Scholarship guarantees, early signing would curb oversigning

Try Harder

January 20th, 2012
3:36 pm

Great article Jeff. Glad you and Carvell are putting this information out there. Do you think there is a rule Saban will not bend or a loophole he will not find?

Heath

January 20th, 2012
3:44 pm

Unfortunately, the NCAA isn’t going to hinder their cash cows.

Tech21

January 20th, 2012
3:44 pm

I totally agree, the SEC is able to recruit very gifted athletes which is fine, but they’re messing with kids futures like the poor kid who made the mistake of committing to the football factory of Alabama that cares about nothing but winning. Put a cap on the scholarships and see what happens when Saban and Miles can’t oversign. The whole SEC dominance would go down some, no doubt they would still be good but you wouldn’t have the same ownership of the BCS. I for one would like to see how good Saban/Miles are if they played by the rules.

Ga./Fl. Stillman Dawg

January 20th, 2012
3:45 pm

Georgia needs to oversign coaches. First

JSS

January 20th, 2012
3:46 pm

Corruption breeds corruption… That is D-1 athletics in a nutshell… The NCAA just piggybacks along and reaps the cash!

sandiegodawg

January 20th, 2012
3:48 pm

good idea Schultze- you were due.

Ga./Fl. Stillman Dawg

January 20th, 2012
3:49 pm

If Saban and Les Miles can’t over sign. I guarantee you THEY WILL NOT WIN AS MUCH/Or THE WAY THEY DO. As you can see (if you are paying attention) they both are exposing their coaching abilities, just as Saban did Urben Meyer. It will not be long before LSU?ALA fall off or are equal to the SEC and NCAA. Mark my words. Neither one will win another national championchip in the next 5 years. GUARANTEE.

lucky21

January 20th, 2012
3:50 pm

Paul Johnson is in favor of an early signing period, and is very upfront in his dealings. Go CPJ and Let’s Go Tech!

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
3:58 pm

Great artical Jeff….I wish there were more articles like this that would expose this practice even more instead of our conferences sweeping this problem under the rug. Unfortunately the schools that you mentioned benefit from this practice greatly and find that it is not a problem, even at the expence of the athletes involved….I am a Dawg fan and also a huge fan of SEC football but this practice is’nt anything for our brethren to be proud of, even with the muli chamoinships in a row….I dont think the UGA’s, UF’s, Tenn, and whoever it may be will ever be on par with the Alabamers and LSU’s of the world on a year in year out basis until this is stopped….Bama still has multi schollies out and are at the culling stage now while already recruiting the next years class…For the life of me, why is this action not being pursued by the higher-ups somewhere?

GTBob

January 20th, 2012
3:58 pm

Heath pretty much nailed it. There is no financial incentive in cleaning up college football so it is never going to happen. It will probably get worse.

Old Dawg

January 20th, 2012
4:00 pm

I just love it when sharks swim in their own blood and devour everything around them, including themselves.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
4:00 pm

At least this is a topic that both GT and UGA can agree on and have a healthy conversation about for a change

S'paw_99

January 20th, 2012
4:02 pm

I have a real easy solution to stop Oversigning. For every commitment that you get above the # of Scholarships you have:

You LOSE a Scholarship.

That would quickly stop all of this, there is no way that Miles, Saban, or any other Un-ethcial coaches would risk losing scholarships.

lucky21

January 20th, 2012
4:03 pm

True statement Hogg at least both of our schools have coaches upstanding enough not to participate in such unscrupulous behavior.

Beast from the East

January 20th, 2012
4:08 pm

Jeff,
The only problem I have with your “solution” is the 4-5 year guranteed scholarship. What if a kid comes in and just becomes lazy and doesn’t try? You can’t have that type of kid eating up one of your 85 scholarships for 4-5 years. Other than that, I agree with everything else you propose.
Be ready for the backlash from the “Teabagging Updykes”!

PMC

January 20th, 2012
4:09 pm

Well done.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
4:09 pm

The one year renewable scholarship is the biggest impediment to real change. If the coaches knew they couldn’t get rid of a player after a season, they would be forced to operate under the 85 scholarship count.

For example, last year Alabama signed 22 players. Unfortunately, they had 73 on scholarship, which meant 10 players had to be purged. If there was a four year scholarship, Saban couldn’t have done what he did.

Ultimately, it’s important to point out that the biggest reason this happens is because Saban, Miles, and the other oversigners can’t accurately judge talent and they don’t want any accountability for their errors.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
4:10 pm

Sure you can, Beast from the East. It’s the coaches’ job to to find players that want to play.

If you recruit lazy players, you deserve to lose your job.

Hillbilly D

January 20th, 2012
4:13 pm

Corruption breeds corruption… That is D-1 athletics in a nutshell… The NCAA just piggybacks along and reaps the cash!

And that’s why things never really change. Like most other things in life, it’s all about the money. Everybody is getting well off the system, except a lot of the players.

• 1.) A coach can’t offer more scholarships 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.

I like this idea except for the go sign somebody else part. My idea would be, if your committed player washes out, tough, that’s life, you go one man short. Might give coaches an incentive to see that guys behave, keep their grades up, etc.

• 2.) Scholarships are guaranteed four or five years. Currently, it’s a series of one-year renewables.

Not really sure on this one but if it’s one year, then that year is written in stone, none of the shenanigans like with Justin Taylor.

• 3.) Football should have an early signing period, like basketball. If Taylor had signed his national letter of intent last February, it would be a binding agreement. Neither he nor Saban could pull a U-turn.

I think once it’s signed, it should be binding on both parties. You sign a deal, you ride it out.

• 4.) The NCAA should form an impartial panel to oversee any student 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.

I don’t really see any workable solution here. To much money involved for impartiality.

DIT

January 20th, 2012
4:19 pm

Check out the two recruits in the back drop of the picture. I can hear the conversation now. “Is that really TWO cinder blocks he’s standing on?”

Beast from the East

January 20th, 2012
4:20 pm

George Stein,
Evaluating 17-18 kids is not an exact science. Maybe they can gurantee the scholarship, but not the roster spot??? Not usre what the answer is, but I doubt that will ever fly.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
4:23 pm

Of course it isn’t, Beast. But I don’t have any problem assigning blame to people who make $2MM or more a year. Big paychecks demand big responsibility.

The issue here is that the LOI that all those kids are gonna sign in two weeks is an atrocious contract and, I think, going forward the risk of error needs to be on the schools and coaches, not the kids that aren’t getting paid (but are getting screwed).

BiggDawgK

January 20th, 2012
4:24 pm

Good article JS. I’m stunned there have not been rabid bama boys whineing about the ajc’s agenda to hurt saban stinking up your blog. Most of them are still sleeping off last nights moonshine I guess.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
4:26 pm

They’re busy, ahem, assaulting LSU fans at fast food restaurants, BiggDawgK.

Back in my day (60'-70's)

January 20th, 2012
4:28 pm

…coaches could sign as many as they could afford, and those were 4 year guarantees, usually having well over 100 players on ’ship at any point in time – Bear Bryant was the leader of the pack (along with Johnny Majors at Pitt, before he went to UT) – he said he did it so that he would not have to play against those kids – so AL has quite the history with this kind of slime…

Beast from the East

January 20th, 2012
4:28 pm

George Stein,
I don’t disagree with your premise, at all. I do disagree about the kids not “getting paid”. These kids are given a free education that most cannot afford. Not to mention the opportunity to showcase their skills with a chance (albeit slim) of going pro. I think they should recive a stipend on top of that, but that’s another story.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
4:29 pm

Alabamer and LSU currently have 85 or more 1st string players which equals more depth as opposed to the rest of us who have who might have maybe a second string player who is comparible to the first string guy……Its a lot like a guy fishing a Bass fishing tournament…you fill the live well with your limit of fish first then you cull out the smaller ones as you catch more so as to have more weight on board to increase the odds of takin home the money…..silly but true….I know there is always that “coach all of them up” theory but the facts are that some athletes are’nt as good as others….It must be nice to cull the ones who are’nt as good out and just keep the best…

Ron Mexico

January 20th, 2012
4:29 pm

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Nice article Jeff

Mike

January 20th, 2012
4:31 pm

Evaluating recruits is one thing. I think all these guys do a good job of that. The issue here is they are essentially pulling aces out of their sleeves at the poker table. They recruited their allotment of kids. Rather than coach up those kids, they are forcing out the lower end ones for what amounts to some higher rated ringers.

Look at Alabama right now. They are sitting at 27 commits even though they can only sign 25 max and likely don’t even have 25 slots available in the first place.

So is Saban really a good coach or just someone who is good at twisting the system. Like Jeff points out, he is essentially running a pro football operation at the amateur level.

TRUTH BE TOLD.......

January 20th, 2012
4:32 pm

COACH SABAN IS A MASTER OF HIS CRAFT & ALL THE RULES IN THE WORLD WON’T DERAIL HIS SUCESS!!! SOOOOOOOO……….HATE ON HATERS THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!!

Beast from the East

January 20th, 2012
4:33 pm

Why we all seem to disagree with Saban’s practices, he continues to get the best of the best. One would think that kids would shy away from Bama if he’s as bad as we continue to hear but they aren’t, are they?

Danny O

January 20th, 2012
4:35 pm

Ron Mexico, if you hate Schultz so much, why do you keep reading his stuff?

Matt A

January 20th, 2012
4:38 pm

I couldn’t agree more Jeff. As much as I love watching CFB and rooting for my teams, the seedy underbelly of this sport is simply disgusting. Let’s call the schools ‘franchises’ and the players ‘professional free agents’ and be done with it

Danny O

January 20th, 2012
4:38 pm

It was no surprise to learn that Saban was backing out on Taylor. I’m glad that someone talked some sense into that kid to go somewhere that the coach respects recruits as people, and not as football robots to be warehoused until the school is ready to give them a scholarship.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
4:39 pm

Yeah Beast, thats the strange part!……Great pollitition I guess…

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
4:39 pm

Yeah Beast, thats the strange part!……Great pollitition I guess…

bill

January 20th, 2012
4:39 pm

I agree that what happened to Justin Taylor is unfortunate and I feel bad for him, but what about protecting the schools? Since these “commitments” are only verbal and non-binding, nothing prevents the student-athlete from flipping. Gunnar Kiel just did it. Many expect Jameis Winston to do the same. I agree that an early signing period would help somewhat.

Bryant

January 20th, 2012
4:43 pm

iF THEY HAND YOU THE CHRYSTAL FOOTBALL IT MUST NOT BE CHEATING. IT IS LIKE RACING IF YOU ARE NOT CHEATING YOU ARE NOT TRYING. RTR

GeoffDawg

January 20th, 2012
4:45 pm

I’m not necessarily for a rule that requires you to only offer the number of scholarships you have available as it would severely limit the perspective student-athletes’ ability to compare and contrast different schools and programs. However, I do like the way Richt does it where he makes it known up front that they have a certain number of spots open for a certain position and it’s a first come, first served basis for commitments. Once committed, it won’t be revoked unless extenuating circumstances like expulsions or arrests dictate it as such.

Bama4life

January 20th, 2012
4:46 pm

Thanks, Jeff. So the reason UGA is soft and chronically underachieves is because LSU and Bama oversign too much. IF ONLY Bama and LSU played by the rules then UGA would have won all those titles like they were supposed to.

Give me a break! Quit pandering to Dawg fans and tell it like it is. Bama and LSU win more because they outwork UGA. It’s time for Dawg fans to grow up and quit whining like spoiled 3 year olds. Stop crying, accept responsibility for your own failures and make a commitment to winning on the field.

Beast from the East

January 20th, 2012
4:49 pm

Bama4life,
I’ll give you guys credit for one thing….you’ve got balls. LOL!

Mark (another one)

January 20th, 2012
4:50 pm

What other sports have one year renewable scholarships? These kids compete for playing time, and they’re kids. They should get a scholarship until they flunk out or graduate. During that time they get four year’s of eligibility.

Also, Radakovich seems to miss the point. What Saban and others are doing is within the rules. Its just unethical. There is no rule to stop oversigning or over committing (two related but different issues).

With over committing, Saban has verbally committed to more than 25 kids but by rule can only sign 25, so he is pulling his verbal commitments. He could have said up front that he might pull the offer if a better player was interested but I doubt if he did. In any case, the NCAA rule is that a commitment isn’t binding until the offer letter is signed, so the kid gets screwed by the rule, not the over committing coach.

Early signing periods are about the only way to battle over committment issues. Let a school sign up to 15 people during the summer. Those kids who don’t get signed will know the school is holding those scholarships for better players.

Oversigning is where running off players comes into play. Already have 70 players on scholarship but you want to sign more than 15? Run off up to 10 more and you can sign up to 25. To me, this is worse than over committing. The kid is already on campus and has put in at least a year trying to contribute.

There are valid situations with career ending injuries or disagreements with coaching staffs, where a player moves on. Most often the NCAA allows someone with a career ending injury to stay in school on scholarship but no longer counts the player against the 85 limit. That sounds fair to me. The real question is when a player simply quits. Was he forced to or was it his decision?

I think that players need someone representing their interests and a local University panel is not going to do it.

GeoffDawg

January 20th, 2012
4:52 pm

Bama4life must be taking a break between teabagging sessions.

Trojan

January 20th, 2012
4:53 pm

Saban will do anything to win, even if unethical or even if he has to BEND the rules.

Good coach – yes
Man of integrity – no

Cobb Dawg

January 20th, 2012
4:54 pm

Great column, Jeff. Completely agree with your approach.

lay off

January 20th, 2012
4:55 pm

4 year guaranteed scholarship for these pampered players? lay off the weed before writing–they would show up, tank it for 4 years if they don’t start and collect all that easy money.

Beast from the East

January 20th, 2012
4:57 pm

Jeff,
Check this out. I thought it was a riot!
http://forum.gatorsports.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17841&p=323466#p323466

Oh Boo Hoo

January 20th, 2012
4:59 pm

Isn’t Justin free now to choose a new school? Like Auburn or LSU or Arkansas and make Mean Ole Nick pay for not keeping his promise? If Justin is still that good why can’t he go elsewhere? Oh wait! Didn’t I read that Justin sat out this entire season with a injury?(Seriously, someone please clarify that for me) Is Mean Ole Nick coaching a football team or running a day care center? IF Mean Ole Nick is really taking advantage of these kids then the kids will catch on and sign elsewhere.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
5:01 pm

Good points Mark ( another one)…The early signing period would have allowed the 7th verbal commitment of the year for Alabama signed on paper rather than what happened to the kid….It would also force the coaches to really do their homework on a kid before offering as well instead of having all this extra time to let the dust settle before making their final decisions…

Vain Jangling

January 20th, 2012
5:07 pm

“Hey, Sweetie, will you go to the prom with me? You will? Jeepers, that’s great! Hold that thought, and don’t take any calls from any other guys. Be sure to tell all your family and friends we’re going. We’re gonna have so much fun! That is, if we actually end up going with each other. I mean, you’ll be among the first to know if I get someone better looking than you to go with me instead.”

Always Selma!

January 20th, 2012
5:10 pm

As long as we keep winning national titles, who cares about doing the right thing. Winning championships is the only right thing.

ROLL DAMN TIDE!

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
5:12 pm

Change the rules if they are bad and Saban and Miles will follow them. And they will still be holding crystal footballs over their heads while Mark RIcht and the UGA fans watch on television.

I support the early signing, but UGA fans better be careful what they pray for. Saban and Suprrier and other driven coaches will be cleaning up on Georgia talent while Richt is taking a break or gone on a mission trip.

Dawgs for Life

January 20th, 2012
5:17 pm

I agree Jeff, Georgia and Georgia Tech should not have to get better, we need to pass rules that slow down the schools where coaches actually take their job serious and win. “its not fair”, “they don’t play by the rules”, “they cheat”: this blog is dominated by pre-schoolers who whine. In life as well as college football, there are people who excel at what they do and others who are okay with being average or a little better. Too bad the locals got the average or a little better staffs. Keep on stealing them players from Conf USA or Sun Belt! and keep NC State from stealing them too! and whine some more!!!!!

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
5:25 pm

Yep Dawgs for Life, coaching is a huge part of it….we all know this. But with that being said, let us all recruit by the same rules then, if the coach fails it’s all on him..

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
5:29 pm

I hope Always Selma! is being facetious.

Wet Willie...keep on smiling

January 20th, 2012
5:42 pm

More UGA football news at CryMeARiver.com…..LOL at you pitiful folks. What was 1980 or 81…Hell even GA Tech and BYU have a trophy since then. Nick doesn’t sign friends of good players to a scholly like the preacher man or have the missing man formations. Suck it UGA.

Wet Willie...keep on smiling

January 20th, 2012
5:44 pm

Perhaps you UGA folks can start passing out free housing applications with season tickets..

Selma my ash! Atlanta=Harlem South.

Paul in NH

January 20th, 2012
5:52 pm

Excellent column Jeff – you nailed it.
Unfortunately the NCAA seems to be far more concerned about how much money schools can generate from their professional entertainment arms than the wellbeing of the students.

Score Check

January 20th, 2012
5:55 pm

You could expand your list of changes from 4 to 100 and Coach Satan would still find a loophole somewhere-somehow.

Coach Satan = Scum

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
5:59 pm

He’d still get good players, Score Check, but his margin for error would decrease significantly and, I’d bet, he wouldn’t win quite so much.

Dont’a Hightower was a lot easier to replace when he hurt his knee a few years ago because he recruited a gazillion players to take his spot. If he hadn’t signed 113 players over the past four years, he would would have felt that a lot more.

Big Crimson 75

January 20th, 2012
6:02 pm

Justin Taylor a victim — now thats funny.
Another worthless attempt to pacify Puppy fans for their teams continued under-achieving!!
The other idiotic columnist for this one paper town paper gives us reason why Ga will be good & why they will not be good next season — nothing in there about over-signing/under-signing.
Built in excuses — UGA is the best at that!!
You know, the only program at UGA that wins championships consistently are the gym girls. Now you wanna talk about the devil — Mrs. Yolcum!!! Think about it.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:05 pm

Unreal, Big Crimson. Justin Taylor was offered a scholarship, accepted it, and had given no reason to doubt his commitment. And in return for his commitment, Saban kicked him to the curb.

I hope recruits read what Bama fans think of them.

bucket

January 20th, 2012
6:07 pm

@ George Stein – Great point!!! That’s the part of this problem that everyone is missing. Nick Saban and Les Miles and others are good coaches, but IMO they are not alot better than most of their peers, they just have more players on the roster than most coaches. And yes, I know, everyone has a 85 scholarship player limit, but when you have signed more studs than everyone else, then when you start getting toward the end of that 85 man roster you still are talking 3 and 4 star players and not true walk-ons. Because UGA and GTech are committed to not over-signing and sticking by their commitments, they are down in overrall numbers of stud players.

Big Crimson 75

January 20th, 2012
6:07 pm

Is over-signing the reason we clocked y’alls tail during the UGA funeral a few years back?
You just can’t stand being out-classed by Alabama. Not sure why? You always have been.

Big Crimson 75

January 20th, 2012
6:09 pm

I love it!!!
Puppy fans looking to GT for sympathy!

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:09 pm

Jeff – you forgot to mention that the kid blew his knee out and didn’t play at all last year. Might have been a factor. Tough for the kid. Life’s tough all the way around. He should go somewhere else. Maybe UGA could use him. Crowell hasn’t worked out too well.

Big Crimson 75

January 20th, 2012
6:12 pm

We are doing the kid a favor // If he came to Bama, he’d sit for 2 years(get the best coaching of his life) then transfer somewhere for playing time.

Big Crimson 75

January 20th, 2012
6:14 pm

If UGA fans are so concerned for the kid, then demand your loser Coach sign him!
I’m out losers.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:15 pm

It’s been a long time since my school has played your semi-pro team, Big Crimson.

I cannot, for the life of me, understand how you think it’s OK to screw a kid that can’t even vote yet. I can only offer my sympathies that your life is so sad that victories on a football field are worth screwing kids.

