Over the past few decades, teams have used the redshirt as a way to improve upon players’ talent and help them gain experience on the field.

Western football is no different in exercising this option.

In 2006, the Toppers featured 53 players on their roster that redshirted at one point in their careers.

“Redshirting” a player is a term used when an athlete sits out a season because of a certain reason or circumstance.

With a number of players sitting out the upcoming season with a redshirt, the process of the redshirt could become more prevalent in 2007. Next season is the Toppers’ first of a two-year transition period into Division I-A.

“We’re going to make decisions based on what’s going to help us be successful in that current season,” coach David Elson said. “After a couple weeks of preseason practice, if we think that ‘Hey, they need to be redshirted, they aren’t ready to play,’ then we talk to them and go ahead and redshirt them.”

Reasons for redshirting can include injury, rehabilitation, athletic and academic progression, maximum roster depth or just gaining a player an extra year of eligibility for experience.

According to factmonster.com, the origin of the term ‘redshirt’ came from college football coaches in earlier decades making players who were sitting out the current season wear red shirts in practice to be more easily identified.

Different players sit out for different reasons. Junior quarterback David Wolke, who transferred from Notre Dame, redshirted this past season to give himself more time to rehab following shoulder surgery.

“(Redshirting) helped me step back and slow things down,” Wolke said. “I could look at it outside the picture and see what I needed to work on. It helped me tremendously taking that extra year.”

Hilltopper redshirts have made significant contributions after sitting out a season.

As a freshman in 2002, former Hilltopper running back Lerron Moore took advantage of his redshirt season and went on to become Western’s all-time leading rusher, with 4,404 yards.

Former All-American Willie Taggart redshirted in 1994 before leading the Toppers for four seasons at quarterback, finishing his career as the top rushing quarterback in Division I history and being named Division I-AA Independents’ Offensive Player of the Year.

Redshirts have already had a profound impact on the spring season.

Redshirt freshman Rashad Etheridge intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, in the Toppers’ first scrimmage of the spring.

Two redshirts from last season, Wolke and freshman K.J. Black, are battling for the starting quarterback role this spring.

Elson said it’s typically easier for skill players to play early in their careers and tougher for the linemen, based on the more physical play the offensive and defensive linemen face. Elson also pointed out the advantages of redshirting.

“Especially the gains in the weight room,” he said. “The gains maturity-wise, just getting adjusted to college and the experience of practice and reps and just another year of growing up.”

Reach David Harten at sports@wkuherald.com.