REFERENCE - SHIRT Colors

SBNation: What are the differences between redshirting, grayshirting, blueshirting and greenshirting in college football?
There are a lot of 'shirts' in college football. Here's what they mean. by Kevin Trahan, Feb 1, 2017

NOTE WELL - these are "the usual" rules as reported in 2017. Permanent changes since then (e.g., transfer rules) and COVID-19 temporary exceptions may impact program scholarship limits and the athlete's eligibility limits. - HE

SHIRT_____Scholarship?_Can play?_Can practice?_Meaning
Redshirt . . . . . . . Yes . . . . . . . . No . . . . . . . . Yes . . . . . . Sit 1 year; still have 4 years to play 4 seasons
Grayshirt . . . . . . .No . . . . . . .. . No . . . . . . . . No . . . . . . .See [2] below
Blueshirt . . . . . . .Yes . . . . . . . . No . . . . . . . . Yes. . . . . . .See [3] below
Greenshirt . . . . . Yes . . . . . . . . Yes . . . . . . . .Yes. . . . . . .Early enrollee (see [4] below)

NOTES
[1] All of the above EXCEPT Redshirts relate to recruiting status. Redshirts have NOTHING to do with recruiting.

[2]Greyshirt
Signs National Letter of Intent, but does not enroll FULL-TIME until SPRING TERM of next year,
so scholarship counts against the next recruiting class.
Cannot enroll full-time, practice or play in FALL TERM
Can enroll as a PART-TIME STUDENT (KU or JUCO, no scholly) in FALL TERM
Enroll as FULL-TIME STUDENT in SPRING TERM, scholarship starts.
Eligibility clock also starts then, has 5 years to play 4 seasons, can redshirt if needed..

[3]Blueshirt
Athlete is not formally recruited, but is put on scholarship at start of freshman practice.
If athlete does not play that season,
(a) athlete will still have 4 years left to play 4 seasons and
(b) the scholarship will count against next year's recruiting class;
If athlete does play that season,
(c) the scholarship counts against the current year's class and
(d) the athlete will have 4 years left to play 3 more seasons (i.e., can still redshirt if needed).
See the linked article above for details on what makes up a "formal recruitment".

[4]Greenshirt
December high school graduate who enrolls in college in January.
Has 5 years to play 4 seasons, can still redshirt.