ILOVEUGA

January 20th, 2012
6:16 pm

GENO – UGA!!!!

bucket

January 20th, 2012
6:16 pm

@ Tim – that’s the game you play when you are “beating everyone to offering” early scholarships. They looked that kid in the eye and told him he should commit so that he could gurantee himself a spot in the next class. I guess you are ok with coaches looking 16-18 year old guys in the eye and lying to them. That says alot more about you than whether UGA has performed well on the football field. Ask Sterling Bailey what CMR does when you get hurt in your senior year after he has offered you a scholarship and it has been accepted by a teenager. There’s a bigger game we are all playing than the game of football.

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:18 pm

@ bucket – crybaby.

clint

January 20th, 2012
6:20 pm

For the record Bama only signed 22 last year so by the rules they can sign 28 this year. If you’re going to complain about something at least know the rules.

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:22 pm

@ bucket – also, i like uga. my kids go there. my point was, they appear to need a running back as crowell is hurt all the time or (more likely) on the outs with the coaching staff.

bucket

January 20th, 2012
6:22 pm

@ Tim – boy aren’t anonymous blogs wonderful. You can sit behind a computer and say things about people that you wouldn’t have the courage to say to their face.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:23 pm

Uh, they had 73 on scholarship at the end of last season, clint. Try again!

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:23 pm

@ bucket – that’s right. keep crying. you sound like a girl.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:25 pm

Apparently, wanting to protect kids instead of millionaire coaches that don’t want responsibility makes you a crybaby, bucket.

bearandcrimson

January 20th, 2012
6:25 pm

Tim – I’m sure they will take your idea under advisement – wow..

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
6:25 pm

Big Crimson……UGA and many other schools might be “out-recruited”, by Bammer, and by shady means at that, but no person from the state of Georgia has ever been “out-classed” by anyone from Abalamer….enough said

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:25 pm

You sound like an a$$hole, Tim. Congratulations.

bearandcrimson

January 20th, 2012
6:26 pm

Amen, George.

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:27 pm

@ george – the sun is down. shouldn’t you be offline for the sabbath?

bucket

January 20th, 2012
6:27 pm

@ George Stein – thanks, but I am not worried about internet blowhards like Tim, which coincidently is my real name! The only time guys like him are brave is when he can hide behind a keyboard and call people names or when someone is passed out drunk and he can have his way with them.

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:28 pm

@ bucket – you’re cracking me up. is your heart beating rapidly? don’t code out on us now.

Tossed Salad

January 20th, 2012
6:30 pm

Got news for you, Bama4Life. This ain’t about Richt or UGA. The Dawgs could win the next 5 MNCs and it wouldn’t change the fact that your coach is a scumbag p.o.s. with zero integrity. Justin Taylor didn’t deserve this. Nor did any of the kids before him who had the rug pulled out from underneath them by Saint Nick.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:31 pm

Classy, Tim. I’m Catholic, thank you. Any other Jew jokes you’d like to share for the rest of us?

Agreed, bucket.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:31 pm

Bingo, Tossed Salad.

Right

January 20th, 2012
6:32 pm

Yet again …. the AJC and it’s followers crying how their beloved dogs or bugs didn’t win it all…

Nick Saban is paid to win and win championships. Bending rules or finding loop holes is his job. He didn’t break rules, otherwise you could punish him.

This is the same story told 100 X over in the last year. I don’t think not taking a kid is messing with his future. Many kids have athletics to get out of their current, low income, situation and this provides the opporunity to better themselves.

Jealousy is all over the place every week in the AJC…. poor UGA can’t seem to win the big one… so what …they have 1 title (1980) and started playing football the same yr as ALABAMA -1891.

Tim

January 20th, 2012
6:32 pm

@ stein – well, there was the one about the volkswagen…

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:36 pm

No one said he broke rules, Right. I think the point we’re trying to make is the he’s unethical and that the rule needs to be changed.

If you think what he did was right, so be it. I don’t and I’d like to see the practice ended because Saban – and other coaches, too – are apparently unwilling or unable to police themselves.

Bill Cooper

January 20th, 2012
6:36 pm

This is the reason Bobby Dodd got out of the SEC. He was committed to providing an education to all the players he signed, regardless of how they performed in college. When the SEC decided to limit scholarships, he knew he couldn’t compete with the coaches that didn’t care about their players. College football used to be about student-athletes. Now it is about coaches and their egos.

Falcon Man..

January 20th, 2012
6:40 pm

Alabama has always been the best at bending the rules…dates back to Bear Bryant…it is their culture at T-town…they are also a very odd fan base…see updyke/teabagger for examples..

bucket

January 20th, 2012
6:41 pm

No jealousy here – the fact of the matter is that CMR’s teams would have played for 2 or 3 MNC’s if he could have gotten a mulligan like Alabama got there this year. You won another MNC Bama. Be happy for your success, but don’t expect everyone to applaud the methods your coach uses to win at all costs. BTW, if my Dawgs ever do win a MNC, I won’t be on the blogs talking trash the next week!

DP

January 20th, 2012
6:42 pm

I disagree with making football scholarships a 4 or 5 year commitment. How does a coach deal with student athletes who aren’t holding up their end of the deal, i.e. not keeping up academically, not putting in the effort to stay in shape, learn the playbook, bad attitude, arrests, etc.?

Take away the 85 scholarship limit. Set a number that can be signed each year, whether it’s 22 or 25 or whatever and keep the scholarships year to year. That way there’s no incentive to run anybody off because the coach doesn’t get another scholarship for a replacement player. No exception to the annual numbers for early NFL entries, major injuries, flunk outs or anything else. The incentive for coaches would be to work as hard as possible to avoid recruiting mistakes and work as hard as possible to develop and keep every kid in the program.

Also, once kids have finished their junior seasons in high school, let them sign with a school anytime they want. If a kid commits verbally but isn’t willing to go ahead and sign a letter of intent the school can decide whether it wants to hold a spot or keep recruiting other players at the position and pull the offer if they sign somebody else. If a school offers a Justin Taylor and he signs the letter of intent and then blows out a knee or a better back comes along, it doesn’t matter because he already has his spot.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
6:42 pm

@Right….Yep, it’s obvious Satan is paid to bend the rules and find loopholes and winning championships…..What we’re taliking here is simple ethics….something you sir apparantly disregard…thats on you and yours…As for me, and even many of the teams I don’t pull for, we’ll do our best the right way and sooner or later, what goes around comes around…even you shoud know that much even with your mental disability…

Columbus

January 20th, 2012
6:43 pm

Great column Schultz. Yes I know. You were due for one.

DP

January 20th, 2012
6:44 pm

Yeah bucket, tell us about the 2 or 3 occasions when Georgia under Richt lost one game in OT to the #1 team, the only team from a major conference that finished undefeated and crushed everybody else it played.

TampaGator

January 20th, 2012
6:45 pm

Meyer had major issues with the recruiting tactics of Saban and Miles while he was at Florida. It is one of the reasons he stated for wanting out of the SEC….as he did not see the heads of state doing anyting about the oversigning issue with either of them….and apparently Saban and Miles are still doing it…..but just differently now……get a commit and then take away the promise when you get better commitments down the road. Not ethical. Not honest. Not right. But, evidently, it is what wins you championships and great teams on a regular basis…..at both LSU and Bama. It needs to STOP….and everyone should play by the same rules….in the SEC….everywhere.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:47 pm

If a player is arrested or doesn’t keep up in the classroom, the scholarship can be taken from him, DP. Otherwise, it’s on the coach to recruit the right people. Period.

TampaGator

January 20th, 2012
6:47 pm

P.S……Saban and Miles are still great recruiters and great head coaches……but they need to play by the rules everyone else plays by….and they should be severely penalized (the coaches, not the school or the players) if they don’t.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:48 pm

Agree completely, Tampa.

DP

January 20th, 2012
6:50 pm

“It is one of the reasons he stated for wanting out of the SEC”

If you’re not pulling that out of your rear end Tampa Gator, let’s see the link that supports that comment.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 20th, 2012
6:51 pm

@George Stein & TampaGator…….There ya have it!…..Great points!

BiggDawgK

January 20th, 2012
6:52 pm

It’s really sad that bama boys are so lacking in morals and integrity that none of them see anything wrong with lieing to kids and leaving them with few if any options when a scholly is yanked. All the bama trash really thinks anyone that has a problem with their classless sewer level mentality is just mad because bama won a championship.

Life in alabama has to be truly horrible when the only thing at all in bama boy’s lifes is football and sexual assault on passed out men.

Eaassyy

January 20th, 2012
6:54 pm

Got to love Bama folks thinking this is a “pro UGA” article. Schultz is as negative as anyone about the Dawgs. There are Florida Tech and Uga fans alike commenting on both Miles and Saban’s questionable tactics.

He is simply drawing a line in the sand between right and wrong. The example in this article is flat wrong and I don’t hear any Bama fans denying it. All you can do is call Dawg fans whiners and losers. True, nobody can deny Bama and LSU are on a whole other level. Not only from UGA but also the rest of the country.

Is it coaching? Playing the system? Combo?

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
6:55 pm

The funny thing – to me, at least – is that UGA is getting support from their two biggest rivals. Funny how this recruiting stuff works.

NCDawg

January 20th, 2012
6:56 pm

I think that there is a perception problem here. Over- signing is wrong, period… no further discussion needed. The perception that the NCAA and CFA won’t do anything about it because of money is just cynical. The sport will generate just as much revenue without this practice as it does with it. The coaches that leverage this disgusting practice to winnow the recruiting talent pool so they get what they want are not going to lose any revenue for the system. Their schools will ALWAYS pull in big bucks. No this is a practice that protects their jobs.

If you get a mulligan or two on the golf course and the other guy doesn’t, and all things being equal otherwise, you will win a huge majority of the time. The coaches that do this add a few extra quality players to their rosters every year and you end up with stockpiled talent that overwhelms the opposition. That equals wins and wins equal big contracts and job security.
Can you say exploitation?

Sweet Home Alabama

January 20th, 2012
6:56 pm

Jealousy is a pretty sad thing.We do things the right way .THE problem is when you are dealing with 4 and 5 stars they all want to ROLL with the TIDE.

i know you MUTTS are jealous.We will sign whoever we want and will allways stay with in limits..\\\

ROLL TIDE ROLL………………

Eaassyy

January 20th, 2012
6:56 pm

you said it George, you said it.

kbb

January 20th, 2012
6:58 pm

College football is the most morally bankrupt entity in sports right now.

JoeFan

January 20th, 2012
7:00 pm

One of your best articles. Great points. Regretfully money talks louder than a man’s word and hanshake.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
7:01 pm

It isn’t jealousy, Sweet Home Alabama. It’s pity. It’s pity that you think so little of kids and that you can’t spell always.

daddo

January 20th, 2012
7:04 pm

I’m sorry, our national championships can’t hear you.

DP

January 20th, 2012
7:05 pm

I’m an Alabama fan and grad who doesn’t like what Saban has done with Justin Taylor and basically agrees with the major points in Schultz’s column. But I propose a different solution to avoid outside arbitration panels. My proposed solution would be even tougher on coaches who want to replace recruiting mistakes because when a player transfers or flunks out the coach doesn’t get an extra scholarship to replace him. Under Schultz’s recommendation a coach can still make it so tough on a player that he transfers rather than fighting the system and going to arbitration and the coach wins because he signs a replacement.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
7:08 pm

Congrats, daddo. We are all sooooo impressed.

jebstuart

January 20th, 2012
7:20 pm

Boy, them GA grapes smell sour!

If they play within the rules and yet still WIN, why does everyone keep carping–BECAUSE they not you win!

If Saban or Miles were either one outside the letter of the NCAA law, you can bet the NZAA Secret Police would cremate them.

As they just use the system better, shaaaddup!

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
7:20 pm

Did Boise and Michigan State oversign?

RTR22

January 20th, 2012
7:21 pm

Bama NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY in National Championships, Bowl Wins, 32 Ten Win seasons.
SEC LEADER in alltime wins, conference wins, longest win streak, 48 wins in 4 yrs, and a winning record against all SEC Schools, 4 Rose Bowl wins.

Put ur dawg resume out there for viewing…….lol. I would not bother its embarassing

Astropig

January 20th, 2012
7:24 pm

Great points as usual Schultzie, BUT…

What to do about kids like Gunner Kiel (or Da’Rick Rogers for that matter) ? These guys are not exactly a field of buttercups in the ethics department. Kiel had LSU convinced that he was going to be a Tiger and he shows up at Notre Dame on Monday, ready to go to class. Rogers strung UGA along for months before landing in K’ville with the Vols.And wasn’t there a kid that actually showed up at North Carolina last week and left the next day for Vanderbilt ? (IIRC,he had a few free meals but never attended class).

Saban did this kid from Atlanta wrong. Dirty dog wrong. But it’s a dirty business and the only way to clean it up is to take enforcement away from the people being enforced.

duronimo

January 20th, 2012
7:24 pm

Over-signing is a problem but in the end you still have to coach them. Saban and Miles
just seem to get more out of their good players than anyone else. For example, oversigning
wouldn’t help Georgia or Tennessee.

RTR22

January 20th, 2012
7:24 pm

When Bama fields a team exceeding 85 schollys turn us in………. LOSERS whine thats what they do

Old Gold Britches

January 20th, 2012
7:32 pm

A kid would have to be a fool to sign with Alabama! Biggest cheater since the Bear!!

Insider

January 20th, 2012
7:33 pm

This will be Saban’s last year at Bama! NFL calling is too strong!!

AndyDandy

January 20th, 2012
7:37 pm

I gtraduated from and played a non-revenue sport at an Ohio Valley Conference school, probably before most of you were born. My point is I have no allegiance to any SEC school (our son went to Vandy but that doesn’t count). My point, or question, is: aren’t most academic scholarships one-year deals with the requirement to maintain a certain GPA? In other words, if you don’t produce, you lose the free ride. Why should athletic scholarships be different?

I'm with Stupid

January 20th, 2012
7:37 pm

Spoken like the left wing moonbat you are , Jeff. You forgot to mention the kid had a major injury and was has and has accepted to come in with next years class. But then the facts get in the way of your silly agenda. “Do things the right way” According to who?

I don’t see Saban getting any wrist slaps like other coaches….say Mark Richt. Making scolarships for four years just invites the deadbeats to stay deadbeats. One year scolarships have been they way it is forever. But now the whiny snot nose losers are call for big brother to step in and save the day…”THEY’RE EVIL and because they are successfull I’m a failure” Where have i heard that before?

These players are getting a privilage, its not a right. And every year they have to earn their place on the team. I don’t see you writing about the academic scholarships that are taken away daily? Or the scholarships Saint Richt gave to guys who earned it on the field last year, but he needs them back for this year. You can’t change stupid

SoGa Bama fan

January 20th, 2012
7:38 pm

Am I wrong? Did I not see where they asked Justin Taylor to gray shirt ? they did not completely pull his offer. He would not be playing this year anyway . The extra rehab will make him better. I hope he still attends Bama. Best of luck to him.

Jock strap

January 20th, 2012
7:41 pm

Guys like Tgator and George Stein have to jump on the bandwagon to make up for failings by their teams and the realization they are no longer relevant and need help to catch up

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
7:44 pm

Stupid: Jeff is just preaching to the choir to sell newspapers. UGA fans need a reason to believe that the the reason they are not equal to Alabama and LSU is outside Athens. It’s the big, bad Saban, or the big, bad Miles because the reason can’t be that RIcht is an inferior coach. He’s just selling newspapers with this nonsense.

As long as Miles, Saban and Petrino are coaching and UGA sticks with RIcht there will be no championship trophies in Athens.

I'm with Stupid

January 20th, 2012
7:45 pm

Hey Tampa Gator. They are playing by the same rules. They’re just better at it. The bottom line is Saban, Miles and Spurrier out work the others.

gtfanfrom1951

January 20th, 2012
7:51 pm

Saban is one letter away from Satan maybe he should careful. no oversigning period!

heartofdarkness

January 20th, 2012
7:55 pm

In the capital markets, this little process you describe would be called price discovery. It is the coach’s responsibility to insure his investors get fair market value for their outlays.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
8:02 pm

Kids on academic scholarship can earn money in the field in which they have earned a scholarship, AndyDandy. Athletes can’t. If we want to pay the kids, then I’d be more ok with this stuff.

Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, SR

January 20th, 2012
8:03 pm

Just play the players. If the players are paid they then know they are in a business and they look out for themselves. What we have here are corrupt universities: Alabama and LSU the prime examples wha are corrupt universities. If the players atre paid then they can take their talents to where they appreciated. If some bully like Sabin treats a player shabbily the players can take his talents directly to Auburn and beat the corrupt University of Alabama like a old drum. Pay the players and let them tranfer at will to any school they want to play for. It is time the players ran this system for their own benefit. Coach are liars!!!!!

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
8:03 pm

Troll Tide Troll, Jock Strap.

Newt Gingrich is a rock star

January 20th, 2012
8:05 pm

The problem with scholarships being guaranteed for 4-5 years is that athletes whose main motivation is the free ride, or who might not have the work ethic needed to mature and develope at the big-time college level once they realize that their talents alone won’t get the job done, might have little incentive to work hard and be team players. I’d suggest two year guarantees as an alternative.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
8:06 pm

It has nothing to do with hard work, I’m With Stupid.

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
8:12 pm

NIck Saban (named after a Saint) and Urban Meyer (named after a Pope) are the two most successful SEC coaches of the last few years. They are both devout Catholics. Maybe that’s the reason.

jim

January 20th, 2012
8:22 pm

Rediculous idea guaranteeing 4 years. All other gifted kids on scholorship are on 1 year grants and require that they perform. And those kids tend to be a little more responsible than jocks. The four year thing has already been tried and resulted in undisciplined and unmotivated groups of players. Plus the other downside is desperate coaches will then be forced to treat the malcontents badly to force them out.

Further all coaches oversign at some point to keep their rosters as close to full as possible. That is their job! The school that brought about this oversigning thing was Ole Miss (signed 37 couple years ago) and they went winless in the SEc this past season. Also schools in lower pop states with more in state competition have to take more grade chances and will as a matter of course sign more guys to get 25 qualifiers (see Mississippi Schools).It should be and is a snap for UGA to select and sign 25 great athletes and sign them. 11 million people and no big time in state comp. Same with Florida and Texas and Southern Cal, and Ohio St. But nature then takes it’s course at those schools with built in advantages. Over time the coaches start taking things for granted and the program goes down because the players are not being developed. And that is the key at the LSU/Bama programs. They have a done a terrific job of developing their players. $ stars go to UGA and never improve over and over and over again. Same as with Texas. Hell 5 stars go to UF and never improve. Saban in particular and to a degree Miles keeps their players motivated, in school and working like hell. Driven is the word. Both are due to slack off some over time and when they do they too will take a tumble. But all this spinning and whinning by Georgia interest is tedious and reflects badly upon the fan base and media there.

And oh by the way, new coaches tend to bring in more players that fit their programs and cut guys early in their admins that don’t. You mention Saban. His first full class @ UA had 31 signees. Guess what Richt’s first full signing class @ UGA had 31. Identical. This will be Saban’s 5th class and conjecture is it will have 27 or 28 guys sign on weds with one two current commmits being none qualifiers and going the jc route. Max 28. And oh yeah the 5th class of Mark richt’s…tadah…28 guys! Rest my case! Find another excuse tree to pee up!

Ignition

January 20th, 2012
8:25 pm

Honestly I feel Alabama should be banned from Atlanta if not the entire state of Georgia for this practice…..
And NEVER be allowed back to recruit until Saban is gone.

realitycheck

January 20th, 2012
8:33 pm

Bama 14 NC’s……..UGA 1 NC……..Wow, that’s a fair fight! As long as UGA keeps that clown as HC, they will never sniff a NC. Richt would have been gone in 4 or 5 yrs at Bama. No coach at Bama since Bryant that did not win a NC, lasted any longer than 4 years. The bars are set differently……At Bama it’s we will win another NC…….AT UGA, it’s let’s try to win the SEC. Anyone who’s not sure needs to look up the all time numbers because it’s embarassing for UGA to even try comparing themselves to Bama.

