Sounds like a way for a school to have winning squads and experienced players stick around even longer. Thus more money from almuni. Thus bigger athletic programs. So that pro sports have more “mature” players when the time comes for them to go.
I think it is a travesty that they pretend athletes are actually students. i know there are many exceptional student athletes, but a very large percentage of them are not. Nothing makes my ears bleed more than listening to interviews of athletes.