and the Student-Athlete Experience Committee to determine if the proposal should be applied to other sports, and whether the timing of the games played should be regulated.