Dawgs on top

January 20th, 2012
8:40 pm

Jeff…Just a question regarding early signing….Do the players who enroll in January not sign early, or are they part of a different year’s class? Thanks…

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
8:46 pm

The conversation needs to be more on all the scholarships that the male student athletes have lost over the last 20 years to Title IX. College Baseball programs must now divide full scholarships into partials and split them up to keep enough players on their rosters. Wrestling programs have been eliminated, Track programs cut…just to name a few.

This all occurs to keep the number of women on scholarship due to the number of men on scholarship( which includes football- the only sport to primarily generate revenue . with the one exception of the Men’s Basketball programs who are successful in getting to the tournament every year) in order to meet an antiquated federal law.

We have watched the number of football scholarships drop from 105 to 95 now to 85, while womens programs have risen 1400% during that same period.

If a kid is not ready, physically, mentallly, academically or socially to enter a school, the coaches at each program should have the option of moving the kid or removing him from the program to further enhance his chances to earn a degree. That sounds outlandish, but every school in the country has pushed players out the door, and do not dare say your program has not, if the kid is told he will never play, or he will never dress you will see the kid move himself out of the program.

Telling a coach he cannot fire a player( release him from scholarship) is akin to the union telling an employer they cannot fire an employee for lack of performance or following the rules.

This is just ignorant. The rules are not being broken, the federal government and the NCAA forced these programs to adapt due to lack of scholarships allowing a coach to keep enough players to perform up to their standards.

Zoli

January 20th, 2012
8:47 pm

It’s the game of survival of the fittest. A great problem to have but impossible to regulate across the board. Recruiting is similar to NASCAR’s saying “If ya ain’t cheatin, ya ain’t tryin”

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
8:51 pm

Ignition

January 20th, 2012
8:25 pm
Honestly I feel Alabama should be banned from Atlanta if not the entire state of Georgia for this practice…..
And NEVER be allowed back to recruit until Saban is gone.

Should UGA be banned from playing in the SEC for losing to UCF, Boise St, and Michigan St, and totally embarrassing the conference with their lack of perfomance the past two years, winning the Fulmer Cup, or even having their AD busted with a female not his wife while driving drunk?

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
8:55 pm

Heck, Lets just give them all trophies and tell them they are all winners, turn the scoreboards off and play every saturday until everyone is happy!

The illogical thinking of some is the same thing wrong with this country. Only the strong survive, everyone else are just specatators.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
8:55 pm

“Spectators”

ACE

January 20th, 2012
8:56 pm

Again, another article lacking substance.

If you want to require a 4-5 year scholarship, are you also going write into that contract that the athlete must stay there nfor that time? Contracts of this nature work both ways.

Instead, why don’t you place the blame where it belongs, the NBA and NFL which have anti-trust exemptions and have been allowed to use college sports as their minor leagues. They should be required to have real minor leagues, signing player right out of high school who have no desire to get a college education. Then you could require those who opt for college to have a 3 year scholarship, like college baseball.

For those coaches who pull the crap that miles anbd Saban do, the high school coaches should band together and start black-balling their staffs from their schools. When coaches start to see their tallent going to other schools because of their bad practices, they will eventually suffer the consequences.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
8:59 pm

Do you people realize it is against the law to feed dolphins? Do you know why?

Because if you keep feeding them and not allowing them to work for their food and to maintain their work ethic, they will stop hunting and expect the humans to feed them everyday.

The same thing applies to Football scholarships being guaranteed for 4 or 5 years.

We have already tried this nationally, it is called Welfare. Created to help people in time of need, but now it is expected and demanded by those too lazy to work.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
9:03 pm

How bout a coach at school “A” gets fired, School “A” goes out and hires a gunslinger coach who wants to bring in his style of players. One problem, the darn athlete at school “A” has a better deal than the new coach has. The student athlete has a 4 or 5 year deal, while the new coach has a three year rollover contract. The coach is expected to win,but if will not win with the same players with the same type work ethic that got his predecessor fired.

Bama4life

January 20th, 2012
9:07 pm

Love how Eaassyy tries to say Bama doesn’t deny oversigning, etc. Like you homers would even listen! Who cares that Justin Taylor is still committed to Bama and still has a valid offer? Apparently you guys think we’ve pulled his scholly but don’t let the facts get in your way.

UGA needs to do like Tech did-join the ACC. It’s a much better fit. For sure you can win the ACC more than once every 10 yrs. Then you won’t have to whine why it’s everyone else’s fault why you always come up short. Of course you still may have to play an SEC team if you get the championship game, but nothing is perfect.

BigTimeTECHFan

January 20th, 2012
9:07 pm

didn’t USCe tell two commited kids from GA HS’s sorry but we don’t have room last year. thats sad and no way to treat these kids.

Hat’s off too UGA and Tech for not doing it

TampaGator

January 20th, 2012
9:16 pm

Jockstap…..

Florida’s recent national titles:
1996
2006
2008

and a bunch of SEC titles, SEC East titles, and major bowl wins in between.

Yep….trying to cover up for Florida’s failures with my posts.

All the Bama, LSU, and Auburn fans are doing the same.

The only ones who don’t have to cover up are Georgia fans because they have won a summertime national title every year since 1981.

TruthSeeker

January 20th, 2012
9:23 pm

Typical Bammers. Who cares if some kids get screwed over? Just win, baby.

Mark Richt may go down with the ship at UGA, but at least he’ll be able to go down with a clear conscience, knowing that he didn’t have to break promises to any kids in order to get an edge.

Alabama may have a great football team, but unfortunately the majority of their fans would rather look the other way on Saban’s unethical practices instead of being honest enough with themselves to admit that their coach, as great as he is, has no integrity.

Lakedawg

January 20th, 2012
9:26 pm

Tampa==You are so clever, just remember last year the dawgs beat the Gayturds and will again this year. Muschamp will be long gone while CMR wins quite a few titles the next several years.

You nor Bama either one will even Make the SEC title game next year.

Reggie Ball

January 20th, 2012
9:31 pm

RealityCheck: Daughters team win in Uppityward basketball tonight? Your the man…lovin on some Dawgs then Nicholas? Reckon you couldn’t get in neither-much less Tech!!!!!!!! Get your GED?

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
9:32 pm

You will never see a photograph of Mark Richt holding a crystal trophy over his head.

If Richt has so much integrity and is so ethical, why doesn’t he offer the three-star, injured running back one of his slots? He is a Georgia native after all. Not good enough to be on the Dream Team?

Ben Jones

January 20th, 2012
9:41 pm

Lakedawg tell em bout it brother. SicEm Hairy Dawgs……Demps bailin out-Rainey graduatin to beatin chicks and Trent gone Dawgs are gonna be stacked at RB and Tidybowl and Gutters will be crying!!!!!

McElroy

January 20th, 2012
9:47 pm

bamaguy: Dreamteam helped get em to SEC? Without votes!….hmmmm

McElroy

January 20th, 2012
9:50 pm

And yrp…..like all Bama QB’s Im ridin aluminum….but Im angry and raising cain…bet Woody wont take Peyton over me!!!!!! Yahoo!!!!! Roll Tide!!!

Paul in NH

January 20th, 2012
9:58 pm

Right

January 20th, 2012
6:32 pm
Nick Saban is paid to win and win championships. Bending rules or finding loop holes is his job. He didn’t break rules, otherwise you could punish him.
————
“Bending rules is his job”.
I am surprised to see a fan of Alabama admit that the program has no ethics.

Truth

January 20th, 2012
9:58 pm

@bamaguy,

Has it ever accured to you we don’t offer & lose some in state players you get because academically we just can’t get them in? Check out the entrance requirememts between the two schools. They aren’t even close.

realitycheck

January 20th, 2012
10:03 pm

Reggie Ball………What an impressive post! Haven’t a clue what you are saying/talking about. Your local community college may offer a general grammar and/or writing class you may want to take. How possibly could your post have been in response to mine?

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
10:07 pm

Truth: So you are saying he isn’t good enough for UGA? How many of the current football roster at UGA would have gotten in if they had applied as regular admission students, not athletes?

Reggie Ball

January 20th, 2012
10:08 pm

My error…must have been another RealityCheck pimping the Dawgs…my bad. Thanks for your compliment. This is a post. I’m not saying/talking. Reggie is WRITING! GO JACKETS!

Paul in NH

January 20th, 2012
10:09 pm

ACE

January 20th, 2012
8:56 pm
Instead, why don’t you place the blame where it belongs, the NBA and NFL which have anti-trust exemptions and have been allowed to use college sports as their minor leagues
—-
Neither the NBA nor the NFL has anti-trust exemption – in fact the NFL lost an anti-trust lawsuit to the USFL. MLB has an anti-trust exemption.
Having said that, how the heck the NBA and NFL are responsible for unethical behavior from college coaches and the exploitation of college athletes is beyond me. Both these leagues PAY their players.

The Factor

January 20th, 2012
10:12 pm

For you bama fans who come here and think Jeff Shultz, the author of this article, is a UGA fan, guess again. He writes more anti UGA articles than you can imagine and is not liked very much by many off us. BUT THIS ARTICLE NEEDED TO BE WRITTEN. MY ONLY HOPE IS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED WILL RUN WITH IT. OVER SIGNING DOES NOT REPRESENT THE SEC BUT IT DOES REPRESENT BAMA AND LSU AND RECENTLY SOUTH CAROLINA. YOU CAN’T SIGN WHAT AMOUNTS TO AN ADDITIONAL CLASS OF RECRUITS EVERY FOUR YEARS THAN EVERYONE ELSE.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
10:14 pm

TampaGator

January 20th, 2012
9:16 pm
Jockstap…..

Florida’s recent national titles:
1996
2006
2008

and a bunch of SEC titles, SEC East titles, and major bowl wins in between.

Yep….trying to cover up for Florida’s failures with my posts.

All the Bama, LSU, and Auburn fans are doing the same.

The only ones who don’t have to cover up are Georgia fans because they have won a summertime national title every year since 1981

What have you done for me lately. Spurrier and Tebow are no longer in Gainesville.

The facts are you come on these blogs, spout off on how many 4 and 5 star recruits that UF is going to sign, on how much your former 1 hipped OC was going to bring in a great offensive plan, how Muschamp would take all those 4 and 5 star studs signed 3 years ago and make them a dominant force. The problem is NONE of your predictions came true. None.
Now in order to save face and to face the realization that LSU, and Alabama dominated UF, that a very weak Auburn team spanked your Injury ridden Gators, and somehow UGA beats UF in Jacksonville, that you can come up with an excuse to support your programs massive failings.

Yes Massive Failings. No program that has signed as many top 150 athletes as UF over the past 4 years should ever go 6-6 and beat a very very weak Ohio St team in a home bowl game on two special teams plays should ever happen.

Now you have to come on a blog and put spin on it to even the playing field a little to help your Soft and yes I said Soft( no other word to describe them) Florida Gator team a fighting chance to win or even get close to winning another SEC Title. You whine and cry if a kid commits or signs with another school and you cry foul.

The difference between your team ( the Florida Gators) UGA, Alabama, and even South Carolina is the fact they beat their instate rival, not Florida, The Seminoles are racking up player and handing it to UF since Tebow left and unless you plan on cloning him you can count on losing your own state for 4 more years at a minimum. So go ahead and cry some blues, make excuses to keep it close enough for your TOOTHLESS Gators to play with the big boys in LSU and Alabama.

The problem is, ( we have all been there) that when our team is down we want to be given every advantage possible to make that next big step up and even you know deep down in your heart that currently that step is much higher than your short legs can get up to.

Truth

January 20th, 2012
10:19 pm

@bamaguy,

If only an article could be written on how many in state kids we can’t get in because our admissions for athletes are harder than most. You will never hear it from our AD, but we simple don’t offer some kids our fans would love to have. Bama and others can. If you read some of the quotes from coaches on last years Dream Team, it came together because everyone we wanted appeared to qualified for our academic admissions for athletes as well.

Too Funny

January 20th, 2012
10:21 pm

Knutt Sack, who is going to read something that long?? You aren’t that important.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
10:22 pm

Just remember:

Saban is like the Dr. and Dean of the Football department.
Muschamp is the student assistant learning to grade papers.
Richt is the 5th year student taking remedial classes, and still failing those classes.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
10:23 pm

Enter your comments hereToo Funny

January 20th, 2012
10:21 pm
Knutt Sack, who is going to read something that long?? You aren’t that important.

I guess reading comprehension was not taught at your vocational high school.

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
10:25 pm

If you are not Tampa Gator it should not apply. You are dismissed.

bamaguy

January 20th, 2012
10:26 pm

Seriously Truth: Tech is so academically superior to UGA that it isn’t even funny. So if Alabama and LSU are “inferior” to UGA, how inferior is UGA to Tech?

Knutt Sack

January 20th, 2012
10:28 pm

Lets not forget that The UGA staff was banned from Carver Columbus for pulling scholarships two short years ago.

ACE

January 20th, 2012
10:33 pm

Paul in NH

Do some research…you will find that both the NBA and NFL have antitrust exemptions. The exemption exists while they have labor contracts with the unions, which is why the NFL broke up their union….AND THEN SUED….and the NBA considered the same thing.

Ramblin Man

January 20th, 2012
10:43 pm

Mike Slive could easily fix this but he let’s coaches and ADs vote and I can think of eight votes that wanted to continue the same practices as always. The main problem is that where as articles like this will get written, and I applaud Jeff for it, main stream media barely touches it. I have heard ESPN mention Bama’s #1 class more than once and yet nothing about how Saban does not have the room for them and what will be done to get them, or that an average of 11 kids are cut from Bama each year.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
10:52 pm

No, ACE, you do some research. The reason the NFLPA disbanded was because they wanted to file the lawsuit using antitrust law rather than labor law. All labor organizations that have certified as a union are precluded from filing suit using antitrust law. The reason is because any antitrust damages are tripled if the plaintiffs win.

MLB is the only organization that enjoys exemption from antitrust law.

Paul in NH

January 20th, 2012
11:03 pm

George – Thank you for correcting ACE – You saved me the bother

Paul in NH

January 20th, 2012
11:04 pm

Ramblin Man

January 20th, 2012
10:43 pm
Mike Slive could easily fix this but he let’s coaches and ADs vote and I can think of eight votes that wanted to continue the same practices as always
—-
The SEC coaches voted last year on the oversigning issue and the vote was 12-0 to continue.

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
11:06 pm

No problem, Paul. That’s my area of expertise.

Paul in NH

January 20th, 2012
11:13 pm

George,
I loved that ACE supported his contention that the NBA and NFL have anti-trust exemption by citing how the union decertified to be able to sue the league under the anti-trust laws. Can you say oxymoron?

George Stein

January 20th, 2012
11:21 pm

Ha. I caught that, too. It would seem odd that an organization would have an antitrust exemption and then got sued under antitrust law.

The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can Stop it

January 20th, 2012
11:42 pm

You freaking IDIOT Georgia fans are going to bring down the entire SEC because your coach is too freaking lazy to recruit hard. So instead of doing something about it, you want to limit the entire SEC recruiting. You are disgrace the SEC and it would be better off without your whining and losing to Boise and Michigan State.

Alphare

January 20th, 2012
11:56 pm

BAMA yanked Taylor’s scholarship? I thought they asked him to postpone for 4 months from August to Jan.

When did people change the word of postpone to mean yank? I guess postpone for 4months or more is now the same thing as yank? a new meaning added to the English dictionary in 2012?

The Factor

January 20th, 2012
11:59 pm

@The Tide is Rolling….

The author of this article is no friend of UGA I can promise you. That being said, you pinhead, I am GLAD this article has been written and I hope Sports Illustrated does it next. Signing, what amounts to an extra signing class every four years, is a disgrace and I hope its disclosure brings your program down.

Lee

January 21st, 2012
12:19 am

Here’s a crazy idea, you cannot sign a player to a scholarship until he applies and gets accepted to school JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER STUDENT at the university.

It’s way past time to put the STUDENT back into STUDENT-ATHLETE.

TideBama

January 21st, 2012
2:04 am

saban knows all the tricks to manipulate the system—other coaches should learn the same thing and quit whining. Bama rules in 2012!!! ReloaD!

legionaire

January 21st, 2012
5:09 am

When I was at UGA in the ’50’s freshmen could not play. This gave the team and the players a year to get their act together to see if they could stay in school and not do too many dumb things. If the kid dropped out in the year, the school had an extra scholarship for next season. I don’t think early signing will accomplish keeping Saban and Miles from just running other less performing guys off.

Ted M

January 21st, 2012
6:09 am

What about Justin Taylor filing a good old fashion lawsuit against Saban?

Is that a possibility? Seems like it should be.

Jeff

January 21st, 2012
7:11 am

This is probably the best objective article I’ve read on this subject. I would like to see more investigative reporting on this subject and have the media hold the coaching staff and university in the light of day for all to see their ethics. Most notably for the student athlete, Mom & Dad. Nick Saban, Les Miles and others did not just begin oversigning this year. They may be great football coaches but their actions speak clearly to their motiviation. Winning at all cost. When something like this happens put the coaches face on page 1. Within a short period of when this story broke and was published I noticed it was yanked from a headline to an obscure reference.

Blue Blood

January 21st, 2012
7:20 am

Winners worry about themselves, Losers worry about everyone else.

Party on dawgs.

Blue Blood

January 21st, 2012
7:37 am

2011 singees accordint to 247sports

Alabama 25
LSU 22
Florida State 29
Southern Cal 29
Auburn 34

Georgia 26 (what, No Way )

Clemson 30
Oregon 26
Tennessee 27
Nebraska 32
Mississippi 27

and so on………………..

Seems this paper likes to target a couple certain schools, I wonder why?

TampaGator

January 21st, 2012
7:48 am

Knutt Sack….

How many 4 and 5 star players has Richt recruited in the last 5 years or so…..and what was the Dawgs record in 2010…and in 2009……and what bowl games did they go to…..and what “very weak” team did they lose to (let me remind you…..THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA in the LIBERTY BOWL.. At least Florida, in its “massive failings,” defeated THE OHIO STATE UNIVERISTY…in the GATOR BOWL.

Your logic is about as sound as the current Gov of Florida turning down a rail project that would have put 30,000 unemployed Florida people to work just because Obama came up with the idea.

Both you and the Gov need to go back to the think tank and try again.

WhoLetThemDawgsOut

January 21st, 2012
7:50 am

Great ideas Jeff, however the Satan fans will protest loudly. He would lose his “god” status without being able to use his oversigning skills.

Knutt Sack

January 21st, 2012
7:55 am

Take from the rich to give to the poor.

Then keep taking until the rich are poor too.

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!

Priester John

January 21st, 2012
8:10 am

Well let’s just say what most people think about the University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa branch. Its football pursuits justify its identity with an uneducated backward white population and a symbolic link to the Lost Cause they hold so dear. Football has stalled UAT’s transformation into a modern university with intellectual, aesthetic or humanistic concerns. UAT fans way overestimate the “esteem” of being the last college football factory.

Also UAT’s misplaced priorities (football fluff over economic substance) harm the state’s growth and development as the Crimson Tide football team is outlet for the lunatic fringe (Paul Finebaum, Jay Barker, Harvey Updyke, John Phillips, Brian Downing et al) and a venue for them to be recognized. The holy crusade of UAT football also acts as an impediment to social or economic progress. It is well known that when a university simply reflects the attitudes of its football fans….. It is no longer a university in the true meaning of the word
.
History has shown that UAT fans defend the indefensible, deny the undeniable and are thus driven by extreme emotion into delusions and reckless actions. The abovementioned misfits are the predictable by-product of UAT football. The NCAA would actually do UAT a favor by handing down a ‘Death Penalty’ for its football team. It will be only then that its faculty, alumni and students will appreciate the scholarship and learning that mark a university with intellectual fiber and integrity. Indeed until that time “roll tide” is the mortifying apology for those without individual self-respect or dignity.

