The Rest of College Football

[WM Wolverine]

Coaches such as in the SEC can 'find' excuses to get rid of players who aren't likely to be productive football players. These scholarships need to be binding for 4-years unless there is a damn good reason (academics, personal, transfer, arrest) to be let go from his scholarship.

[JRB]

Schools can offer multiyear scholarships now, I believe-- I expect the Big Ten either has gone to the four-year model or will in the future. I can understand why a coach might feel it's in his program's best interest to have one-year renewable scholarships, aside from the obvious benefits accrued from oversigning. Occasionally, you do get kids that just don't care once they land their scholarship, and guaranteeing those kids four years doesn't do anybody much good. Maybe a middle ground is the right answer-- two years guaranteed, renewable year-to-year for the remaining two or three.

[Jamie H]

Well, how do you deal with kids you have to kick off the team? Do you make the scholarships for multiple years, but have an out clause if the player violates certain rules?

[entropy]

Five Star Recruit Landon Collins' Mom Alleges Nick Saban Promised Job to Recruit's Girlfriend

It wouldn't be recruiting season without a brewing controversy surrounding one of the nation's top five-star recruits, safety Landon Collins. As you can see from his offer list, everyone wanted the five-star safety -- LSU, Alabama, Florida State. Auburn, Florida, USC, Texas A&M, and Georgia all offered.

But ultimately the choice came down to the hometown LSU Tigers or Alabama.

You'll recall that Collins picked Alabama over LSU at the UnderArmour all-star game, a decision that left his mother unhappy and sparked a viral video.

But why was his mother April unhappy. You need to read this interview.

Mom wanted her son to attend LSU, the school much closer to home. So how did Alabama pull away Collins from the team his mom preferred? Generally you can't go wrong if you win over momma. Except Collins' mom claims that Nick Saban promised a job to Collins's girlfriend.

Let's go to the interview:

"Was there anything else that didn't sit right with April? As it turned out there was. It had to do with Landon's girlfriend, Victoria. ESPN The Magazine reported about a confrontation between April and Victoria at the All-America Game after Landon's sister had urged her to stand onstage for his big announcement. April wanted only family in front of the camera. Landon's dad, Thomas, ended up having to intercede. When the cameras began rolling, there was Victoria standing directly behind Landon.

"What the (ESPN) article didn't mention, however, was the reason April was apparently upset, which may have tipped the scales in Alabama's favor. According to April, Victoria had allegedly been offered a job to work in head coach Nick Saban's office."


In all fairness to Saban and Alabama, I have been unable to independently confirm April's story on this point (Citing NCAA rules, Doug Walker, Associate Athletics Director, Communications, at the University of Alabama, stated in an email to MomsTeam that the school "would not comment on anything relating to the recruitment of a prospective student-athlete." Asked if Landon's girlfriend had been offered a job, he stated, "I have no information regarding that."). All I know is what April told me.

But suffice it to say, April appears to have reasons for feeling the way she does about her son's decision, and they have less to do with her being an LSU fan and a mom who doesn't want to let go, and more to do with her understanding what was happening behind the scenes, outside camera range, that may have played a role in that decision that didn't square with the way she raised her children."

Now does this video make more sense?

Mom was upset because she believed Alabama wasn't recruiting fairly.




Surely, hiring a recruit's girlfriend would be an NCAA violation, right?

Not according to AL.com which determined that NCAA prohibitions on hiring "an individual associated with the prospective student-athlete" only applies to basketball.

Seriously.

"The NCAA passed a new bylaw in 2010 pertaining specifically to men's basketball that prohibits a university from employing an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete. This bylaw, however, does not apply to college football recruits. According to NCAA bylaw 13.8.3.2:

"In men's basketball, during a two-year period before a prospective student-athlete's anticipated enrollment and a two-year period after the student-athlete's actual enrollment, an institution shall not employ an individual associated with the prospective student-athlete in any athletics department non-coaching staff position."

Unsavory, yes.

Impermissible under rules.

Not yet.

Welcome to Alabama, where coaches play the NCAA rulebook like a fiddle.

Beween Cam Newton and now Landon Collins, the official state emblem of Alabama should be the loophole.

[Paul L]

Mom was upset because she believed Alabama wasn't recruiting fairly.

Blasphemy!

[Hannibal]

IMHO scholarship rules don't have to be complicated. You've got to be at 85 on signing day. That should be the rule. If somebody gets injured over the next 365 days, tough shit. Looks like you're down a schollie. That's how the Big Ten has to do it.

[Jamie H]

Mom was probably mad because she had her own side deal with the other SEC team recruiting him.

[Hannibal]

That's precisely what I was thinking. Some LSU booster probably offered her a new double wide and a no-show job.

[Wild Hoss]

. Maybe a middle ground is the right answer-- two years guaranteed, renewable year-to-year for the remaining two or three.

That or make a rule that any revoked scholarship is void for one full calendar year? You could still boot a kid for a henious act, but cutting them in favor of an incoming freshman would become a much bigger deal.

[Rob F]

I think your idea has some merit, Hoss. I'm sure that would stop the vast majority of the unsavory behavior on the part of those college football coaches who throw kids on the scrap heap just because the next crop of recruits is more appealing.

Problem is, close that loophole and the Nick Satans of the world will find another...

[entropy]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vMfqosdDbY"]"We Are Mizzou" Music Video - YouTube[/ame]

[entropy]

btw.. the above is why Missouri should never be let into the BIG

[entropy]

It appears UCLA might be taking a page out of the SEC's playbook... if everyone committs like expected today, UCLA will by 10 over the 85 limit.

[drok]

I think this where the discussion on star ratings came up recently. Here's a good article showing the correlation of stars to All-Americans. It definitely correlates well:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/star-power-defense-recruiting-rankings-214251813.html

[iam416]

From OSU Board:

Saban just asked Darius Philon to grey shirt... TODAY.

Word is.. he's pretty pissed.

Just some random signing day info

At some point, that shit won't stand.