If the occur, there could be negative consequences for the respective programs at MSU, said MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis.

“Football’s had a series of reductions already to get to the 85 number,” he said. “I do have concerns if that is reduced again.”

Football and women’s basketball are both “head count sports,” meaning every scholarship given to an athlete is a full scholarship that includes all tuition and fees, room and board costs and a book stipend, Hollis said, adding he feels the current amount of scholarships is appropriate.

Hollis said scholarship reduction could cause problems with a team’s preparation and safety with less total bodies.

“I would be concerned about a reduction in scholarships in those areas,” Hollis said. “We’ve got two or three kids that are injured right now in our women’s basketball program. You can’t even scrimmage team on team (with any fewer players).”

Redshirt freshman football cornerback Jeremy Langford said less scholarships for football players would affect competition.

“Football is a physical sport, and people get hurt all the time,” Langford said. “Not having the backups and the backups for the players that have scholarships, it would hurt the team.”

Langford said if he had not received a football scholarship, he’s unsure whether he would be attending a major university such as MSU.

“This (scholarship) changed my life a lot, and it’s given me a good experience of college life,” he said.

Hollis said one of the reasons for potentially cutting scholarships is to save money for athletic departments across the country, many of which are operating with deficits. MSU’s athletic department is self-sufficient and does not use any university general funds or state tax dollars.

“Especially at this level, you want to be an asset to an institution where you don’t have to dip into student fees or be a financial burden to the academic mission of the institution,” Hollis said.

The proposed changes also include limits placed on the noncoaching staff personnel whose duties include support of the athletic program in football and men’s basketball. Football would be limited to a noncoaching staff of 12, and men’s basketball would be limited to six.

The limit does not pertain to athletic trainers, academic support and compliance staff members, but would include personnel such as videographers and strength coaches.

Jim Pignataro, associate athletics director for student services and director of student-athlete support services, said the limit on noncoaching staff members would help level the playing field for smaller athletic programs.

“A lot of programs have these additional staff persons for strength and conditioning and so on and so forth,” Pignataro said. “They’re just trying to get some equity across the board.”