Blue Blood

January 21st, 2012
8:15 am

Poor ole dawg fans, 1980 has been a long time hasn’t it? Poor ole Priester John, it hurts don’t it buddy? tears for ya…………..

DawgPack67

January 21st, 2012
8:18 am

The entire country knows UGA built the SEC, just travel around and have conversations with people while you are out and about, they will tell you. UGA football is talked about all over this contry.

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.

Knutt Sack

January 21st, 2012
9:40 am

Perspective

January 21st, 2012
9:28 am
Bama Diehard, this should help you follow. Alabama is a dirty program, and will get caught.

That is you wishing in one hand and hoping in the other. And you do not dare want to get into a discussion about how three players( one being IC ) landed at UGA last year. You may want to look at your boosters and understand every school and I mean every school has overzeolous boosters.

Bama Diehard

January 21st, 2012
9:41 am

Loyal dawg, (my discloser, I married a Georgia Bulldawg). Civility use to be easy until the internet. The thing I’m always curious about is the fact that Saban and Miles are not the worst offenders of this policy, just look at the numbers of ll the schools the past five years. It’s just funny how they always draw the ire of the AJC as the only ones doing anything wrong.

Loyal Dawg

January 21st, 2012
9:42 am

Auburn… now there is some question marks!

Perspective

January 21st, 2012
9:42 am

Bama Diehard does indeed make one point. He speaks of how glorious Alabama is, and then says, “I’m off to the aquarium in my fine homestate of Georgia.” Another truth is, if you really thought Alabama was such a fine state, you would rather reside there. But, you choose to live in Georgia. Actions speak louder than words, neighbor.

Bama Diehard

January 21st, 2012
9:46 am

Perspective, stop acting like you know what goes on behind the scenes at these schools because you don’t and you know you don’t. Hang in there, better days are ahead.

Bama Diehard

January 21st, 2012
9:49 am

Perspective, I have many UGA alumni as friends. Off the top of my head, two are in California, one in Texas, one in Dubai, two living in Japan. Does this speak volumns about them? Your showing your immaturity and age. Go outside and play.

Knutt Sack

January 21st, 2012
9:51 am

Got to love a UGA fan use the word “relevant”. That has not been a word associated with UGA for 30 years.

Lets just remember a few things.

#34 gets Trans AM, family members full scholarships, boat loads of Money
Jan Kemp- academics – are you here to play football or to go to school?
Harrick- how many players are allowed to play at a time during a basketball game?
Fulmer Cup- Winner Winner UGA Chicken Dinner
Carver Columbus- You are not allowed to recruit on my campus
AJ- love those jerseys, but did not come clean with the NCAA- Please sit 4 games
Colorado- losing to a team who actually fired their coach for a 6-6 record
UCF- that powerful offense of CMR/MB scores 6 points
Loses to every ranked team in the final polls they played with the exeption of Auburn.

We can do this all day.

Perspective

January 21st, 2012
9:54 am

Bama Diehard: Like you, I was surprised to hear what I relayed to you. The source of my information is 100% credible, and it did not come from this state. This year, Alabama has indeed offered a least one full academic scholarship to the pregnant girlfriend of one of your commits from New Orleans. Alabama does buy “Go Phones” by the case, so contact with recruits can not be traced. These are just two examples. Notice, I did not condemn these practices. I just reported them, and they are true. That is not hating, that is call an intellectual discussion. You could not not respond to the facts, so you got personal, which is the first sign of loss in a mental discussion.

Dawg Bone

January 21st, 2012
9:54 am

Simply put, when coaches over sign they are dishonest with the kids and their parents. They lie for advantage. Because the NCAA doesn’.t end this practice they are as guilty as the coaches. If parents allow their children to verbally commit to a liar they had better explain the possibility of a greyshirt. Frankly, only the ego of a player and/or his parents would allow a verbal “commitment” to a coach that is a liar by practice. Also Alabama and the others are great schools that should have the moral courage to end this practice….it may be legal but it is lying.

econdoctor

January 21st, 2012
9:54 am

I don’t know how long of an early signing period you had in mind, but how about getting a player to sign when he commits. If he doesn’t want to sign, then he is not committed. Pretty simple. However, a player should be able to break his “signed” scholarship if the head coach or position coach is fired or goes to another college.

Bama4life

January 21st, 2012
9:59 am

So Bama fans are delusional???? You guys are great……

- J. Taylor should sue Saban
- Give Bama the death penalty
- Ban Alabama from the state

Again don’t let the facts get in the way of trashing Bama. J. Taylor has a valid offer and is still committed. No one can point to one rule violation, but sure lets sue Saban, etc.

Look UGA fans I know it must be tough. You are the state school in probably the #1 or #2 recruiting hotbeds in the country. Yet despite having this OVERWHELMING advantage, both Bama and Florida have won 3 NC’s since 1980, LSU has two, and even the Vols and the Barn have won one. I’m sorry you guys have underachieved to the degree you have, but it’s just childish to keep whining about Saban/Miles/Meyer, rather than beating them on the field.

If you guys spent 10% of the time holding your coach accountable as you did crying about how life is unfair, you probably would have won a few championships by now. But by all means, PLEASE sign RIcht to that extension. We will keep out working him, out recruiting him, cherry picking talent from your state, and winning more championships.

Bama Diehard

January 21st, 2012
10:02 am

Perspective, okay I believe you. Why, because all that sounds so real. It’s got to be true so I will bow down to your intellectual information about “go phones” and pregnant girlfirend scholarships. Wow, shame on Bama.

Tech Fan Since 1950

January 21st, 2012
10:05 am

“Ten percent (of coaches that are over signing) are generally the ones competing for championships” says it all about the mindset of some of the top teams in the SEC. Thus the hype. I’ll congratulate the Georgia Bulldogs for not being in this category. Georgia has made a lot of progress in recent years in academics and with the caliber of its student-athletes. I wish there was a national championship for college teams that play by the rules on and off the field.

Bama Diehard

January 21st, 2012
10:06 am

Bama4life, keep in mind we have to fill the nursery with alot of baby food etc. to help with the twenty seven pregnant girlfriends on scholarship, also need to get plenty of phone chargers.

1eyedJack

January 21st, 2012
10:08 am

All Champions are a bit pompous. I would be too.

Irrelevant

January 21st, 2012
10:13 am

Georgia — 1 title in 1980

Bama — 2 titles in the last 3 years, with more to come

Ga: not relevant

Jockich Ahn Smelley, II

January 21st, 2012
10:15 am

Nick Saban (aka Slick Satan) and Harvey Updyke…..Mama says I’d be proud of the people associated with the U. of Alabama!!! Rollllll Taaaaad!!

Jockich Ahn Smelley, II

January 21st, 2012
10:19 am

Webster’s Dictionary definition…..”Exploitation”…..Hey Mama, it says to refer to Nick Saban……Hey Mama, is this your Nuva Ring on the sofa??

Dean

January 21st, 2012
10:28 am

How appropriate the guy who responded to me was knuttsack. Bama you guys are incredulous!

Bobo

January 21st, 2012
10:32 am

You guys need to get over this and move on. Tired of reading about how everybody else cheated and thats why uga with all their talent and patsy schedule couldnt begin to keep up with the big boys. My god it had to be something else other than our lack of coaching or player execution. I guess thats the uga way when things dont go their way which has been for the last 32 yrs!!!

Jockich Ahn Smelley, II

January 21st, 2012
10:32 am

The over recruiting practices of Alabama…..the best feeder system ever for the University of North Alabama……..Thank you Misssssta Saban……….Hey I was a 4 star recruit and my best homey was a 5 star coming out of High School…..Do you know who we are???? We are commitin to the University of Alabama so we can be stars at UA and move to the NFL…..HEYYY, no one ever told me that I’d be 4th String here….Hey I was a 4 STAR recruit comin out of high school….Misssta Saban told Mama that I’d be a STAR at UA….was he lyin to Mama??? HEYYYY how do I get to Florence??? UNA has an opening for me on the Team! ROLLLLLLLLLLL TAAAADDDDD!!! Did I say that right Mama????

Homepage | MrSEC.com

January 21st, 2012
10:33 am

[...] 3. Jeff Schultz: “Saban and LSU’s Les Miles are two of the biggest abusers of oversigning.” [...]

Dean

January 21st, 2012
10:35 am

While winning a mythcial Championship would be fantastic I’ll still say I’d rather not win it than win it using questionable practices. You can laugh at that all you want but winning is not everything. I know many of you can only calculate success in those terms but it’s not accurate. I think many of you would have been Roman soldiers laughing at Jesus on the cross. It’s all about perspective, what’s truly important and behaving to a standard besides what your detractors throw at you. Yes, UGA has faults but for the most part I’m proud of the way Richt runs the program. Success will come. It may not be with constant ESPN stroking and the number of titles but it will be glorious. Regardless, priorities win out and Richt has them straight.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
10:40 am

ALL YOU DUMB–S BAMA FANS WHO THINK THE AUTTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE IS A FAN OF UGA DON’T VISIT HIS ARTICLES MUCH. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A DAWG FAN WRITING THIS ARTICLE I CAN ASSURE YOU. SUCK UP PAUL FINEBAUM, JEFF SHULTZ IS NOT.

Jockich Ahn Smelley, II

January 21st, 2012
10:42 am

Paul Finebaum……I thought they found a cure for looking like a Mongrol??!! hmmmm guess not

Brett Gooch

January 21st, 2012
10:53 am

If the scholarship is 4 years guaranteed, then the athlete should have to stay for 4 years. If players fail,quit, get injured, or leave early, each school should be able to cover those loses! Higher level football schools have a larger number of players transferring due to disappointments. They also have more juniors that turn pro!

Pittsburgh george

January 21st, 2012
10:57 am

Lying by omission is still lying. Bama was the only school that stuck with him after his injury.

Cdpridg

January 21st, 2012
10:57 am

Bam a fans…literally the dumbest fan base in all of America

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
11:05 am

@Cdpridg

Could not agree more.
Don’t know if you ever travel the state of Al on business, but their sports radio in filled with the most ignorant callers – truely mind boggling and sadly laughable. Be glad you don’t live there.

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 21st, 2012
11:19 am

@ The Factor…I presume you’ve listened to Finebaum too….the callers are a complete joke which does nothing to better the reputation of Bammers fan base or the state itself….He had callers yesterday actually defending the actions of the tea bagger…….The Jerry Springer of talk radio…always worth a few laughs though

Jefferson Davis Hogg

January 21st, 2012
11:27 am

@ The Factor….I presume you’ve listened to the Jerry Springer of talk radio too…..The Finebaum show paints an ugly picture of the Bammer fans as a whole, the University, and the state itself….I’ve never heard such ignorance in my life as what the callers spew out……They’re even defending Updyke and the teabagger ……But hey, its always good for a few laughs

Pittsburgh george

January 21st, 2012
11:34 am

Is Georgia afraid of losing recruits to Bama?

Larnus

January 21st, 2012
11:37 am

Het Jeff-I see the accusation, but where is the proof? Do you have statistical data to back up your claim? If so, please publish said data to substantiate your claim. I would like to see it. If you cannot provide information, I would suggest you retract the story.

Knutt Sack

January 21st, 2012
11:48 am

Dean

January 21st, 2012
10:28 am
How appropriate the guy who responded to me was knuttsack. Bama you guys are incredulous!

And yet you have no argument.

Knutt Sack

January 21st, 2012
11:49 am

Cdpridg

January 21st, 2012
10:57 am
Bam a fans…literally the dumbest fan base in all of America

Would you open your backdoor up and yell at your aunt and tell her to get out of the bathroom.

thomas

January 21st, 2012
11:50 am

by the same token if they sign shouldn’t beable to leave early how many players do Ala/LSU lose every year due to kids leaving for the NFL

Beast from the East

January 21st, 2012
11:51 am

Perspective,
I’m no Bammer, but your post at 9:54am needs to be backed up with FACTS. I can’t stand people that toss around allegations with nothing to support it. Show us some proof. What’s the recruit’s name and who’s his girlfriend? Show us an invoice for the endless supply of phones. My money says you made all that crap up. Prove me wrong.

Mid Town Joe

January 21st, 2012
11:51 am

Early signing is bad for football. Most kids are multi-sport players in high school. Chances of injury are probable, and I wouldn’t want to early sign some kid who tears up a knee in a basketball game.

Knutt Sack

January 21st, 2012
11:51 am

A Georgia fan calling an Alabama fan a redneck! WOW!…They Both urinate in the water and send it on to Florida for them to drink.

Trojan

January 21st, 2012
11:56 am

I have a simple solution. Enforce the current rules. Saban and Miles simply oversign and say “so what”. Put a limit and then penalize the heck out of them.

Bama4life

January 21st, 2012
12:01 pm

Dean almost forgot..thanks for mentioning the ‘holier than thou’ bs that Richt is a good honest man who does it the ‘right way’

What a load of crap…Richt is guilty of countless secondary violations which of course are ignored when you get the recruit like Crowell. Sure that’s perfectly fine…great job. Except Richt doesn’t have the guts to stand up to Crowell or anyone else.

Monte

January 21st, 2012
12:19 pm

Nice thoughts but you are missing the problem in my opinion. Limiting the number of scholarships is the real problem. Set a max number of players allowed on a team, then allow every player in every sport to receive a scholarship. In baseball they are allowed 11.7 (HAHA) which means kids routinely get 1/2 of a scholarship or less since the traveling team size is 25. In basketball they allow 13 which is enough for the entire team, in football it is 85. 85 is low, as teams can explode upwards of 200 athletes. Less regulation creates competition and a more fair marketplace for all.

Toothless in Tuscaloosa (4 life of course)

January 21st, 2012
12:20 pm

It is okay to tell a “white lie” to a black kid. Saban does it all the time. Especially, when a bigger, stronger, faster player becomes available.

Richard Ray

January 21st, 2012
12:23 pm

I know it is a way to flame a fan base, but truthfully I could not disagree with you more. I know your job is to get people to read your article so you talk about Alabama and LSU, lets be honest EVERY TEAM… let me repeat myself EVERY TEAM, way over offers players, by the hundreds. I bet Alabama offered 200 kids this year, but so did SMU, Baylor and every other school in America. Alabama and LSU are just schools that alot of the kids say yes to. I do have a question for you, please be honest, do you read and believe the things you write? Do you put any real thought into them, do you care. You complain about these coaches not caring and then you say if the kid does not make the grade, forget about him. Maybe I am wrong, but this ties into what is wrong with America, everyone is getting so damn sensitive, Kids can change there mind why not the school? You act like this is the end for that young man, I dont know this kid in question, and I have no “dog in this hunt” but if he was good enough to get a offer at Alabama, he will have other schools lined up, and have plenty of time to decide. If I am not mistaken (and I know i’m not) Feb. 1 is the NSD or the beginning of the national signing period, you do not have to make a decision that day. Well Hell maybe I am wrong, maybe I am an grumpy old man, that really hates to see the direction that our country and youth (to include the Author of this article) are going in. Toughen up, get a backbone, The world is not fair and life is what you make it, nots what handed to you, I am sure this will not define this young man, and it appears that you are more upset then he is, i believe he told Alabama that he would wait 5 months to enroll, then changed his mind… We should write an article about him flip flopping. Well i think this is now delared a rant, so I will just shut up…

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
12:29 pm

Here’s the deal, Bama fans. If over-signing doesn’t give you an advantage, why fight changing the rule?

Perspective

January 21st, 2012
12:44 pm

Well said George Stein. Well said indeed.

For many of these 16 and 17 year old young men, it is the first time any member of their family has had the opportunity to go to college, ever. So, when a head coach comes into their home, sits down with mom, the athlete, family, et cetera, it is a very big event in their life. For the first time in the history of the family, a member is about to get a chance to go to a university, for free. It is a huge emotional high.

For an assistant coach to call the athlete, eleven months later, and say, “We don’t have a scholarship for you…”, it hurts the family in a big way. At least for the moment, it crushes their dreams.

If coaches kept their word, i.e., did not lie to recruits, the real emotions of these families could be spared.

Lying is WRONG.

Wouldn’t it be great, if all high school coaches stood up for their players, and stopped allowing all coaches that have a reputation for lying, from meeting with players on high school campus? Coaches without integrity should not be allowed on campus, anywhere.

Somebody needs to stand up for these players that are getting lied to, by having “committed” scholarship offers reneged upon.

Dean Thomas

January 21st, 2012
12:50 pm

Four year scholarships went out in the ’70s. Didn’t you get the memo?

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
12:57 pm

@George Stein,

Well said. …

Dean Thomas

January 21st, 2012
12:58 pm

George, nice to see you finally admit that Bama is following the rules.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
1:04 pm

@Richard Ray,

I’m afraid you are wrong, my friend. Every school does not do this. Is it cheating? I guess the jury is out how lines are being pushed and crossed. But if you are so concerned about the youth and the direction of the country, isn’t a big part of your concern – ethics – which this is all about?

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
1:49 pm

Never said they weren’t, Dean. I said the rules need to be changed. I’m not surpised though that your reading skills are lacking.

Thanks for playing.

01HAWK

January 21st, 2012
1:52 pm

JUSTIN TAYLOR is the one that DE-COMMITTED. He has a knee injury that needs to be rehabed. He can come in and rehab or go somewhere else. BAMA did not pull his scholarship………………….He decided he would not sign.

DawgsandTechStink

January 21st, 2012
2:04 pm

you Tech and Dawg fans need to just go cry to each other. you can’t beat anyone, you can’t win championships, and want to nit pick everyone out there. Facts:

1. JT had a serious Knee Injury
2. Bama was THE ONLY SCHOOL TO STICK WITH HIM (where was UGA/TECH? huh? answer that losers)
3. Bama has not pulled his scholarship, just told him he can sign with 2013 – sounds like they are continuing to stick by this kid to me – give him time with a real school’s rehabilitation program and he could end up having a great career.
4. you all think Saban is some kind of rule breaker, when you can’t even tell me or anyone else what rule he bent or broke. the author is “spinning hard” to try to get this to sound like oversigning.

point is – where are the other schools that want him? if they do, let them ask him for his signature – Bama still wants him.
as a fan, I still want him. I hope he sticks it out. he may just be the next heisman trophy winner.

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
2:18 pm

“give him time with a real school’s rehabilitation program and he could end up having a great career.”

Wouldn’t he have to be a scholarship athlete on campus in to be in the rehabilitation program? And hasn’t he been specifically told that he won’t be an SA in Fall 2012?

01HAWK

January 21st, 2012
2:43 pm

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Missed the celebration in New Orleans?

No worries. Alabama will host a party for its 14th national championship at 2 p.m. today inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

DAWG FANS……………………The only parade tou will go to is a holiday parade. LOL

And the RICH get RICHER !!!!!!!!

Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
2:53 pm

The squeeky clean Dwag program would never stoop so low as to mislead any little boy. Even if he blew out a knee and the Mr. Football changed his mind from going to GT to Jaw Jaw. That would take having a brain and understanding the rehab time.

Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
2:59 pm

If my fellow Homer’s understood the T J Yeldom pick up by Bama over Allbarn, they would know what a NO Brainer call having the injured boy wait a little while, and have a chance to play for a real team like Bama, not the Dwags. Come on Homers, quit wetting your diapers over envy. It’s sad.

SOUTHGADAWG88

January 21st, 2012
3:03 pm

With the money college coaches are making these days the pressure is very high to continue to stay on top.College football already has a semi-pro feel to it at the BCS schools as it is.Asv long as the big conferences are getting billion dollar tv contracts this is not going to stop.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
3:05 pm

When did this become an article about UGA? Jeff Shultz, who wrote this article, doesn’t even like UGA. So you, Jaw Jaw Homer, are a pinhead.

pros and cons to everything. for both parties

January 21st, 2012
3:08 pm

I actually like the one year renewable format for scholarships.
I believe it does and should allow for a school to add a different player should something happen on the players part.
Honestly, no kid is losing a scholarship unless he’s done something very wrong on his part.
Of course there may be exceptions that can be pointed out. But, it is very few on the grand scale of all division 1 teams.

Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
3:15 pm

The Factor
Maybe you failed to read the 300 other comments by your homer Dwag buddies, all anti Saban, pro continued loser Dwag status, in the Atl Urinal and Constipation aka Jaw Jaw Homer toilet paper Arf Arf

King of Southern Football

January 21st, 2012
3:19 pm

Your jealousy is duly noted….A new generation of Furman Bishers at this rag of a newspaper

You're an idiot Jaw Jaw

January 21st, 2012
3:31 pm

Jaw Jaw Homo, you are a juvenile retard

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
3:33 pm

Georgia was banned from a couple of campuses for withdrawing scholarships. One being

Carver of Columbus. Those of us here in Columbus realize certain things happen and some scholarships are not honored, as well as every school has boosters who shake hands, give bonus benefits, and recruit players without the school or head coaches knowledge.

UGA fans do not dare think it does not happen at your program. The reason most defenses coaches do not wish to coach at UGA is due to recruiting. Your Head Coach is so driven by offense that it took a 6-7 season following 2 previous seasons before the understood that defense wins.

Today one of your starters get arrested for domestic violence and unless someone with some Connections( which we all know happens) from Georgia, he under law will have to do some major service and or minor time in the Klinker.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
3:39 pm

Why did all the Georgia fans go into hiding? Kinda funny after Cummings got arrested the Dawg Nation goes into panic/excuse/recovery mode.

Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
3:42 pm

Truth hurts SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. When I say ROLL, you say TIDE

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
3:55 pm

Tide!

Richard Ray

January 21st, 2012
4:03 pm

@George Stein No sir, I am afraid you are wrong, if you read my “rant” again, you will see i am not talking about over signing (NO SCHOOL does that, it is against the rule, you can only sign 25 a year up to 85 total, anything more then that you can put toward the year before class, if the enroll in January. or Grey Shirt them (asking them to sit out a year so you can sign them.) I said all schools, ALL SCHOOLS, offer hunders of kids. Knowing they will not get them all.

Lets take the ESPN 150, almost everyone one of those kids were offered by every school in America. So lets use Ohio State, lets say all these kids got together and sets lets play together and every single one of them accepted the scholarships, then what. Just from an hour of research I can see where Ohio State offered well over 150 kids. Now we all know they had no shot at some of them, but it got there name out there for future kids, but still….

Now back to my rant…

Over signing is a made up phrase by reporters bloggers etc…. no team has ever done it…NO TEAM!
I know that you may be getting caught up in this, and I know that some people hate the LSU’s of the world. (Alabama and Auburn as well) but the truth is none of those three have ever had more people or signed more people then they were allowed…samantics you may say, not really. The NCAA gives you a chance to sign to the previous years class, we all know this, it is within the rules, so i sign 25 kids 7 enroll in January my signing class this is is… you get the piont.now what the sites are doing is taking that number adding it to the previous year (i think Alabama had 21 last year, 5 of which enrolled early, but you once again get the point. All I am saying is no school has ever had more then 85 “signed” players. or more then 25, that counted that year. But it gives us a chance to discuss this I guess.

Now when I said the direction AMerica and our youth is heading. Have you read some of these post, They act like Nick Saban murdered and destroyed this kids Family. Why not look at it this way, The young man blew out his knee,and Nick Saban is going to give the young man a year to recover and still honor the offer. WOW what a great man, now i dont believe that either but it is all perspective, I am not a bama fan, but so much hatred is going to such a wonderful program, GREAT school, and terrific coach, hard not to wish them the best, I hope they win the next 10.

realitycheck

January 21st, 2012
4:44 pm

Just don’t get all of the anger from UGA fans towards Bama. All of this anger must come from pinned up frustration because UGA has only won 1 NC. Bama and UGA are not rivals except when it comes to recruiting inside Georgia’s borders. Bama has played Penn St. more in the last 30 years than either Georgia or Kentucky and Bama and UGA is a matchup yet to be seen in a SEC Championship game. Bama’s football brand has a built in advantage like Kentucky’s brand does in basketball. For anyone that doesn’t think so, go look up all of the all-time numbers. Here’s a hint: They aren’t anywhere close. Bama has 14 NC’s, and UGA has 1. What a fair fight that is!

pros and cons

January 21st, 2012
4:45 pm

Early signing would be great for the elite prospects. If knucklehead rivals start throwing out offers earlier and earlier kids that get all starry eyed and sign with the first school don’t have the opportunity to decipher any upcoming offers. schools get sucked into throwing offers out for fear of being left out. Without doing due diligence. That does noone any good.
I would like to see a rule where no offiicial offer can be made till mid Dec. Then kid can have all offers in hand before making decision.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
4:49 pm

You have no clue what oversigning is, Richard.

Troll Tide!

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:01 pm

Question and answer truthfully:

Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?

The answer is No! Plain and Simple.

If you do not have more than 85 players on campus at one time you have not oversigned.

First you have to look at the word “sign”…meaning that a student athlete uses his personal signature to commit to a certain school. He must sign it first. Second, Oversigning is now used by Athetic Directors, coaches on other whining crybabies who do not have the fortitude to work as hard as their counterparts.

In reality they have changed the definition to fit their own needs and wants. The truth is coaches like Mark Richt are just lazy and use boosters and support persons to help bring in players. They are too lazy to do the leg work. One can pretty much guarantee the fact that if their school had an AD who is football driven they would make sure they outworked their counterparts in their league.

I bet if T. Boone Pickens was a UGA booster the program would be turned on its ears to keep up with the Big Boys in the league.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:04 pm

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
4:49 pm
You have no clue what oversigning is, Richard.

So in a very words, No,,you have no real idea what oversigning is, unless you use the liberal whining version of the altered definition.

I doubt very seriously if you have ever been part of a college football program, and it is apparent you have not being a UGA fan who in all reality has not been relevant in years.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:18 pm

@Jaw Jaw Homer,
Since I have to lower my IQ standards to communicate with someone like you, here goes. Up until my post there have been 322 comments, mostly by the same 20 – 30 people. So, from this standpoint alone, you are a pinhead with your facts and likely did not even attend (academically) Bama. For as low as their entrance requirements are, from reading your remarks, I don’t even think you ever attended a community technical, post high school institution. If I am going too fast, read slower, or get you bloodhound to read it for you. By the way, it’s Saturday. Getting drunk again tonight. Yeehaw!! Like I said, this article is not about UGA.

Bama Title Town

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm

2011: Title #14

2012: Title #15

Bama’s loaded going into 2012—Saban’s reloading with more superstars. Bama beats Oregon for the title next year!!!

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm

“Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?”

The answer is NO – they have always managed to get down to 85 players by the beginning of Fall semester. They have months from NSD to tell current players that they are not going to get on the field and may be better off transferring.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:23 pm

Not a liberal and not a Georgia fan, Charlie.

You totally miss the point of oversigning. The issue isn’t having more than 85 on scholarship. It’s that you take 25 (or 32) a season. Multiply that by four and tell it equals 85. Using Bama or LSU or many other teams in the SEC not named Georgia, Florida, or Vanderbilt, it will.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:27 pm

@Paul in NH

Well said for most to read, but you should have “dumbed it down” for others.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:28 pm

Seriously, Factor. It’s like dealing with children here.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:35 pm

In some cases, Paul, they tell kids they just signed that they can’t take them.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:39 pm

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm
“Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?”

The answer is NO – they have always managed to get down to 85 players by the beginning of Fall semester. They have months from NSD to tell current players that they are not going to get on the field and may be better off transferring.

See you are wrong again. At no time has Nick Saban or Les Miles had more players on Campus than 85. Which is the rule, not how you want to interpret it.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:23 pm
Not a liberal and not a Georgia fan, Charlie.

You totally miss the point of oversigning. The issue isn’t having more than 85 on scholarship. It’s that you take 25 (or 32) a season. Multiply that by four and tell it equals 85. Using Bama or LSU or many other teams in the SEC not named Georgia, Florida, or Vanderbilt, it will.

So please name the date that Alabama or LSU had more than 85 PLAYERS. You cannot because it never has happened. You apparently take the word of some bloggers or writers who have now followed the Big 10 MEMO to cry foul over scholarships that are totally made up.

The funny thing is that during the past season Alabama had 83 players on scholarship. 83 and that was a fact. But people like you do not do their homework and realize that 5 players who committed last year were known academic casualties before national signing day and would be required to enroll into Junior College, graduate JC and hopefully transfer back in. The second item was that 4 players opted out of football to focus on graduation and were not “run off” like you WANT to believe.
Add to that the fact that WITH 4 Early departures to the NFL also allowed MORE scholarships to be offered.

LSU had 82 players on scholarship and had 6 players give up football between the bowl game and the end of school. They had 3 players who were no longer physcially able to play football due to illness and injury. LSU also had 4 players leave early for the NFL.

What you do not want to face is the fact that coaches who actively monitor their program understand that making grades to apease the NCAA graduation rates and Academic standards. A player who is not making the grade, or a kid who thinks smoking weed is a higher priority is going to be forced to leave a good program.

Then you have some good kids that want more playing time.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/05/demetrius_goode_transfers_to_n.htm

“I would like to thank my Alabama family for the greatest journey of my life,” Goode wrote. “I have learned many things and matured in many ways but everyday brings about change. Sometimes you have to move on to do better in life. I will be moving to North Alabama for football. RTR forever in my heart, the champion Tide, the fans that I will always love and never forget. I thank ya’ll for the support: ROLL TIDE ROLL. For life.”

Get some real facts before you buy the farm and fail with your hollow argument.

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:43 pm

George and The Factor
Don’t forget the justifications – “everybody does it”. “we win championships”. etc.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:44 pm

2011- 26
2010-19
2009-20
2008-24
2007-23
2006-28
2005-17

2008-2011= 89 scholarships and does not include the redshirts left over from 2007 signing class of
23.

Losing argument for Georgia fans.

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:45 pm

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:39 pm
Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm
“Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?”

The answer is NO – they have always managed to get down to 85 players by the beginning of Fall semester. They have months from NSD to tell current players that they are not going to get on the field and may be better off transferring.

See you are wrong again. At no time has Nick Saban or Les Miles had more players on Campus than 85. Which is the rule, not how you want to interpret it.
—-
Charlie – were you born stupid or did you have to work at it?

I said that neither Saban nor Miles has ever had more players on campus than 85.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:45 pm

Jeff Schultz Scholarship guarantees, early signing would curb oversigning
3:20 pm January 20, 2012, by Jeff Schultz

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

Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC)..ShareThisPrint
..332 comments Add your comment01HAWK

January 21st, 2012
1:52 pm
JUSTIN TAYLOR is the one that DE-COMMITTED. He has a knee injury that needs to be rehabed. He can come in and rehab or go somewhere else. BAMA did not pull his scholarship………………….He decided he would not sign.

LinkReport this comment.DawgsandTechStink

January 21st, 2012
2:04 pm
you Tech and Dawg fans need to just go cry to each other. you can’t beat anyone, you can’t win championships, and want to nit pick everyone out there. Facts:

1. JT had a serious Knee Injury
2. Bama was THE ONLY SCHOOL TO STICK WITH HIM (where was UGA/TECH? huh? answer that losers)
3. Bama has not pulled his scholarship, just told him he can sign with 2013 – sounds like they are continuing to stick by this kid to me – give him time with a real school’s rehabilitation program and he could end up having a great career.
4. you all think Saban is some kind of rule breaker, when you can’t even tell me or anyone else what rule he bent or broke. the author is “spinning hard” to try to get this to sound like oversigning.

point is – where are the other schools that want him? if they do, let them ask him for his signature – Bama still wants him.
as a fan, I still want him. I hope he sticks it out. he may just be the next heisman trophy winner.

LinkReport this comment.Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
2:18 pm
“give him time with a real school’s rehabilitation program and he could end up having a great career.”

Wouldn’t he have to be a scholarship athlete on campus in to be in the rehabilitation program? And hasn’t he been specifically told that he won’t be an SA in Fall 2012?

LinkReport this comment.01HAWK

January 21st, 2012
2:43 pm
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Missed the celebration in New Orleans?

No worries. Alabama will host a party for its 14th national championship at 2 p.m. today inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

DAWG FANS……………………The only parade tou will go to is a holiday parade. LOL

And the RICH get RICHER !!!!!!!!

LinkReport this comment.Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
2:53 pm
The squeeky clean Dwag program would never stoop so low as to mislead any little boy. Even if he blew out a knee and the Mr. Football changed his mind from going to GT to Jaw Jaw. That would take having a brain and understanding the rehab time.

LinkReport this comment.Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
2:59 pm
If my fellow Homer’s understood the T J Yeldom pick up by Bama over Allbarn, they would know what a NO Brainer call having the injured boy wait a little while, and have a chance to play for a real team like Bama, not the Dwags. Come on Homers, quit wetting your diapers over envy. It’s sad.

LinkReport this comment.SOUTHGADAWG88

January 21st, 2012
3:03 pm
With the money college coaches are making these days the pressure is very high to continue to stay on top.College football already has a semi-pro feel to it at the BCS schools as it is.Asv long as the big conferences are getting billion dollar tv contracts this is not going to stop.

LinkReport this comment.The Factor

January 21st, 2012
3:05 pm
When did this become an article about UGA? Jeff Shultz, who wrote this article, doesn’t even like UGA. So you, Jaw Jaw Homer, are a pinhead.

LinkReport this comment.pros and cons to everything. for both parties

January 21st, 2012
3:08 pm
I actually like the one year renewable format for scholarships.
I believe it does and should allow for a school to add a different player should something happen on the players part.
Honestly, no kid is losing a scholarship unless he’s done something very wrong on his part.
Of course there may be exceptions that can be pointed out. But, it is very few on the grand scale of all division 1 teams.

LinkReport this comment.Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
3:15 pm
The Factor
Maybe you failed to read the 300 other comments by your homer Dwag buddies, all anti Saban, pro continued loser Dwag status, in the Atl Urinal and Constipation aka Jaw Jaw Homer toilet paper Arf Arf

LinkReport this comment.King of Southern Football

January 21st, 2012
3:19 pm
Your jealousy is duly noted….A new generation of Furman Bishers at this rag of a newspaper

LinkReport this comment.You’re an idiot Jaw Jaw

January 21st, 2012
3:31 pm
Jaw Jaw Homo, you are a juvenile retard

LinkReport this comment.Charlie

January 21st, 2012
3:33 pm
Georgia was banned from a couple of campuses for withdrawing scholarships. One being

Carver of Columbus. Those of us here in Columbus realize certain things happen and some scholarships are not honored, as well as every school has boosters who shake hands, give bonus benefits, and recruit players without the school or head coaches knowledge.

UGA fans do not dare think it does not happen at your program. The reason most defenses coaches do not wish to coach at UGA is due to recruiting. Your Head Coach is so driven by offense that it took a 6-7 season following 2 previous seasons before the understood that defense wins.

Today one of your starters get arrested for domestic violence and unless someone with some Connections( which we all know happens) from Georgia, he under law will have to do some major service and or minor time in the Klinker.

LinkReport this comment.Charlie

January 21st, 2012
3:39 pm
Why did all the Georgia fans go into hiding? Kinda funny after Cummings got arrested the Dawg Nation goes into panic/excuse/recovery mode.

LinkReport this comment.Jaw Jaw Homer

January 21st, 2012
3:42 pm
Truth hurts SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. When I say ROLL, you say TIDE

LinkReport this comment.Charlie

January 21st, 2012
3:55 pm
Tide!

LinkReport this comment.Richard Ray

January 21st, 2012
4:03 pm
@George Stein No sir, I am afraid you are wrong, if you read my “rant” again, you will see i am not talking about over signing (NO SCHOOL does that, it is against the rule, you can only sign 25 a year up to 85 total, anything more then that you can put toward the year before class, if the enroll in January. or Grey Shirt them (asking them to sit out a year so you can sign them.) I said all schools, ALL SCHOOLS, offer hunders of kids. Knowing they will not get them all.

Lets take the ESPN 150, almost everyone one of those kids were offered by every school in America. So lets use Ohio State, lets say all these kids got together and sets lets play together and every single one of them accepted the scholarships, then what. Just from an hour of research I can see where Ohio State offered well over 150 kids. Now we all know they had no shot at some of them, but it got there name out there for future kids, but still….

Now back to my rant…

Over signing is a made up phrase by reporters bloggers etc…. no team has ever done it…NO TEAM!
I know that you may be getting caught up in this, and I know that some people hate the LSU’s of the world. (Alabama and Auburn as well) but the truth is none of those three have ever had more people or signed more people then they were allowed…samantics you may say, not really. The NCAA gives you a chance to sign to the previous years class, we all know this, it is within the rules, so i sign 25 kids 7 enroll in January my signing class this is is… you get the piont.now what the sites are doing is taking that number adding it to the previous year (i think Alabama had 21 last year, 5 of which enrolled early, but you once again get the point. All I am saying is no school has ever had more then 85 “signed” players. or more then 25, that counted that year. But it gives us a chance to discuss this I guess.

Now when I said the direction AMerica and our youth is heading. Have you read some of these post, They act like Nick Saban murdered and destroyed this kids Family. Why not look at it this way, The young man blew out his knee,and Nick Saban is going to give the young man a year to recover and still honor the offer. WOW what a great man, now i dont believe that either but it is all perspective, I am not a bama fan, but so much hatred is going to such a wonderful program, GREAT school, and terrific coach, hard not to wish them the best, I hope they win the next 10.

LinkReport this comment.realitycheck

January 21st, 2012
4:44 pm
Just don’t get all of the anger from UGA fans towards Bama. All of this anger must come from pinned up frustration because UGA has only won 1 NC. Bama and UGA are not rivals except when it comes to recruiting inside Georgia’s borders. Bama has played Penn St. more in the last 30 years than either Georgia or Kentucky and Bama and UGA is a matchup yet to be seen in a SEC Championship game. Bama’s football brand has a built in advantage like Kentucky’s brand does in basketball. For anyone that doesn’t think so, go look up all of the all-time numbers. Here’s a hint: They aren’t anywhere close. Bama has 14 NC’s, and UGA has 1. What a fair fight that is!

LinkReport this comment.pros and cons

January 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
Early signing would be great for the elite prospects. If knucklehead rivals start throwing out offers earlier and earlier kids that get all starry eyed and sign with the first school don’t have the opportunity to decipher any upcoming offers. schools get sucked into throwing offers out for fear of being left out. Without doing due diligence. That does noone any good.
I would like to see a rule where no offiicial offer can be made till mid Dec. Then kid can have all offers in hand before making decision.

LinkReport this comment.George Stein

January 21st, 2012
4:49 pm
You have no clue what oversigning is, Richard.

Troll Tide!

LinkReport this comment.Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:01 pm
Question and answer truthfully:

Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?

The answer is No! Plain and Simple.

If you do not have more than 85 players on campus at one time you have not oversigned.

First you have to look at the word “sign”…meaning that a student athlete uses his personal signature to commit to a certain school. He must sign it first. Second, Oversigning is now used by Athetic Directors, coaches on other whining crybabies who do not have the fortitude to work as hard as their counterparts.

In reality they have changed the definition to fit their own needs and wants. The truth is coaches like Mark Richt are just lazy and use boosters and support persons to help bring in players. They are too lazy to do the leg work. One can pretty much guarantee the fact that if their school had an AD who is football driven they would make sure they outworked their counterparts in their league.

I bet if T. Boone Pickens was a UGA booster the program would be turned on its ears to keep up with the Big Boys in the league.

LinkReport this comment.Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:04 pm
George Stein

January 21st, 2012
4:49 pm
You have no clue what oversigning is, Richard.

So in a very words, No,,you have no real idea what oversigning is, unless you use the liberal whining version of the altered definition.

