As far as participation trophies comment goes, you know nothing about me, what I believe, or my athletic background. So keep the personal shit out of it.
My comments have little to do with being fair or giving a kid something they don't deserve. If you knew me, at all, you would understand that. It's about making a commitment to a high school kid and his parents.
As a coach I made my talent evaluation when they were in high school and I offered the scholarship. If they don't work out I failed as much or more than they did. My job is to get every kid his degree and get as much athletically out of the kids I made a commitment to, not quit on them because their athletic ability plateaued or whatever the case may be.
In today's world, the P5 rule is 4 year scholarships. That's what we have to deal with. Now if I choose to redshirt a player as a freshman and by the time they are a RS junior and havent contributed, I do not believe I should have an obligation to keep them a 5th year. They have had plenty of free semesters to get the required credits to graduate.