Scholarship guarantees, early signing would curb oversigning
An early signing period would've prevented Justin Taylor's disappearing scholarship. (AP photo)
One week after leading Alabama to its second BCS title in three seasons, Nick Saban reaffirmed that his commitment to winning isn’t necessarily rooted in a commitment to doing things the right way.
Saban informed Justin Taylor, a North Atlanta High School running back, that he was yanking his scholarship offer from 11 months ago. Eleven months ago. Never mind that Taylor was the seventh oral commitment for Alabama’s 2012 class. Nor that he was a good kid, a terrific player and hadn’t once screamed, “War Eagle!” This is the ugly side of college football that coaches hide between the disingenuous, “Don’t worry, momma, I’ll take care of your boy,” speeches.
The substance of a coach’s word morphs from oak to oatmeal when he finds a faster, stronger player.
This is a form of “oversigning” (or in this case overcommitting) in recruiting, a reprehensible practice we’ve banged on several times before. A coach will accept more commitments than he actually has scholarships to give out. His objective: To fix the scholarship numbers by coercing perceived underachieving athletes to transfer or accept medical hardships, thereby creating space to bring in better players. It’s the quickest route for a coach to lessen his own mistakes or shortcomings.
Forget that whole concept of commitment, four-year scholarships and the mission of college athletics. That went out with 8-millimeter film.
Saban and LSU’s Les Miles are two of the biggest abusers of oversigning. Saban and Les Miles also just faced each other for the BCS title. That’s not a coincidence, coaching talents notwithstanding.
With increasing attention being paid to this topic in the past two years, the NCAA and SEC (where some of the biggest abusers thrive) have attempted to curb the problem by lowering scholarship limits. But that isn’t nearly enough. Lowering the cap doesn’t prevent coaches from bending ethical borders to reach that cap. Case in point: Justin Taylor.
Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich believes, “For the vast majority of coaches, this is not an issue. Ninety percent of coaches abide by the rules and do things the right way.”
I agree. The problem is that the other 10 percent generally are the ones competing for championships.
The NCAA last week announced tougher sanctions against repeated rules-breakers (good), but it did little to close the loopholes on the oversigning issue. Here are a few things that would help:
• 1.) A coach can’t sign more players than he has slots available. If a committed player then fails to qualify academically, gets arrested or the like, that’s on the coach. Go sign somebody else. Every coach would be on equal ground.
• 2.) Scholarships are guaranteed for four or five years. Currently, it’s a series of one-year renewables.
• 3.) Football should have an early signing period, like basketball. If Taylor had signed his national letter of intent in February, it would be a binding agreement. Neither he nor Saban could pull a U-turn.
• 4.) The NCAA should form an impartial panel to oversee any athlete-coach disputes where there’s even the remote possibility of a player being coerced into leaving or becoming a medical hardship. Currently, disputes are settled by committees on the individual campuses.
Seriously, is there a panel in Tuscaloosa that’s going to side against Saban or in Baton Rouge that would go against Miles?
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity, among those who has spoken out against oversigning, said: “I think if there were a body that was not a part of the institution, certainly there would be a more consistent ruling or outcome there.”
He said “there are pros and cons” to an early signing period, but that it also might help, noting it works in basketball, volleyball and soccer.
Of course, football coaches are against early signing. They like having the flexibility to renege on commitments and playing with numbers. They’re going to be against any rule that adds clarity to an issue and eliminates the gray, eliminates their ability to manipulate a situation and get an edge.
As McGarity said, “If a coach makes a mistake in recruiting, that’s not the student-athlete’s fault.”
If college coaches want that freedom, let’s call this what it is: pro sports. Sign players, cut them, trade them — and pay them. But if we’re trying to maintain some illusion that this is still amateur athletics, some safeguards are needed because coaches aren’t going to police themselves.
Previous columns on oversigning
• SEC didn’t go nearly far enough with oversigning
• NCAA has lost sight of its mission by allowing oversigning
• A word about oversigning (and revisiting Saban’s dance)
By Jeff Schultz
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491 comments Add your comment
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
8:21 am
“Forget that whole concept of commitment, four-year scholarships and the mission of college athletics. That went out with 8-millimeter film.”