I doubt very seriously if you have ever been part of a college football program, and it is apparent you have not being a UGA fan who in all reality has not been relevant in years.

LinkReport this comment.The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:18 pm
@Jaw Jaw Homer,
Since I have to lower my IQ standards to communicate with someone like you, here goes. Up until my post there have been 322 comments, mostly by the same 20 – 30 people. So, from this standpoint alone, you are a pinhead with your facts and likely did not even attend (academically) Bama. For as low as their entrance requirements are, from reading your remarks, I don’t even think you ever attended a community technical, post high school institution. If I am going too fast, read slower, or get you bloodhound to read it for you. By the way, it’s Saturday. Getting drunk again tonight. Yeehaw!! Like I said, this article is not about UGA.

LinkReport this comment.Bama Title Town

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm
2011: Title #14

2012: Title #15

Bama’s loaded going into 2012—Saban’s reloading with more superstars. Bama beats Oregon for the title next year!!!

LinkReport this comment.Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm
“Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?”

The answer is NO – they have always managed to get down to 85 players by the beginning of Fall semester. They have months from NSD to tell current players that they are not going to get on the field and may be better off transferring.

LinkReport this comment.George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:23 pm
Not a liberal and not a Georgia fan, Charlie.

You totally miss the point of oversigning. The issue isn’t having more than 85 on scholarship. It’s that you take 25 (or 32) a season. Multiply that by four and tell it equals 85. Using Bama or LSU or many other teams in the SEC not named Georgia, Florida, or Vanderbilt, it will.

LinkReport this comment.The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:27 pm
@Paul in NH

Well said for most to read, but you should have “dumbed it down” for others.

LinkReport this comment.George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:28 pm
Seriously, Factor. It’s like dealing with children here.

LinkReport this comment.George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:35 pm
In some cases, Paul, they tell kids they just signed that they can’t take them.

LinkReport this comment.Charlie

January 21st, 2012
5:39 pm
Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:20 pm
“Has Nick Saban or Les Miles ever had more than 85 Scholarship players on campus as allowed by NCAA rules?”

The answer is NO – they have always managed to get down to 85 players by the beginning of Fall semester. They have months from NSD to tell current players that they are not going to get on the field and may be better off transferring.

See you are wrong again. At no time has Nick Saban or Les Miles had more players on Campus than 85. Which is the rule, not how you want to interpret it.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:23 pm
Not a liberal and not a Georgia fan, Charlie.

You totally miss the point of oversigning. The issue isn’t having more than 85 on scholarship. It’s that you take 25 (or 32) a season. Multiply that by four and tell it equals 85. Using Bama or LSU or many other teams in the SEC not named Georgia, Florida, or Vanderbilt, it will.

So please name the date that Alabama or LSU had more than 85 PLAYERS. You cannot because it never has happened. You apparently take the word of some bloggers or writers who have now followed the Big 10 MEMO to cry foul over scholarships that are totally made up.

The funny thing is that during the past season Alabama had 83 players on scholarship. 83 and that was a fact. But people like you do not do their homework and realize that 5 players who committed last year were known academic casualties before national signing day and would be required to enroll into Junior College, graduate JC and hopefully transfer back in. The second item was that 4 players opted out of football to focus on graduation and were not “run off” like you WANT to believe.
Add to that the fact that WITH 4 Early departures to the NFL also allowed MORE scholarships to be offered.

LSU had 82 players on scholarship and had 6 players give up football between the bowl game and the end of school. They had 3 players who were no longer physcially able to play football due to illness and injury. LSU also had 4 players leave early for the NFL.

What you do not want to face is the fact that coaches who actively monitor their program understand that making grades to apease the NCAA graduation rates and Academic standards. A player who is not making the grade, or a kid who thinks smoking weed is a higher priority is going to be forced to leave a good program.

Then you have some good kids that want more playing time.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/05/demetrius_goode_transfers_to_n.htm

“I would like to thank my Alabama family for the greatest journey of my life,” Goode wrote. “I have learned many things and matured in many ways but everyday brings about change. Sometimes you have to move on to do better in life. I will be moving to North Alabama for football. RTR forever in my heart, the champion Tide, the fans that I will always love and never forget. I thank ya’ll for the support: ROLL TIDE ROLL. For life.”

Get some real facts before you buy the farm and fail with your hollow argument.

LinkReport this comment.Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:43 pm
George and The Factor
Don’t forget the justifications – “everybody does it”. “we win championships”. etc.

Another UGA excuse for not winning..

Do they play football in NH?

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:46 pm

Odd that you mention how many players Bama has had on their roster, Charlie, because there is one school in the country that doesn’t release their numbers. That school, if you’re interested, is the University of Alabama.

No one here has said Bama broke the rules. We have said that the oversigning coaches are unethical and that the rules should be changed. Paul answered plainly that at no time did Bama or LSU have more than 85 players on scholarship. However, Bama has signed 113 players the last four seasons. What do you think happened to those 28 over the 85?

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
5:49 pm

Judging by his copy and paste skills, Charlie did have to work at it.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:50 pm

@Charlie

Did you even read Paul in NH’s comment? Based on this and the scattering of players prior to the end of August, he doesn’t have to name names and dates. What a hollow, scared request. Or, As George S said, they sign but just don’t take them. Seriously, if the Bama program is clean, why would you care if the attempt is made to clean the process up?

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:51 pm

Awesome, Paul.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:54 pm

@Jaw Jaw Homer,

5150, sadly, that is you. Your mis-spelling of Dawgs to Dwags was the give away. Dude, give it a rest.

TheBear

January 21st, 2012
6:08 pm

All you morons have to understand and take your rightful seat in the back. We are ALABAMA. We are who we are and we get what we want when we want, and that is that! Your schools don’t have enough pull with the NCAA, after all we are the TIDE and the NCAA rolls like we want them to roll and we say ROLL TIDE!!

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:09 pm

TheBear says, “Troll Tide!”

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
6:25 pm

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
5:46 pm
Odd that you mention how many players Bama has had on their roster, Charlie, because there is one school in the country that doesn’t release their numbers. That school, if you’re interested, is the University of Alabama.

No one here has said Bama broke the rules. We have said that the oversigning coaches are unethical and that the rules should be changed. Paul answered plainly that at no time did Bama or LSU have more than 85 players on scholarship. However, Bama has signed 113 players the last four seasons. What do you think happened to those 28 over the 85?

Just to enlighten you, when you work for the SEC, and actually have family members on staffs at Vanderbilt, Alabama and South Carolina, volunteer time at Alabama, and currently have a 4th generation athlete at Alabama the truth gets out. By the way, just in case you are so uninfortunate to not know this, at the beginning of each semester, or quarter the AD signs a letter with every scholarship players name on it, with his student ID and the SEC reviews it, and turns it over to the NCAA.

As for the comments about reading, it was more directed as Georgia Stein, not Paul.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:28 pm

Are you saying you work for the conference? If so, tell us all in what capacity?

You never answered told me what happened to all those players over 85 that Bama has signed the past four years. Why, with all your insider knowledge, would you duck that question?

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
6:33 pm

“Do they play football in NH?”

Yes – but it is not as important as ice hockey. The Wildcats should be in the Ga Dome to show you what they’ve got in 2013 or so.
Not a good year in hockey but we did have a great game in Fenway 2 weeks ago.

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
6:34 pm

George,
Don’t you know that playing football at Alabama is more dangerous to your health than at any other SEC school? There seem to be 2 – 3 kids every year who take a medical hardship.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
6:36 pm

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
5:50 pm
@Charlie

Did you even read Paul in NH’s comment? Based on this and the scattering of players prior to the end of August, he doesn’t have to name names and dates. What a hollow, scared request. Or, As George S said, they sign but just don’t take them. Seriously, if the Bama program is clean, why would you care if the attempt is made to clean the process up?

Are you serious. Get a clue, those who work in and around the league all know that the scholarship issues are a direct correlation to Title IX.

When there is something to clean up, it gets cleaned up. I can guarantee you this, there are about 15-20 Presidents and AD’s who work every day to take ANY advantage the SEC has in Football to reduce its dominance. It just so happens we have members inside our conference to now place additional rules to help in those Presidents and AD’s.

What you do not get is with all the whining and crying you guys are doing it makes you look weak and bolden to the failures around the Big 10. The advantage of having better weather in the south, and in California allow the SEC players to be outside and work together during the offseason, while the northern teams have to stay indoors and work. However, no one is saying a thing about the schools up north who do well in basketball who violate recruiting rules every year, and take full advantage of getting non qualifiers into school. Pick your poison, and understand the real picture is to hurt every school in south that plays football.

You ought to be more worried about the street agents who are selling athletes to schools like Miami, Oregon, and others. How about the issue of practicing more hours than allowed by Michigan.
Do you realize that for the first time in recent history there will be more Big 10 schools on probation at one time than there are in the SEC? Well until South Carolina get their sentence.

The final thing, is “Oversigning” is a word created by those who are losing the battle and or war.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
6:37 pm

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
6:33 pm
“Do they play football in NH?”

Yes – but it is not as important as ice hockey. The Wildcats should be in the Ga Dome to show you what they’ve got in 2013 or so.
Not a good year in hockey but we did have a great game in Fenway 2 weeks ago.

Nice Answer…good luck to your hockey team.

NCDawg

January 21st, 2012
6:40 pm

Jeez… the issue here isn’t who broke what rules. The issue is that there are no real rules governing this despicable behavior. Richard Ray – yes everyone offers way more than they actually sign… the issue is accepting a commitment and sometimes even a NLI and then telling the recruit “oops we oversigned… can you just wait til next year?”. That is what is being discussed here. Telling a recruit that we allowed you to think we were going to offer you a scholarship and then pulling it because we think another athlete will serve us better is what is being discussed. This sometimes even spills over to players on scholarship that don’t get renewed because the “team” needs extra numbers. Do your research.
4 or 5 year guarantees isn’t the answer. That invites abuse by the student-athlete. Scholarships should be treated like real contracts between the school and the student. Renewal should be based on measurable criteria. Did the student keep up with his studies? Did he make all of his work outs? And so forth… if those measurables are in place then the school should not be allowed to release the student-athlete and be punished if they do. This protects both parties. It isn’t wise to think that the schools are the only culpable party. Accountability has to be set for both.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:42 pm

Oversigning is a word created to highlight unethical behavior that harms kids.

Seems OSHA should investigate Bama, Paul.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
6:50 pm

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:28 pm
Are you saying you work for the conference? If so, tell us all in what capacity?

You never answered told me what happened to all those players over 85 that Bama has signed the past four years. Why, with all your insider knowledge, would you duck that question?

The answer is yes, I work as an official, and official evaluator for 2 sports, and my wife works as a coordinator of events, neither is a full time position. We do it because we love the games and sports we work in.

As for the players that every school signs each year over 85 it is called attrition. You can do the homework yourself. I just happen to know the LSU and Alabama numbers because I was fortunate to sit down with two wonderful reporters from the Memphis Commercial Appeal and Yahoo who is still currently writing a story about the 10 year cycle of scholarships with some indepth numbers to reflect the ratio of athletes who graduate by many many factors. I attended school with one at Vanderbilt many many years ago.

As for you, I say do your own homework if you need answers, I am not your Shell Answer Man!

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
6:51 pm

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:42 pm
Oversigning is a word created to highlight unethical behavior that harms kids.

Seems OSHA should investigate Bama, Paul.

I am beginning to think you are either slow or close to it.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
6:52 pm

Good nite all.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:57 pm

Well the intelligence of people who work at the office is roughly equal to that of the people that attend games.

TampaGator

January 21st, 2012
6:58 pm

The Cummings story did not stay open long on the AJC. Dawg fans wanted to send Chris Rainey to the gas chamber a couple of years ago for threatening his girlfriend with a “you die” text. This guy actually put his hands on his lady, violently. I am sure that will be just fine with Dawg fans and, of course, a lot less serious than what Rainey did…..for sure.

Payback is sometimes not fun, is it? I just hope Cummings sees his serious error and can get back on the right track….just like Rainey did after his big mistake. I am sure Richt will give him the opportunity….but hitting women is serious in my book.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
7:00 pm

By the way, stealing or borrowing one’s “Handle” is not cool.

Charlie

January 21st, 2012
7:00 pm

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
6:57 pm
Well the intelligence of people who work at the office is roughly equal to that of the people that attend games.

Funny!

Good Nite.

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
7:01 pm

I’ve never stolen anyone’s handle.

Title #14

January 21st, 2012
7:22 pm

Richt needs to learn saban’s recruiting tricks and quit whining about oversigning. It’s legal, so Ga should do it too. Saban knows all the ways to get all the stars on his roster–he’s going for title #15 in 2012!

SecFan

January 21st, 2012
7:32 pm

The four year scholarship is a horrible idea, but a common one from the “everybody gets a trophy” club, of which Schultz is a proud member. All programs have attrition every year. Georgia and Florida each lost 11 players over the past year, more than any other SEC team in that time frame. Richt, under heavy fire last year after a losing season felt a need to “clean house”. Muschamp, a new coach coming in wanted to sink or swim with his own players, as most new coaches do.
As Chip Towers put it last year about Georgia’s attrition, “After the Liberty Bowl loss, Georgia began an offseason that included an overhauled roster with several players with eligibility remaining transferring out—some leaving on their own, others encouraged to move on.” The “encouraged to move on” bit was interesting AJC language to describe Richt’s decisions. Had he been writing about Saban, the phrase, “run off because of athletic underachievement” would have been used.
As an aside, I wonder why that when it comes to the practice of forcing players out, Schultz never mentions that Georgia uses the option to its own advantage just like other schools do? Maybe he gives Georgia and Florida a pass because they don’t practice over-signing. That would make sense. So in his world forcing players out is ok, but using a legal tool available to replace them? Hey that’s immoral. The more likely reason is that it would not be good for his career to take the kool-ade from the locals. But the point is, be careful what you wish for. If four-year guaranteed scholarships were in place now, Georgia would suffer much more than the teams that use legal tools to manage attrition.

5150 UOAD

January 21st, 2012
7:39 pm

Bear Bryant 2012…..40years and counting.

Jock strap

January 21st, 2012
7:40 pm

George stein sounds more like Stupid Joe

Jock strap

January 21st, 2012
7:43 pm

Changing the rules will not change the dynamic of college football it will do the same thing scholarship reductions and entrance limits did, allow less and less kids into schools.

Vince Doodly

January 21st, 2012
8:10 pm

Congrats Schultz. A good, coherent article… for once.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
8:11 pm

Jock strap, you are a pinhead.

The Factor

January 21st, 2012
8:17 pm

@Secfan

The NCAA could put in provisions that the schools have an out of the 4 year s’ships if ,1) kid isn’t going to class after repeated warnings, 2) character issues, ie, arrests, drug use.

Jock strap

January 21st, 2012
8:25 pm

Tampa Gator

You are a bold faced liar. Saying that Meyer had a problem with Saban and Miles with recruiting tactics, that is a lie and a flat out lie. For you to pull that our of your backside is sorry as your Gators were last year. Find one article where he says that about Saban and or Miles, you cannot. You are a Tord.

Paul in NH

January 21st, 2012
8:41 pm

Jock strap

January 21st, 2012
8:25 pm
Tampa Gator

You are a bold faced liar. Saying that Meyer had a problem with Saban and Miles with recruiting tactics, that is a lie and a flat out lie. For you to pull that our of your backside is sorry as your Gators were last year. Find one article where he says that about Saban and or Miles, you cannot
—–
Try this one. Wonder which coaches he is talking about?

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/02/solomon_urban_meyer_makes_vali.html

fatso

January 21st, 2012
8:49 pm

limiting schollies to 25 per year will destroy the championship run of SEC within two years. Schools must bed allowed to oversign so that a full roster of 85 can be maintained. other schools that do allow oversigning will become the top dogs regularly.

Teabagging Willie

January 21st, 2012
9:04 pm

Oversigning!!?? But I thought we were allowed to do whatever we want because we are Bama. I mean we sleep with our brothers and sisters and put poison in peoples trees. So I thought tea bagging another man would be perfectly legal. I mean come on we do this kind of thing all the time, what else could we find to do here. Our high school football is terrible, our women are missing teeth. We only like colored men who put on a bama jersey. It just turned 1964 here, we will get better as people eventually.

Title #15 in 2012

January 21st, 2012
9:10 pm

My people in tuscaloosa tell me that the 2012 bama D maybe better than this team that won the title! Saban’s a genius–he may have 3 titles in 4 years! RTR!!!

TampaGator

January 21st, 2012
9:13 pm

Paul in New Hampshire……

Thank you.

Tampa Gator (otherwise known as “bold face liar”)

TampaGator

January 21st, 2012
9:16 pm

Jock Strap……

The day Meyer resigned at Florida the 2nd time, he made a comment about issues with recruiting being another reason for losing his desire to coach…particularily rules bending issues by several coaches in the SEC.

But…..that is false…..because I am a “bold faced liar.”

George Stein

January 21st, 2012
9:26 pm

Sources in Tuscaloosa! I love how all these folks have sources. Never gets old.

SEC Fact Finder

January 21st, 2012
9:42 pm

Tampa Gator,

You and I have had our disagreements, but for the most part we have a full understanding and respect for each other. You know where and how I feel about most issues, as Tampa Residents we are proud of our state.

I came in on this conversation very very late, but I noticed a comment of someone calling you a Liar and I had to go back and find what you said. And I am not going to call you a liar, I think you are interpreting words that on numerous occasions Urban Meyer has clarified in public as well as in private meetings. You know he was directly talking about one Auburn assistant in particular, one former Head Coach, and a current coach who just left one SEC school for another SEC school and the fact that the SEC Office had disregarded some issues concerning players who transferred from schools within the conference to other schools. You may want to look up when he spoke this past year at the Huntsville Touchdown Club where he clarified his stance on what he said and that Nick Saban and his staff did everything the right way and that the one thing he appreciated was that when Saban and his staff were going head to head with the Gator staff there was Never any negative recruiting and never anything but good relationships between himself and Nick Saban. He was less informative about Chizik, but said he was a good coach.

Tampa Gator, my point is that coming on a blog and using it to aid your point with less than accurate information is not proper.

To Paul in NH. The article you linked was discussed in length and was directed toward the same Auburn Assistant and the lack of information that was coming out after the Cam Newton investigation as well as the heat that Urban( undeservingly) took about the release of student information when Cam Newton was at Florida.

Nice Link, but wrong data.

Hope you are feeling better Tampa Gator, still looking to have breakfast with you one sunday morning. Maybe this spring.

Jock strap

January 21st, 2012
9:53 pm

I stand behind my comment as it is the truth where Tampa Gator did lie to promote his personal feelings and to aid in any way possible in his feelings to cover for Gators playing so poorly and losing to everyone with 5 star All Americans scattered on their roster.

Therefore until he admits he is wrong he will be known as

Tampa Gator the Bold Faced Liar

Beast from the East

January 21st, 2012
9:56 pm

“Therefore until he admits he is wrong he will be known as

Tampa Gator the Bold Faced Liar”

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I’d take the above over a name like “Jock strap” seven days a week and twice on Sundays.

Jay

January 21st, 2012
10:12 pm

If every school had to make a public accounting of who they have on scholarship at any time, the record would be much clearer. Saban refuses to divulge who he has on scholarship at a given time. Also, if the maximum on scholarship was 85 every day of the year, it would help in controlling the abuse by coaches such as little Nick. From signing date in February until the annual date of accountability in August or September, Saban is out-processing those who have not lived up to his initial projections and gets his numbers back to 85.

SEC Fact Finder

January 21st, 2012
10:13 pm

Just wanted to add one additional comment.

