NO. If the academic scholarship is from the school itself, that is a non-starter. Kiser's situation fits into a very narrow exception where it's an outside academic scholarship that fits into very specific terms. Again, if the academic scholarship comes from the school itself, he is a counter as soon as he hits the playing field. If Bertrand has access to some outside scholarship that fits into the narrow exception, then he would be fine.
15.5 Maximum Institutional Grant-in-Aid Limitations by Sport.
15.5.1 Counters. A student-athlete shall be a counter and included in the maximum awards limitations set
forth in this bylaw under the following conditions: (Revised: 6/10/04, 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
(a) Athletics Aid. A student-athlete who receives financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability shall become a counter for the year during which the student-athlete receives the financial aid;
15.5.1.1 Football or Basketball, Varsity Competition. In football or basketball, a student-athlete who
was recruited (see Bylaw 15.02.9) by the awarding institution and who receives institutional financial aid (as set
forth in Bylaw 15.02.5.2) granted without regard in any degree to athletics ability does not have to be counted
until the student-athlete engages in varsity intercollegiate competition (as opposed to freshman, B-team, subvarsity, intramural or club competition) in those sports. (Revised: 1/16/93 effective 8/1/93, 1/11/94, 6/20/04, 1/15/11
effective 8/1/11, 1/18/14 effective 8/1/14)
15.5.1.1.1 Exception—Receipt of Institutional Academic Aid Only. In football or basketball, a
student-athlete who was recruited (see Bylaw 15.02.9) by the awarding institution and whose only source
of institutional financial aid is academic aid based solely on the recipient’s academic record at the certifying
institution, awarded independently of athletics interests and in amounts consistent with the pattern of all
such awards made by the institution, may compete without counting in the institution’s financial aid team
limits, provided he or she has completed at least one academic year of full-time enrollment at the certifying institution and has achieved a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale) at the
certifying institution. (Adopted: 10/27/05 effective 8/1/06, Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
So I guess it matters what "compete" means. If it just means playing in games, then if he takes a true redshirt and is able to maintain a 3.0 GPA then he isn't a counter. But that doesn't even matter because Bertrant doesn't count as a recruited student athlete which these above rules govern because he wouldn't satisfy 15.5.1 (a). You might be thinking he falls more into this category as a non-recruited student athlete:
15.5.6.3.3 Nonrecruited Student-Athlete Receiving Institutional Financial Aid During First
Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete not recruited (per Bylaw 15.02.9) by the institution who receives institutional financial aid (
based in any degree on athletics ability) after beginning football practice during
the first year of enrollment becomes a counter but need not be counted as an initial counter until the next
academic year if the institution has reached its initial limit for the year in question. However, the student athlete shall be considered in the total counter limit for the academic year in which the aid was first received.
(Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11, 4/25/18 effective 8/1/18)
...but if he is receiving an academic scholarship with no basis on athletic ability, then he doesn't satisfy the bolded portion. In that case, it would be more appropriate to reference this portion:
15.02.5 Financial Aid. “Financial aid” is funds provided to student-athletes from various sources to pay or
assist in paying their cost of education at the institution. As used in NCAA legislation, “financial aid” includes all
institutional financial aid and other permissible financial aid as set forth below. (See Bylaws 15.01.6.1, 16.2, 16.3
and 16.4.) (Revised: 5/26/09)
15.02.5.1 Athletically Related Financial Aid. Athletically related financial aid is financial aid that is
awarded on any basis that is related to athletics ability, participation or achievement. If an application process
specifically requests athletics participation or achievements as criteria for consideration in determining whether
an applicant receives financial aid, aid received pursuant to such a process is athletically related financial aid.
(Adopted: 1/18/14 effective 8/1/14)
15.02.5.2 Institutional Financial Aid. The following sources of financial aid are considered to be institutional financial aid: (Revised: 1/11/94 effective 8/1/94, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 4/26/01 effective 8/1/01, 10/31/02
effective 8/1/03, 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
(a) All funds administered by the institution, which include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Scholarships;
(2) Grants;
(3) Tuition waivers;
(4) Employee dependent tuition benefits, unless the employee has been employed as a full-time faculty/
staff member for a minimum of five years; and
(5) Loans.
(b) Aid from government or private sources for which the institution is responsible for selecting the recipient or determining the amount of aid, or providing matching or supplementary funds for a previously
determined recipient.
15.02.5.3 Other Permissible Financial Aid. The following sources of financial aid are also permitted: (Adopted: 1/10/95 effective 8/1/95, Revised: 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
(a) Financial aid received from anyone upon whom the student-athlete is naturally or legally dependent;
(b) Financial aid awarded solely on bases having no relationship to athletics ability;
(c) Financial aid awarded through an established and continuing outside program as outlined in Bylaw
15.2.6.3; and
(d) Educational expenses awarded by the U.S. Olympic Committee, which count against an institution’s
sport-by-sport financial aid limitations and against the individual’s maximum limit on financial aid.
15.02.5.4 Exempted Institutional Financial Aid. The following institutional financial aid is exempt and
is not counted in determining the institution’s financial aid limitations: (Revised: 1/10/91, 1/10/92, 4/25/02,
10/31/02 effective 8/1/03, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11, 4/26/17 effective 8/1/17)
(a) An honorary award for outstanding academic achievement or an established institutional research grant
that meets the criteria set forth in Bylaw 15.02.7 (and must be included in determining if the student athlete’s cost of attendance has been met);