Schultzie, I saw an 8-millimeter film once. Yes, I’m that old. It had a woman and a donkey in it. Come to think of it, the donkey favored Saban. He was a little bit taller though.
big gt fan
January 21st, 2012
8:24 am
paul johnson has to learn how to evaluate talent before he can try to over sign anyone.it will be bad to over sign a bunch of 2 star players.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
8:25 am
The Truth of the matter is your rivals have won 3 National titles since you last won a bowl game.
The truth of the matter is the SEC has won 6 straight national Championships and your team has not been involved in any.
Take your ball and go home, losers.
Rick S
January 21st, 2012
8:32 am
This is one example of how Saban is all about himself and tells High School recruits what they want to hear so hopefully this will be a signal that Saban is a liar and cannot be trusted!
Priester John
January 21st, 2012
8:33 am
“I honestly don’t think Nick will ever leave Bama. They are the perfect match. A guy with no conscience and no ethics, worshiped by a fan base too stupid to value either.” Steve Spurrier on Nick Saban
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
8:34 am
The truth of the matter is that our team hasn’t been playing on an even field.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
8:38 am
The Truth is your coaching staff is inept and lazy. Cry all you want to Jackie boy.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
8:39 am
The truth is you signed more than LSU and Bama did last year.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
8:45 am
I watch a lot of Bama games as well as UGA because my wife is a Bama grad & fan. So I don’t have an axe to grid. To the Bama fans on the board, Saban is not doing anything illegal. He runs his program like business and he’s a great coach regardless of the rule. However, the over signing does give a coach an advantage in depth. It’s obvious every time I watch Bama and Lsu. CMR is also a great coach, but like it or not, it is harder for him to overcome depth problems from injuries, suspensions, etc. (and don’t start…EVERY program has these issues). I’m OK with it because I like the way he runs things. I am also confident that we can be competitive and win the SEC- we just have to have a little more luck some years.
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
8:48 am
“The truth is you signed more than LSU and Bama did last year.”
The Truth is we had the slots available at the time we signed them…LSU and Bama didn’t.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
8:49 am
Level playing field? The dwags recruit as good as any program in the country, must be the coaching holding them back.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
8:51 am
Come on Jack, you mean to tell me it’s only LSU and Bama, go read the signings over the last 5-6 years. Definately the only two teams that supposedly do this right?
Football Guy
January 21st, 2012
8:53 am
Enter your comments here
Nativebird
January 21st, 2012
8:53 am
Amen brother. But you’ve forgotten one other boogie-man enabler that is supporting the coach’s, conferences and the NCAA’s nefarious actions against these high schoolers……the Alumni. Or more specifically…the alumni’s money.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
8:54 am
Jack, one other thing, tell me the numbers situation at LSU and Bama and tell me where you had slots but they didn’t. I realize you are a recruiting numbers expert, I will wait for your four year breakdown on all three schools to prove your point.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
8:55 am
The Truth- ” The truth is you signed more than LSU and Bama did last year.”
Apparently you were using that Alabama math:
Bama- 23 signees in 2011, 26 in 2010, 28 in 2009.
UGA- 26 in 2011, 19 in 2010, 20 in 2009
We also awarded 7 walkons scholarships last fall. How many did Saban award?
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
8:55 am
SC, Ole Miss, and Awbun are culpable too. Wish I could say UF and UT, but alas.
Perspective
January 21st, 2012
8:56 am
TUSCALOOSA, AL — Newly hired Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeir is being asked to sit out the 2012 season and join the Crimson Tide staff next year because Nick Saban has signed too many football coaches. Nussmeir, who had been the offensive coordinator at Washington, found out only after he and his family arrived in Tuscaloosa on Monday afternoon.
“Coach Saban said he wished he would’ve been able to tell me before I quit my old job, sold my house, moved all the way across the country with my family and had six other coaching offers I turned down instead of telling me now,” said Nussmeir as he stood next to his crying wife and kids on the front lawn of the new Tuscaloosa house that they can no longer afford. “He (Saban) said the only reason he can’t have me join his staff for this season is because he can’t have too many offensive coordinators. He can only have one. And he hired three. But he said he was going to bring me in for the 2013 season. And I know it’s true because he said he would pinky swear that he would keep his word about that – which has to really, really mean something. I mean, it’s not like he offered to just sign some random piece of paper.”