It is pretty well known around the circle of the SEC that Urban Meyer had an ongoing issue with a couple of SEC staff members, one being right after the SECCG loss when Mr. Sankey or Ms. Jenkins approached a former coach under Coach Meyer to set up and interview with them about an ongoing investigation at another school and Coach Meyer went ballistic( and he was 100% correct) and said that either he or the AD should be approached prior to asking a staff member anything. From other sources Mark Womack had to intervene in the process prior to Coach Meyer’s first resignation. The later issue with Cam Newton and the laptop, grades and motor vehicle tickets were just enough for Urban to step out as a head coach in the SEC. He was not at all happy with what had transpired with the other school that wears orange(north of Georgia) and felt like the SEC office should have penalized that school for allowing it’s head coach and staff to negatively slander other coaches within the league( especially his staff).

Greek Fire

January 21st, 2012
10:28 pm

George Stein — with your superior, extensive knowledge on this topic, you should file a report detailing the unethical practices and tricks that Alabama has been using in recruiting with the NCAA and SEC and let them investigate and enforce sanctions and/or reprimands against UA. I would also send a copy of the report to the AJC since they live to report dirt on Alabama — maybe you will get a cash reward!

87BAMAGRAD

January 21st, 2012
10:32 pm

If you really care about the kids Jeff, then advocate to raise the number of scholarships available. It is sports socialism to impose a limit on the number of scholarships a school can give so that the have-nots can be on an an even playing field with the haves.

Secondly, this young man had the scholarship available in January 2013. Coach Saban did not renege on the offer. In fact, Saban is up front with recruits about the possibility of grey-shirting and that scholarships are earned year by year. Do students on academic scholarship get to keep their scholarships for four years even if they are skipping classes and failing?

Haters gonna hate. Your failure to discuss all of the facts surrounding this issue makes you appear to be a hater Jeff. If you were as good at being a columnist as Saban is at being a Coach, your column would have been more informative.

well we have a tie

January 21st, 2012
10:39 pm

its going to wait ———————ok ready —-tech players—-resign reggie–4th and duh dumh

Russ555

January 21st, 2012
10:46 pm

A school should be able to cut a play and take away the schlorship at will. Just make sure everyone knows in advance that’s the rule. College athletes are professionals. They play for pay. They just don’t get paid what they are worth. That’s the rub.

SEC Fact Finder

January 21st, 2012
10:48 pm

Did I just read that GT revoked a scholarship from a player due to ACT scores and the kid was not offered a chance to retest?

Happy

January 21st, 2012
10:51 pm

Carver-Columbus football coach bans UGA recruiters
11:29 am July 21, 2009, by Chip Towers

The coach of Columbus’ Carver High has “banned” Georgia’s coaches from recruiting players at the school.

As first reported by former AJC staffers Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye in the e-mail newsletter Georgia High School Football Daily, Carver coach Dell McGee is upset because he says the Bulldogs withdrew a scholarship offer to quarterback Devin Burns while Burns was on the UGA campus this past Saturday night. What made it worse was, according to McGee, Burns had come with his entire family with the plan of committing that very day to Georgia coach Mark Richt.

“To protect our kids and my program, Georgia won’t be welcome on my campus,” McGee, a former Auburn player, told the GHSFD. “They’re not going to recruit anybody.”

McGee reaffirmed that stance to the AJC at lunchtime Tuesday and said he stands by his decision.

“Rescinding a scholarship is not uncommon; that’s not my problem,” said McGee, who said his school’s principal is in agreement. “It’s really about how the situation was handled. It’s the manner in which it was done.”

Teacher

January 21st, 2012
11:09 pm

@Greek Fire
No, the AJC lives to report arrests at UGA. Fortunately for Alabama, Saban has the Tuscaloosa PD in his back pocket and wayward athletes are handled internally, first. Your athletes are not different than ours. They all misbehave from time to time, only ours make the press, yours don’t.

Teacher

January 21st, 2012
11:21 pm

@Greek Fire
Correction. Your athletes make the press only after they are finished with football and they are arrested. Interesting. Gosh, but they were so good under Nick. Really….

Happy

January 21st, 2012
11:22 pm

It sounds like someone has called out the world famous :”my team is better than your team Tampa Gator” for posting more self serving unfactual garbage to make a point.

BFL Tampa Gator….too funny, but yet so real

Greek Fire

January 22nd, 2012
12:32 am

Teacher — I don’t know if Saban has the Tuscaloosa PD in his pocket… I’ll take your word for it. You are wrong if you think I am attempting to make this a UA vs. UGA issue, because my daughter and son-in-law are both UGA honor grads.

My issue is more with the media in general – the AJC in particular – and the way they manipulate the ‘news’ and report what they want you to hear and see. Examples …

* Harvey Updyke poisons the Toomer’s Corner trees in Auburn and the story is reported like it is the OJ Simpson murder trial. Around the same time 4 Auburn players were arrested for ARMED ROBBERY. It was reported one time by the AJC then buried; has not been reported since.

* The same night of the BCS championship when the idiot Alabama fan did the teabag assault on the LSU fan, an LSU fan attacked an Alabama fan and broke his jaw. Few people know this because the news media, including the AJC, didn’t consider it newsworthy.

I am in no way defending Updyke or the teabagger. I do think Jeff Schultz has taken liberties in this column and portrayed Saban and Alabama in the worst possible way. Personally, I wish Saban had kept Justin Taylor in this recruiting class, but this is a tough, competitive business and UA is honoring the scholarship, just later than what Taylor would prefer.

My personal opinion is that the NCAA scholarship and recruiting guidelines are like the IRS tax code, meaning that some coaches are more aggressive with gray areas that others are. I am not blindly defending Nick Saban, because I cannot possibly know every thing he does in recruiting. I do know that he is a very tireless, aggressive recruiter, and that in all his years of coaching he has not been in trouble with the NCAA or SEC for recruiting violations (to my knowledge).

If the media and individuals want to say Saban is “unethical” that is their perogative. But fans of other schools who say this sort of thing will never happen at their school need to realize they are potentially facing the same situation one day (maybe with a new coach) and the AJC’s writers have no sympathy or loyalty to anything but themselves.

Hairy Dawg

January 22nd, 2012
1:31 am

Exactly! When a player turns out stinkys you got to cut him loose. Under current rules all that is being hidden under medicals, dismissing for academcis, and criminal frame ups to kick off team. We need to quit messing round and just cut loose the stinkys boys that turns out to be no goods in using talents to win football. Then we can replace cut stinkys with hungry men stockpiled somwheres to help us win once they proofed themselves. That is the right thing to do for Dawgs winning especially competeing against the Bammers cause they know how to win BCS.

Russ

January 22nd, 2012
1:48 am

So all these players who commit and then “flip” to another school….what about them? Seems to me it works both ways. Why do you not have similar concern about that part of this issue.?

13-1

January 22nd, 2012
5:51 am

Scholarship Guarantees for 2011 season and beyond for

Mark Richt

nice guy :

YOU WANT THE HARSH TRUTH 10 DAYS BEFORE SIGNING DAY ?

SCHOLARSHIP SN 69 Ty Frix (6-0, 213, Jr.) Ty Frix is the son of an orthopedic surgeon, Mitch Frix who snapped for Kevin Butler. He (1) didn’t need a scholarship for any reason whatsoever and (2) demonstrates once again how Mark Richt spends his Scholarships on Special Teams when not another of the 120 Division 1-A FBS coaches, do.

SCHOLARSHIP 80 Taylor Bradberry (6-3, 192, Jr.) WR made 1 catch in his entire career, against Coastal Carolina and please note that he is a Senior in 2012. What a nice guy Mark Richt is.

SCHOLARSHIP 5 Blake Sailors (5-11, 186, RSo.)

SCHOLARSHIP 20 Brandon Harton (5-6, 174, RSo.) was our Running Back when all the entire Georgia Bulldogs’ Football Team’s Running Backs all everyone one of them failed the drug test Thursday night before the Florida game.

SCHOLARSHIP 95 Reuben Faloughi RSo. 6-5, 255

SCHOLARSHIP 36 Wes Van Dyk (6-0, 203, Jr.) played special teams vs Coastal Carolina and New Mexico State. What a nice guy Mark Richt is.

SCHOLARSHIP 49 Jason Veal (5-11, 220, Sr.) did not play

SCHOLARSHIP 65 John Bodin (6-6, 321, Jr.) played special teams against Tennessee Tech, Idaho State, New Mexico, New Mexico State and Coastal Carolina. Wonderful. What a nice guy Mark Richt, you are sir.

SCHOLARSHIP 15 Eric Elliot (5-9, 188, Sr.) played special teams against Auburn because of the huge lead, Coastal Carolina and New Mexico State. What a nice guy Mark Richt you are sir.

SCHOLARSHIP 90 Matthew DeGenova (6-1, 236, Sr.) got to play special teams, only against Coastal Carolina not Division 1-A, Ole Miss 2-10 and New Mexico State 4-9. Nice Mark Richt. What a nice guy Mark Richt is.

We sit around here, Gnashing our Teeth, over our 85 Scholarships, whining like South Carolina does about our Schedule about Alabama over-signing; and here are all 10 of these walk-ons playing special teams with SCHOLARSHIPS.

Duh, we are short players around here. 10 Walk-ons using our 85-man limit for 2011 and we wonder why at the end of the bowl game the team was GASSED ?

13-1

January 22nd, 2012
6:20 am

No.

Nick Saban was part of the NCAA PROBATION of Alabama.

Nick Saban was forced by the NCAA to vacate five of his wins from the 2007 season for textbook-related infractions CHEATING, discovered during the 2007 season, Nick Saban’s first in Tuscaloosa, and thus the official NCAA record for that year reflects a 2-6 mark. Anyone is welcome to try to make the case that the textbook NCAA Probation of Alabama and Nick Saban, had nothing to do with Nick Saban. But it did. Didn’t it ?

Nick Saban’s football players, 5 of them, obtained textbooks they weren’t entitled to under their scholarships, including football players whom Nick Saban played in 2007, who knowingly exploited the system to get books for others.

Nick Saban played the players in the first five games in 2007, when the textbook violations were discovered, leading to the suspension of five players before the Tennessee game.

Alabama was placed on three years’ probation in June and fined $43,900 in addition to the vacated records and wins.

• 2007: Western Carolina, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Houston, and Mississippi.

As for the medical hardships and forced transfers, there are many questions in these, too, about Nick Saban’s recruiting tactics.

He is a cold, hard man, and if he is a Christian, no one has ever accused him of it.

N.B. – the difference between Mark Richt giving 10 guys Scholarships for 2011 – many of whom continue in 2012 cutting down the number of Scholarships we can offer – to walk-ons of dubious ability to play offense or defense and

Nick Saban’s

tactics, is 1 of the many reasons that no one considers Mark Richt up-to-snuff with such a devil as Nick Saban.

3 National Championships Nick Saban.

His approach works. Doesn’t it ? Our approach does NOT. Does it ?

BAMA dude

January 22nd, 2012
7:25 am

Oversigning is simply an excuse for underperforming football programs. Is it really Bama’s fault that kids are beating the doors down for their scholarships? The hypocrisy in all this is that scholarship limits were never meant to serve the kids to begin with, but to keep CFB more competitive. Without the hard caps that are in place, coaches wouldn’t have to make those tough decisions.

Oh, and the Taylor kid was injured after being offered the scholarship. That’s info Saban didn’t have when he made the offer, no?

13-1

January 22nd, 2012
7:42 am

Mark Richt has gone ahead and Awarded the Scholarship to players who he didn’t have the information about the injury when he offered the scholarship to the then, later, injured player. I wouldn’t exactly say it has panned out for Mark Richt – unless, of course, you believe that being Mr. Nice Guy is what college football head coaches’ decisions on 85-man limit, is all about. They have largely done little to nothing here at UGA, after offered the scholarship by a Christian Head Coach, then injured.

Nick Saban is completely the opposite. Didn’t know he would later be injured. Didn’t know he wouldn’t fit in with signing class thereafter making the prospect obsolete. Don’t have anything to do with medical redshirts, that is by the doctors, which we have such a wonderful medical staff here at Alabama. Those players were in default of their scholarships for undisclosed failure to maintain team rules, even though some were minor so minor as the render the point moot; but, with the player not performing and others at AL whom Nick Saban could sign another producer instead – well, off they go.

I guess I am complaining because our guy gets taken to the cleaners on this very point, by the schooling of this topic to him – yet, completely and utterly rejected out of hand as something he would never do. Then, well, he runs off 26 himself and Awards 11 Scholarships to Walk-ons, none of the 11 of which play offense or defense.

Obviously, I blame Mark Richt for some of his poor comparisons with Nick Saban on this blog topic today.

But, if it is the purpose of this blog to shed light on the topic, either

(1) Mark Richt must be a better Steward of his 85 scholarships
(2) or someone needs to step in and protect Mark Richt, who just isn’t of this college football world – as is Alabama.

Swarles Barkley

January 22nd, 2012
9:49 am

Excellent article here. I do my fair share of complaining about the AJC, but it is great to see that someone is doing their part to shed light on the unethical tactics going on in recruiting.

Jaw Jaw Homer

January 22nd, 2012
9:52 am

The Factor
When you have 3 late model Mercedes in the garage of your million dollar beach home, a smokin hot wife and an SEP IRA with 2.6 mil. in it, give this dumb ol Bama Boy a call. The mis-spelled words are for effect, ie humor, something not taught at Jaw Jaw. hint, not 5150.

Swarles Barkley

January 22nd, 2012
9:55 am

13-1:

That’s the attitude that allows coaches like Nick Saban continue their unethical tactics. You say, “meh, we’re just competitive over here in Tuscaloosa….Coach Richt is just a Christian softie who isn’t suited for football”.

I have to huge issues with your stance. First, his faith has nothing to do with this topic, so please quit bashing him for it. If you’re so insecure with another man’s religion then you have serious problems. Secondly, keeping your word is not considered being too nice. It’s called being a man of your word – something that has been taught and praised in cultures around the world for centuries.

Swarles Barkley

January 22nd, 2012
9:56 am

* That would be “two”, not “to”.

Happy

January 22nd, 2012
10:14 am

So it is okay for an 18 year old kid to be yelled at, beaten down and made to perform and grow up in a hurry to be a man, be responsilbe, be accountable and to live up to expectations, HOWEVER it is not okay for a Head Coach who is feeding, housing, and providing an education for a kid to play a sport.

The Military verse an NCAA scholarship.

Some of you are just not realistic and probably never had to do something ” I do not want to do”.

MarkRichtissogoodlookin'

January 22nd, 2012
11:27 am

The one thing that everyone misses here is that until the athlete signs, he can switch his commitment at any time. It happens all the time leading up to and on National Signing Day. Saban asked Justin Taylor to wait because JT has not been keeping up with his rehab schedule to come back from his season ending injury. Saban and his staff met with JT right after his surgery and gave him their expectations for him to be “Bama” football ready and the kid was just lazy. Saban doesn’t want lazy young men on his teams and his record of course shows this. Of course, if Georgia fans would worry more about their own program and not everyone else’s, perhaps UGA would have a few more national titles…. Instead, all you have is a ridiculously good looking coach who you are stuck with for another 5 years thanks to an overachieving record on a weak schedule in 2011.. Meanwhile, the state of Alabama holds the last National Championships and the Dogs biggest rival has another two in recent years.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
11:39 am

Urban Meyer, on several occasions in press conferneces….which unfortunately I cannot find a link to at the moment (most recentlly in one of the Ohio State news conferences)…..has made references to unequal play in recruiting in the SEC……and simply stated…..the two most “unequalled players” in the SEC recruiting wars are……Nick Saban and Les Miles. Of course, he did not mention them directly by name. But everyone listening to him knew and knows which teams and coaches he was referred to with his comments. Saban has average nearly 28 recruit signings over the last 4 years. That is a fact. Miles has also averaged over 25 signings over that same period. As one article stated, the NC game this year could have been called the “Oversigning Bowl”….because that is what Saban and Miles do….oversign……and that was my point. Call me a liar or whatever….or posting inaccurate information…..all you want….it still does not change the fact that Saban and Miles regularly oversign and Meyer did not like it while he was at Florida. And that is a fact, too.

MarkRichtissogoodlookin'

January 22nd, 2012
11:40 am

It is funny how the UGA fans love to bash the other coaches such as Saban, when their own coach voted FOR allowing over signing at last year’s SEC meetings!! Richt knows the rules just like everyone else does, but he keeps on giving you fans trips to the Outback Bowl. But hey, he sure does look great on those sidelines in his sunglasses!

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
11:47 am

Tampa Gator knows he lied and as per his usual he goes hiding and resurfaces next week and he will try to be witty and say he made the correct point.

However, everytime I see his post I will point out he is a bold faced Liar and he knows it!

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
11:50 am

That is BS and you assuming makes you a liar. You are so full of crap and you know it.

Tampa make up Lies to fit his story Gator.

Find the story , until then you are a liar

MarkRichtissogoodlookin'

January 22nd, 2012
11:52 am

Hmm.. since UGA won it’s last national championship, the SEC has won roughly 1/3rd of all National Titles with 5 different teams winning a total of 10 titles in this 31 year span. Of course, Georgia’s old foe Clemson and in-state rival Ga Tech have both won titles in that 31 year span. Kind of stinks being a Dawg these days huh?

7576DAWG

January 22nd, 2012
12:13 pm

I believe that there should remain i year at a time for the scholarship so those player’s that get an attitude can be released if they are not there to help the team win. The university has got to be able to release a player for ethical, moral or lack of integrity that result’s in being arrested or rule violation’s.
The student athlete should be able to sign a letter of intent early to secure a scholarship and bind the university. The only way that this can be voided is if both agree , the student and the university made a error and the student no longer want’s to go to that school and the university no longer want’s the student. Also the student should be able to get out of the scholarship if the coach that will be his coach leaves or his coordinator or head coach leaves before he start’s class of his First year. This could be as a Freshman for most of the player’s but it could mean a Junior if transferring in from a Junior college.

7576DAWG

January 22nd, 2012
12:27 pm

One of the coolest thing’s CMR does is at the beginning of the school year if all his scholarship’s haven’t been used he will reward a SCOUT team player’s that has demonstration his undying love and support to Georgia a one year scholarship to thank him . If colleges couldn’t sign one year scholarship’s any longer this practice would have to be stopped which would be terrible. This is the type of practice that make CMR a great coach and person. You would never see a lot of the coaches doing this which make me proud as an alumni that we have CMR as our coach.

Ponzi Scheme

January 22nd, 2012
12:38 pm

Oversigning is a Ponzi Scheme.

Mid Town

January 22nd, 2012
12:44 pm

I am waiting to hear the outrage on this site about Paul J. pulling the offer he had agreed on
with the Lanier Co. player.
Probably won’t happen because it is GT.
They never do anything wrong.
Who is on probation as of this moment?

5150 UOAD

January 22nd, 2012
12:51 pm

Mid Town It was PULLED because the kid didn’t make the scores needed on the TEST. CPJ can’t get kids in school that don’t qualify. Tech doesn’t have 73% special admits on the football team like UGa.

SEC Fact Finder

January 22nd, 2012
12:53 pm

Tampa Gator.

You have Zero Credibility on this subject. I hate to disagree with you so harshly, however I know for fact that the recruiting issue was not about Alabama or LSU. The issue Coach Meyer had was the fact that One school was openly inducing players out of Florida using street agents, and using third party communications during “dead periods” of the recruiting process, just to name one or two areas of concern.

Taking words that are so openly vague and non-directional by Coach Meyer, one could say he is speaking of Coach Spurrier at South Carolina coming into Florida and getting players and taking players, or Houston Nutt committing over 30 players, or as we really know the really bad blood between Coach Meyer and Lane Kiffin who with Ed O were pretty abrasive in their recruiting tactics. Even Jimbo Fisher made some pretty strong comments about the situation with Tennessee and the ongoings at Miami.

You will not find a single utterance of Coach Meyer speaking about Coach Saban, and that is a fact.

Do a little less “Assuming” and a great deal more seeing the reality that Urban saw that he was not going to be as successful without a Tebow and or Dan Mullen running his offense. I personally think anyone who wins two championships in three years has to be a special special person to keep that fire in his belly and a internal drive to keep moving forward( and that goes to Coach Saban as well) to compete for titles.

