Paul Johnson rips oversigning practice
Speaking at a news conference Friday, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson made clear his thoughts on oversigning in recruiting, a topic that has gained buzz this week because of Alabama’s pulling a scholarship offer for 2012 from North Atlanta High running back Justin Taylor.
Johnson is not in favor of it, a stance he has taken in the past. The matter came up when he decried the practice of high school prospects committing to a school but then continuing to fish for better scholarship offers. He made an analogy to illustrate his opinion.
“That’s like (if) we go out there, we’ve got 15 commitments and we just keep recruiting over the top of them,” Johnson said. “Now, people do that, but not many. And then they just come back and they tell ‘em, ‘Hey, sorry, you’ll have to come next year. You’ll have to come in the spring. We found somebody better than you. We oversigned.’ That’s wrong. And it’s wrong on both sides. It’s just wrong.”
Taylor committed to Alabama last February, becoming the seventh player in the Crimson Tide’s 2012 class. However, Taylor missed his senior season with a knee injury and Alabama has taken 27 commitments, two over the limit. In an interview with the Journal-Constitution, Taylor said Alabama coach Nick Saban told him Alabama couldn’t sign him because the 25-player class was full, and instead offered him a signed piece of paper guaranteeing him a spot in the 2013 class. Taylor is reportedly considering other options.
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115 comments Add your comment
Cujo
January 22nd, 2012
11:43 pm
So pulling a ’ship offer from your FIRST 2012 commitment is OK & oversigning is not? Not only does Paul Johnson have 2 chins, he has two faces – and they’re BOTH UGLY!!
College Football Business
January 23rd, 2012
8:27 am
I know big time college football is a business. However, I really wish it weren’t. Wouldn’t it be cool if kids who played for your school really went there because they wanted to and were actual students too? College football is a semi-pro-for-profit endeavor that makes sufficient money to support the non-revenue sports. Cheating is the norm and kids who don’t produce are routinely kicked to the curb. Sad but true.
Animal Control
January 23rd, 2012
8:49 am
I like it! It’s a good policy that teaches kids your word is an important part of your character. Now, let’s discuss giving the GT kickers scholarships PJ. We can start with finding a player who can actually KICK…then go from there.
gt4ever
January 23rd, 2012
9:10 am
It would seem that way Cujo….. I would think that there is probably something more to this story.. I would hope that if the kid has met the NCAA minimum requirements, that we should honor his scholarship…
Boring Old Option
January 23rd, 2012
10:32 am
Not Oversiging (Paul Johnson)= 8-5 No Chamionships at the D1 level.
Oversiging (Nick Saban)= 12-1 3 Championships at the D1 level.
So I think Nick Saban knows what he doing. Take the best players.
Boring Old Option
January 23rd, 2012
10:33 am
Not Oversiging (Paul Johnson)= 8-5 No Championships at the D1 level.
Oversiging (Nick Saban)= 12-1 3 Championships at the D1 level.
So I think Nick Saban knows what he doing. Take the best players.
Reality Bites
January 23rd, 2012
2:09 pm
CPJ can holler about other schools all he wants. I think he is gone after this upcoming 7-5, loss at Athens, loss in a Medicore bowl season. Notta fan of the guy so much anymore. Gruff and winning is one thing, gruff and losing EVERY bowl game and to Ga 3/4 yrs is too much for me.
Woodstock Dawg
January 23rd, 2012
2:18 pm
Every school has the right to resend LOI, and every kid who gets one has the right not to sign it. Any student-athlete who commits before signing day, and doesn’t take all his vists is not very smart. I guess it boils down to the character of the coaching staff and the student-athlete, but we don’t want to talk about that.
Big Crimson 75
January 23rd, 2012
2:37 pm
Paul Johnson & the AJC — oversigning is wrong.
signing a player that has already committed to another school — OK
for every justin taylor, there is a justin thomas
i have not seen the outrage over what justin thomas / paul johnson did in this paper.
bottom line — its better to go back on your WORD than to over-sign.
This is in your paper not mine.
..and paul johnson’s opinion carries as much weight with the ncaa as mine & yours.
Big Crimson 75
January 23rd, 2012
2:41 pm
…..and if paul johnson had any stones, he’d say a name instead of insinuating — how man-ly.
no wonder his defenses are so good every year.
Big Crimson 75
January 23rd, 2012
2:42 pm
……and if PJ was any good, tech wouldn’t be in the toilet bowl every year………..
Dawg Fan
January 23rd, 2012
2:45 pm
Not a Tech or Paul Johnson fan, but applaude him in this issue. He calls a spade a spade and coach’s that over commit should have their scholarships reduced by that amount the next season.
Big Crimson 75
January 23rd, 2012
2:57 pm
What does PJ think of Gunner Kiehl???
Steve
January 23rd, 2012
4:29 pm
Let the kids sign as soon as that decide…..that will help with what happened to Justin taylor…if he had signed when he comitted, that scholarship would be taken..
BobDawg
January 23rd, 2012
4:40 pm
Just read where the Over-signing issue has garnered LSU & Alabama over 35 extra schollies the last 4 years…. That is a big deal in the 3rd and 4th quarters of games…. I guess they just get past that now with pushing players back 1, 2 to 3 years and no big deal, right?????