So what happened to Nussmeir’s new job between the time he agreed to it on Friday and the time the offer was pulled on Monday? According to MZone sources, after Nussmeir accepted Saban’s offer, the Tide head coach then made an offer to Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken on Saturday and Stanford OC Pep Hamilton on Sunday. When both said yes, it left Nussmeir as the odd man out since Washington’s offense wasn’t as highly ranked as Oklahoma State’s or Stanford’s. No word yet on whether Monken or Hamilton will be next to get screwed by Saban on this one.
When we asked Nussmeir what he was going to do this fall since all the prime OC jobs are already filled at this point, Nussmeir said he was going to stay in Alabama. “Coach Saban said he’d help me get a job at the Piggly Wiggly during the time I’m not on his staff. What an awesome, caring man, huh?”
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
8:57 am
There you go. Thanks Loyal Dawg. That kind of research hurts my head.
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
9:01 am
Nussmeir could have problems displacing the Downs Syndrome kid bagging groceries. He’s an Alabama grad.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
9:01 am
Dream Team…………check.
Inept coaching…………..check.
Talking about UGA…………check.
te29wr
January 21st, 2012
9:02 am
The bad thing is the coaches admitt what they are doing and the high school coaches do nothing to stop the school from stopping by to see the athletic.. Better yet is make sure a student is qualified prior to making an offer. the S.Car coach said last year that if a kid was not good enough, after he got there and did not perform he should be cut. All high school coaches like to brag that so anso coach came to their school. Notic how many Ga high school coaches are from Ala.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:03 am
Also, Bama 32 in 2008 and UGA 24 in 2008. Note BA a coming off scholarship reductions due to PROBATION in 2008. Funny how UGA keeps coming in at or under the limit each year. Truth doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
9:03 am
Jack, it hurts your head because you probably don’t understand how to do it.
Loyal “to ineptitude” Dawg skews his own numbers.
Nick Rules!
January 21st, 2012
9:03 am
It doesn’t matter who Ga signs–Alabama’s roster is loaded for another title run in 2012 and 2013!!! Saban’s a recruiting machine—look for a blowout win by Bama over Ga in the SEC title game. Title #15 in 2012!!!
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
9:05 am
I feel sorry for you Dawg fans, I really do. To watch what Florida, LSU, Bama and Auburn have done the last six years must be a real kick in the gut.
bwahahaha
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:07 am
Truth hurts doesn’t. 90% of Bama fans I know admitt Saban stretches it. They are not defensive about it all.
The Truth
January 21st, 2012
9:08 am
The Canes have 31 commits this year so far, where is the outrage coming from UGA? Oh nevermind, you don’t play them unless you get the chance to lose to them in a bowl game.
Roll Bama Ramma
January 21st, 2012
9:08 am
Alabama
22 SEC Championships
15 National Championships
More to come in 2012—bama’s loaded-book it.
biff pocaroba
January 21st, 2012
9:10 am
nick saban is such a douche,wins ballgames but at what cost to the young men who sacrafice so he can make his millions,what a sorry excuse for a human being
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:11 am
Truth it doesn’t bother me a bit… especially when I see a story like Justin Taylor.
Honest Question
January 21st, 2012
9:13 am
An honest question……………..
Say your team has 20 commits and your staff wants to stop ther and then this happens.
Three don’t qualify.
Three for some reason flip to other schools at the last minute.
So your left with 14, tell me honestly that you will be happy with your coach and his staff
Say it happens again next year, what do you think then?.
Gorilla Biscuit
January 21st, 2012
9:13 am
“15 National Championships” Five awarded by the Huffington Post and five awarded by the Tuscaloosa Shopper.
Honest Question
January 21st, 2012
9:15 am
Hey Loyal, wasn’t there an article on here stating one of the UT kids that decommitted wants to go to UGA but was told he was a “back up ” plan? Pretty much sums up the name of the game.
Tacusa
January 21st, 2012
9:17 am
I haven’t read all of the comments so somebody may have beat me to this. However, instead of early signing, wouldn’t it make more sense to keep colleges from offering scholarships when kids are still juniors? Make the colleges wait until after they finish their senior season. We could have a National Offer Day in January! All offers would be made public. It would be a real media circus. Then, a month later… National Signing day!
