When a team offers a player admission on scholarship at the start of the second semester, following the next season, this is referred to as a grayshirt. After that, the athlete will have five years to play four seasons, with the option to redshirt at some time. Athletes who grayshirt can enroll as students. When an athlete drops out of school, they risk being forced to repay their tuition if they want to keep their athletic eligibility. Otherwise, they would need to return to school to clear their name. The term comes from the fact that these athletes wear gray uniforms during those months they are not playing. The intention is to give them extra training and experience and allow them to find a place on a roster at a later date. Some players benefit mentally by going through this process, while others lose interest in football or change schools. But it's common for recruits to grayshirt because there are only so many spots on a roster and coaches like to give other players opportunities to prove themselves. Gray-shirted players are not officially absent from competition. They are simply waiting for another player to get injured or drop out. Then they will be given the chance to start for the team. Sometimes these players even take over for injured players or starters who are out for the year/season with an injury. During World War II, many men from behind the front lines wanted to show their support for their soldiers by buying war bonds.