I think LOIs can be modified to allow transfer with a player sitting out a year and that year counting as a redshirt so he doesn't lose any eligibility (Ty Isaac would be a redshirt sophomore).
But LOIs serve a valuable purpose of predictability and stability. Staples is remarkably disingenuous when he says that a LOI signs away the players right to be recruited. The player IS recruited for 2 years! The LOI represents his final decision. In the world without LOIs, players sign multiple financial aid packages to secure their spot and force schools to recruit them up and until Fall Camp. And then if they don't like you in fall camp, they can transfer -- as early as the next semester! That's insane.
I liken LOIs to non-compete provisions in employment contracts. In the real world it's in the interest of businesses in high tech fields or intensive sales fields to employ non-compete provisions. These provisions are narrowly tailored to the field of the business, geography and time (2 yrs,max). So employees that leave the business can go do a myriad of different things for 2 years and then go compete directly against his former employer.
In the case of CFB, the LOI is basically a 1-yr non-compete. You commit to the school. If you want to leave, you have to sit out a year (in the B10, it's 2 if you go to another B10 school -- further highlighting the non-compete nature of the LOI). It's rational in that sense and it's utterly rational in setting a cut-off for recruiting.
Finally, the other thing kids can do is wait to sign their LOIs. Obviously, NLOID is simply the first day you can sign. It's fine with Smith or McDowell or Pryor want to wait forever to do it, but IMO you still need the LOI mechanism.
But LOIs serve a valuable purpose of predictability and stability. Staples is remarkably disingenuous when he says that a LOI signs away the players right to be recruited. The player IS recruited for 2 years! The LOI represents his final decision. In the world without LOIs, players sign multiple financial aid packages to secure their spot and force schools to recruit them up and until Fall Camp. And then if they don't like you in fall camp, they can transfer -- as early as the next semester! That's insane.
I liken LOIs to non-compete provisions in employment contracts. In the real world it's in the interest of businesses in high tech fields or intensive sales fields to employ non-compete provisions. These provisions are narrowly tailored to the field of the business, geography and time (2 yrs,max). So employees that leave the business can go do a myriad of different things for 2 years and then go compete directly against his former employer.
In the case of CFB, the LOI is basically a 1-yr non-compete. You commit to the school. If you want to leave, you have to sit out a year (in the B10, it's 2 if you go to another B10 school -- further highlighting the non-compete nature of the LOI). It's rational in that sense and it's utterly rational in setting a cut-off for recruiting.
Finally, the other thing kids can do is wait to sign their LOIs. Obviously, NLOID is simply the first day you can sign. It's fine with Smith or McDowell or Pryor want to wait forever to do it, but IMO you still need the LOI mechanism.
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