Bama Diehard
January 21st, 2012
9:18 am
I’ll proudly take the 9 National Titles and be good with that number.
I’m not happy with what was told to Justin Taylor at all, but I’m also willing to bet he gets in to school this summer when someone else fails to get in. Not happy with it but thats the way it works.
1eyedJack
January 21st, 2012
9:18 am
Honest ?, the difference is we never offered Imani Cross (the UT kid) or accepted a commitment from him.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:18 am
Honest answer… I’m not happy with our evaluation of academic readiness, but I am OK with us giving some well deserving walkons a scholarship. Believe it or not, there are some walkons that work harder than the scholarship players and I think it sends a good message to the team to award a scholarship.
Perspective
January 21st, 2012
9:19 am
Is it an NCAA violation for Alabama to award a full academic scholarship to a pregnant high school senior in New Orleans, with a 2.7 G.P.A., subject a football player signing with Alabama, instead of LSU?
Perspective
January 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Is it an NCAA violation for Alabama to buy prepaid cell phones (”Go Phones”) by the cases, because prepaid phones are untraceable, and telephone calls to recruits can not be monitored? Why would Alabama do that?
Bama Diehard
January 21st, 2012
9:25 am
Perspective, don’t quite follow what your saying.
On another note, I think next year the Dawgs are going to make some serious noise. I’m actually pulling for them to get the SEC number 7, I think they have the best opportunity over Bama and LSU. We have too much to replace, not sure on LSU but they are loaded.
I love what Gratham is doing, reminds me of, well, you know.
If Murray can keep his int’s down it’s there for the taking for the Dawgs.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:27 am
Honest Question you are unwittingly making the argument for us. UGA told the recruit the truth… they have too many offers out there and did not off a scholarship. He is free to commit to anyone else with no harm to either party. Why is that difficult to understand?
Perspective
January 21st, 2012
9:28 am
Bama Diehard, this should help you follow. Alabama is a dirty program, and will get caught.
Bama Diehard
January 21st, 2012
9:31 am
Perspective, when and if you have your day holding the Crystal Football at the end of the year the haters will arise and claim the same about your program. Don’t insult yourself, your making yourself look stupid or maybe 12 years old.
Perspective
January 21st, 2012
9:32 am
The examples I provided are facts.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:35 am
Bama Diehard, (disclosure my wife is a Bama grad and I actually like Bama too after UGA of course), thank you for the civilized comments. The discussion degenerated into a pissing contest due to one or two obnoxious BA a fans bashing UGA and not admitting that Saban gains an advantage from his practices. He’s not doing anything illegal, he’s just hard nosed and that’s why you guys are so dominant. Our coach is not incompetent, in fact he does a great job considering his stances.
Bama Diehard
January 21st, 2012
9:35 am
Perspective, this is for you,
Winners worry about themselves, Losers worry about everyone else.
The rest of you civil dawgs have a great day, I’m off to the aquarium in my fine homestate of Georgia.
Knutt Sack
January 21st, 2012
9:37 am
Dean
January 21st, 2012
8:09 am
Does anybody remember when Bama wasn’t any good or relevant? It wasn’t that long ago. Listening to these people go on and on about how great Bama is is kind of funny. 4 years ago you couldn’t find a Bama fan on these pages. Guess what, your national titles don’t improve your personal manhood and they certainly don’t improve your image. ie… Harvey Updike and Brian Downing. Be hopefull that you get out of the spotlight soon. The rest of the country is laughing at you!
Yeah, and UGA has been so relevant since 1980. What a dumba$$!
Perspective
January 21st, 2012
9:39 am
College football is big business. Having the biggest, strongest, fastest recruits, could ultimately result in receiving tens of millions of dollars for universities. For this reason, at least for Nick Saban and Alabama, telling “white lies” to a black kid is no big deal.
Loyal Dawg
January 21st, 2012
9:39 am
Perspective – I appreciate you frustration, but BA a is not dirty, just aggressive. The NCAA needs to address this through rules making. That’s my point. I’m not interested in bashing Bama because they outcoached everyone, just a more level playing field.