The other issues I previously listed in my other comments also added to the 2nd departure for Coach Meyer, there was also a sense of entitlement among some new Florida players when they arrived and Coach Meyer (along with some Juniors and Seniors) had to address that throughout the year. More and More if you look at it, you can see with Coach Strong and Coach Mullen leaving it placed more pressure on Coach Meyer to maintain that championship level.

I will end by saying that I mean no ill will toward Tampa Gator, I just work in a field where pure facts have to be used, not opinion based or assumed based arguments where a thousand different levels of approach could be reached.

Have a great Florida Sunshine Day. It is time to head over to Tampa Bay Downs and watch some horses run around the track.

Good Luck to all of your SEC teams.

Harpspring Laye

January 22nd, 2012
1:35 pm

And there’s Mark Richt, who signs thugs and academic dummies every year, then wonders why he gets thug behavior (beating up women), and athletes who fail because they can’t read.

Harpspring Laye

January 22nd, 2012
1:37 pm

Fire Richter now.

Mid Town

January 22nd, 2012
2:18 pm

5150UOAD
GT offered him a scholarship and reneged on it. End of story.
You mean to tell me GT did not look at his grades before offering.
And if you think GT does not have as many special admitts as everyone else you are
a complete fool.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
3:53 pm

Looks like Schultzy is on his little oversigning crusade again. So now I’ll have to set him straight on a few things.

First of all if you don’t oversign you may end up being 15-20 scholarships under the limit. This happened a few years ago to both UT and AU and both are still trying to recover and still get back to the 85 man limit. How immoral is it to let 15-20 schollies go to waste like that? That’s 15-20 schollies

Title #15 in 2012

January 22nd, 2012
4:02 pm

Saban — best coach in college football since Bear! He knows all the tricks in recruiting and has Bama’s roster loaded again! Title #15 — 2012—bet the house. This bama team will be better than the 2011 team!

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
4:16 pm

A couple of other things where Schultz failed to tell the truth.

It was thought that Justin would be 90% by the summer. Sorry but that is not good enough. If he is going to come in they want him coming in at 100% fully healthy. It doesn’t do him a bit of good to come in not fully healed and in top football shape. I guess telling the truth just wasn’t important to Jeff. And also Bama is under no committment to honor the scholarship. He did in fact tear his knee up and that does change things. Schools drop committments all the time from athletes who tear their knees up the last year of high school. But nevertheless Bama is still going to honor the scholarship on a deferred basis to let the kid absolutely get to 100% healthwise.

Secondly, his offer still stands. He would just be delaying enrollment by 1 semester. Seems Jeff forgot to mention that.

Thirdly, if someone doesn’t want to take a greyshirt they don’t have to. They can simply go to another school.

Funniest thing about this is that people think a school is the bad guy if they sign too many and have to ask 1-2 guys to defer enrollment to the next year. But they think its perfectly okay for kids to be committed to a program for a year and then do a signing day switch to another school a la DaRick Rogers.

Committment is a 2 way street and in the case of Saban and Alabama they are still honoring the committment albeit 6 months later. They same cannot be said of someone like Keenan Allen, a 5 star recruit who was committed to Bama right up to signing day and then switched to cal last year.

Thirdly, when its all said and done Alabama has 85 players on scholarship and no more. If other schools like UGA only have 78 players because they didn’t sign adequately to account for attrition then too bad for them. They should have signed more and take the risk of 1-2 players having to defer enrollment than have 7 schollies which go mostly to young black men from poor backgrounds go to waste.

In all this moralizing I wonder where the NAACP would weigh in if its explained to them that if you don’t oversign due to attrition that hundreds of scholarships would end up going to waste and several hundred young black men would miss out on going to college.

Lastly I would like to see Schultz’s article on the leading oversigner in the country the last 5 years which was Troy which averaged 33 signees a year. Haven’t seen it yet. Where is it. Is this really a problem if Troy and other no name schools aren’t being singled out?

This aint nothing more than whining and crying about Alabama and LSU being at full scholarship limits and whupping everyone else’s behinds. Plain and simple.

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
5:11 pm

Tampa Gator you bold face make it up as you go along liar,

When Urban was in his building mode at Florida he felt good about signing
27 in 2006
27 in 2007
22 in 2008

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
5:22 pm

Go find the quotes, the problem is you cannot find such a thing.

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
5:37 pm

Tampa Gator is just a senile old liar who is still living the days of Charlie Pell, Galen Hall and now hoping and praying Willie can do just anything.

Mike755

January 22nd, 2012
5:44 pm

For the past 10 years, Georgia is the only SEC program to have a recruiting class in the Top 10 in each of those years. Yet, how many top 10 finishes in the polls have there been, especially lately. Dawg fans have seen brilliant motivational ploys such as “blackouts” and mass endzone celebrations. If your program is underperforming, evaluate the shortcomings in your own program and don’t use the oversigning issue as a smokescreen excuse. Start with the lack of discipline in your program (numerous DUI’s and Crowell’s smoking habits) and go from there.

Beast from the East

January 22nd, 2012
5:44 pm

Jock strap,
You sure seem to be infatuated with the “senile old liar”. Give it a rest already. He “embellished” on a few things but, so what? He’s not the first and certainly won’t be the last.

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
6:52 pm

I know as a Florida gator it is your responsibility to protect your own however his out and out lie has been called out and he will not be allowed to just walk away with ambiguous slander to support his invalid point.

Not going to pick on you but it may be time to change your handle as UF is far removed as the “beast” in the east. That currently runs through Columbia and Athens.
I fill my handle up nicely!

Kevin

January 22nd, 2012
6:52 pm

Why use Saban as the example? He just delayed the scholarship and didn’t completely pull the kid’s scholarship like Paul Johnson and Dooley recently did. Name one kid that was run off from U of A because of talent. Sure some may have been told as Juniors that if they want playing time they may want to transfer, but that’s their decision. You fail to address the fact that kids fail to The way to fix the problem is 1) No verbal commits before Oct of the kids senior year. 2) A verbal commit is binding for both the player and school. 3) When a school reeives 25 signed offers that’s it for the year.

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:14 pm

Oversigning by the numbers…………………Schools that have signed more than BAMA from 2005 to 2010. Also, the SEC had a limit of 28 players per year and UGA did not sign enough players. YOUR FAULT.

Also, UGA only signed an average of 22.6 players. WHY ? Seems like CMR was not doing his job and that is why you have depth problems and will continue to lag behind.

1. TROY………………….32.8………………SUNBELT

2. OLE MRS……………..29………………..SEC…………..I hear no one complaining about this program because they do not win. HOUSTON NUTT was the worse offender in the SEC.

3. AUBARN………………28.8……………..SEC

4. MS. STATE…………..27.6……………..SEC……………No one complains about them

5. KANSAS STATE……27.4……………..BIG 12

6. TEMPLE………………27.2………………MAC

7. SOU MISS……………27…………………C-USA

8. ARKANSAS………….26.8………………SEC……….Anyone complaining about the RAZORBACKS ?

9. KENTUCKY………….26.8………………SEC……….Laughing stock program…………….No complaints

10. BAMA………………..26.6………………SEC

70TH – GEORGIA…….22.6………………SEC…………………….Up until this year the SEC allowed 28 signees per year. Blame this on CMR and the UGA program.

BAMA was within the guidelines. Your fault if you did not get enough players and it is hurting your program.

Michael Adams didn’t want to say much, but the smile on his face said plenty. As the University of Georgia president walked out of the meeting with his conference peers Friday, Adams kept saying, “It’s a good day for the SEC.”

Some might disagree. But on the contentious issue of oversigning, the SEC meetings revealed this: The league’s presidents and commissioner still outrank their high-profile, well-paid head football coaches.

The presidents cracked down on the so-called practice of oversigning, reducing the annual limit on signed recruits from 28 to 25. The coaches voted against that two days earlier and spoke publicly against it, but their presidents overruled them.

As you can see……………………………..The only abusers were AUBARN and OLE MRS……………….CASE CLOSED……………..Have a GREAT EVENING.

See list at this site:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/01/24/oversigning-data/index.html

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:17 pm

Jock strap ………………………………..SEC teams were allowed to sign 28 per year.

SO,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,What is your point ?

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:19 pm

UGA…………………………….You were short an average of 4 players per year versus BAMA…………………………………..WHY ?

You were allowed to sign 28 per year,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Who’s fault is this ?

CMR and ADAMS ?

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:22 pm

In past five years, 25 of 120 FBS programs averaged more than 25 signees

That list includes eight of 12 SEC schools and five of current Big 12 teams

Troy has signed 164 players over that span, a staggering average of 32.8

Other conferences have a limit of 25, but the SEC had a 28 signee limit.

Beast from the East

January 22nd, 2012
7:22 pm

Jock strap,
Until someone can manage to win more SEC East crowns than the Gators, I will continue to use my handle. Besides, it’s not just about football. We’re pretty stout in all sports.
Go Gators!

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:27 pm

Can I hear some complaints about OLE MISS……………………………..PLEASE !!!!!!!!

How about, AUBARN, ARKANSAS, MS STATE…………………..What about the BLUE GRASS KENTUCKY WILDCATS .

ANYONE out their in UGA LAND ?………………All I hear is cricketts.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:31 pm

Fact Finder….

I acknowledged that Meyer did not mention Saban by name (he not any other coach would do that)……nor Miles. But again, Meyer was upset with the SEC for not controlling SEC teams from oversigning…..and we know for a fact which teams those are……and they all come from the SEC West. None from the SEC East.

Jock Strap…..

Go sniff yourself (and I hardly ever post anything like that….but your, sir, deserve it). But I bet the smell would be too revolting, even for you.

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:32 pm

MarkRichtissogoodlookin’ …………………………You are so right. The Coaches in the SEC wanted the limit to stay at 28, but the Presidents of the SEC voted aginst it.

The presidents cracked down on the so-called practice of oversigning, reducing the annual limit on signed recruits from 28 to 25. The coaches voted against that two days earlier and spoke publicly against it, but their presidents overruled them.

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:34 pm

TampaGator ……………………………..You are incorrect…………………Limit was 28. The only abusers were AUBARN and OLE MRS.

Look at article I have posted and website.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
7:35 pm

01 Hawk,

Thanks for the data. Georgia I believe is 7 players under the allowable scholly limit of 85. That’s squarely Mark Richt’s fault for not making sure they are fully staffed and for not adequately allowing for attrition.

The whole oversigning thing is a big complaint over nothing. Frankly I think its immoral not to oversign and end up being numerous scholarships under the 85 man cap. These schollies mostly benefit poor black kids and if you have a couple years of unusual attrition like at AU and UT and end up with only 68 or 70 players on scholarship then you’re just letting unused schollies go to waste and denying young men a chance to go to college. And as we all know ” A mind is a terrible thing to waste”.

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:37 pm

Sure is silent from the DAWG CROWD

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:41 pm

I do not even hear a pin drop………………………..What will it be next ?

SABANS Salary

His # 1 recruiting class for 2012 ?

How he is going to another school ? Not hardly…………………..Daughters best friend came up from Baton Rouge to go to BAMA with her.

What will it be next since I have put the OVERSIGNING to bed.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:47 pm

01Hawk….

Alabama
2010 – 29
2008 – 32

LSU
2010 – 29

I guess I am not incorrect.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
7:49 pm

TampaGator,

Since Saban came to Bama we are actually either 6th or 7th in the SEC in terms of oversigning. We’re either just in front of or behind LSU the other team being criticized for oversigning. I believe the worst offenders were Ole Miss and AU followed by S. Carolina, Kentucky, and I think Arkansas was 5th.

The other thing I find interesting is that under Saban we’ve been greyshirting 1-2 players a year and in his first year when he signed 32 not one player had to greyshirt due to the expected attrition from grades, 2 players going pro baseball, etc.

During the Mike Shula era Shula routinely had around 3 players greyshirting every year. I find it curious that nobody was complaining when Shula was greyshirting more players than Saban has greyshirted. But of course all of a sudden ya’ll are all up in arms over 1-2 players greyshirting a year for Alabama. Which leads me to ask- Is your problem really with greyshirting and oversigning? Or Saban’s dominance? I think we all know the real answer.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:50 pm

…..but you are right about one thing…..Auburn and Ole Miss have been regular obusers of oversigning as well.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:53 pm

……anyone defending or trying to justify oversigning by any SEC team supports abusing NCAA rules to win championships. Period. IT IS WRONG….and it should be stopped with serious consequences for the coaches, not the players or the school, who continually work around the rules…..in order to win.

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:54 pm

Give Saban credit. At least he tells recruits they might get cut to clear space for newer signees. When the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News interviewed seven participants in the Offense-Defense Bowl about the topic of the one-year, renewable scholarship, only one, Alabama commitment Christion Jones, knew his scholarship had to be renewed annually. “Coach Saban told me it’s a one-year scholarship you have to work for,” Jones told the paper. “Some coaches don’t tell some kids. Some kids have to find out the hard way.”

SABAN is up front. If you do not perform, then you may not have a scholarship.

BAMA just signed the kid from Calhoun that is a kicker. They will not have 3 place kickers on scholarship.

CADE FOSTER will be told to either pay his own way and compete or he can transfer.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm

Tampagator,

Of the 32 man class Saban signed in 08 2 went pro baseball, 3-4 did not qualify academically, and I think the last player had a knee injury that was going to take a year rehab and chose to voluntarily hold off a year. The fact of the matter is that when Alabama went to camp later that year we in fact ended up with 84 on scholly- 1 under the limit. A simple fact that people don’t seem to want to remember.

I believe of the 29 signees in 2010 3 did not qualify and 1 ended up greyshirting. I’ll look it up but that is what I seem to remember on that class. I’ve no problem with that just as you guys seemed to have no problem with when Shula was oversigning and greyshirting 3 players a year.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm

The Dawg fans are sitting at their computers trying to work up a strategy for justifying Cummings actually hitting a woman…….this after ripping Chris Rainey for the last two years….for just texting a threatening message (of which, neither can be justified). Rainey has learned his lesson and has become a better person for his major error. Hopefully, Cummings will do the same.

Jock strap

January 22nd, 2012
7:57 pm

01 hawk

That was in to response of the Liar Tampa Gator not telling the truth about Burnout Urban Meyer and Florida signing over 25 players

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
7:57 pm

TampaGator ………………………You know, Florida only became a decent team when SPURRIER came to FLORIDA.

You guys used to be doormats, just like LSU was before SABAN came to LSU.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:58 pm

Tide Rising….

HE STILL OVERSIGNED. Florida recruited within the rules and still lost a couple of recruits to baseball. Oversigning is oversigning.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:59 pm

01Hawk….

Georgia was a decent team in 1981….when Vince Dooley ruled before Spurrier invented the passing game in the south.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
7:59 pm

Tampagator,

BTW Florida took 28 commits in 2010 when Bama took only 1 more at 29. Are you going to start complaining about Florida oversigning?

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
8:02 pm

Anyway…..I am done with this topic. Time to move on to more positive subject matter.

P.S. Florida got a big time RB recruit for 2013 this weekend….with a couple more big time RBs to come in that class. Florida is going to close….BIG.

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
8:02 pm

TIde Rising…

The limit was 28 then. Florida took 28. Bama took 29. They oversigned.

Now, goodnight.

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
8:03 pm

BAMA record against FLORIDA…………………………………22 – 14

UGA………………………………………………………………………..36 – 25

LSU…………………………………………………………………………46 – 25

Lowest percentage is against AUBARN, but we still lead them by 41 – 34

01HAWK

January 22nd, 2012
8:05 pm

TampaGator ………………………………………BAMA will end up with the number 1 class for 2012.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
8:12 pm

2010 Alabama class
Anthony Orr- didn’t qualify and went JUCO
Deion Blue didn’t qualify and went JUCO
Alfy Hill- didn’t qualify and went JUCO
Austin Shepherd- he tore his ACL in a pickup basketball game during the summer about a month or so before he was to report to Bama. He ended up delaying to the next year due to what we all know is a year long rehab in most cases.
Darius McKeller, son of former Buffalo Bill Keith McKeller reported but was later placed on medical scholly before even going through his first year at Bama. Why? It wasn’t because the 6′6 319 pounder didn’t have talent. It was because he had already had 3 surgeries in one year on a wrist that still gave him problems. The surgeons including outside 2nd opinions determined he should never play again because his wrist was never going to be the same. But I guess some of the clowns will try to chalk this up as one of those questionable medical redshirts despite the fact that the guy was only a freshman.
Petey Smith never made it to campus. If I remember correctly I think he also went JUCO.

In that class we had I think 1 player greyshirt- Blake Sims I think was the lone greyshirt.

Given the attrition of this one class, especially the academic non-qualifiers, do you now understand why its smart to oversign?

SEC Fact Finder

January 22nd, 2012
8:13 pm

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
7:31 pm
Fact Finder….

I acknowledged that Meyer did not mention Saban by name (he not any other coach would do that)……nor Miles. But again, Meyer was upset with the SEC for not controlling SEC teams from oversigning…..and we know for a fact which teams those are……and they all come from the SEC West. None from the SEC East.

You see this is where I KNOW you are wrong. I attended the Huntsville Touchdown Club appearance by Coach Meyers and he was asked directly about this and directly about Coach Saban from an Auburn Blogger and his answer was a firm “No!” He went on to say that The Alabama staff were absolutely right to play within the rules and that the program at Alabama was a model for others to “Attempt” to follow( he emphasized the word “Attempt”) but he doubted others had the drive to work as hard as Coach Saban does and that his medical restrictions did not allow him to do that, but even then he said that it takes a special coach and a special staff to endlessly work that hard and research student athletes as early as Alabama does. When pressed about Cam Newton he said he had some disagreements with certain practices by the staff at Auburn but not coach Chizik. He was more worried about the street agent issue that pemeated College recruiting and that he could tell some stories that would turn some Investigators on their heads. He said he did plan on meeting with the NCAA in the future( this was last April..if I remember correctly) to discuss some issues regarding the street agents and family members acting as an agent and these so called “recruiting services” attempting to bundle players with their own demands.

You know as well as I do his relationship with Kiffin was strained as was Kiffin/ Spurrier & Kiffin/Saban. I know for a fact that Mike Slive had a major file on Kiffin/ and Orgeron. That is why on numerous occasions Mr. Slive stated PUBLICLY he was more than happy to see him leave the conference and become someone elses problem child.

I will leave it alone, I have spoken my peace and I know some other things regarding issues surrounding Meyers but those were just issues he was dealing with healthwise and his inablity to recover while working an 80 hour week.

Have a good week and good luck.

Tide Rising

January 22nd, 2012
8:16 pm

Tampagator,

Oversigning doesn’t matter if its 28 or 29. The 28 man rule was put there by AU which was complaining after Saban’s first class of 32. And of course AU then proceeded to sign 30 players after the 28 man rule was passed.

The only thing that really matter is that you have 85 men on scholly or less during the year. Everything else is completely irrelevant.

SEC Fact Finder

January 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm

Alfy Hill actually came on campus and the clearing house put the screws to him and told him after he had starting practice that he was not eligible to play. He went home to re-evlauate his situation.

SHALLOTTE,NC (WWAY) — What comes around goes around. Alfy Hill originally committed to a Southeastern Conference school in 2009. The former West Brunswick Trojan committed to the University of Alabama in September of 2009. Hill received another SEC offer this week, but he won’t be eligible to play at the University of South Carolina or any other division one school until 2013.

Alfy Hill currently attends Los Angeles Valley Community College. LAVCC currently sports a 2-2 record. The Road from Shallotte to Los Angeles has been a strange one though.

In September of 2009 Alfy Hill chose Alabama. Hill actually attended summer school at the University of Alabama in the summer of 2010. He passed three courses, but the NCAA ruled Afly Hill to be an academic non-qualifier because of an online course he took at West Brunswick his senior year in Shallotte. Hill was forced to leave Alabama. He then decided to enroll at East Carolina, but he wasn’t going to be eligible to play at East Carolina right away due to NCAA guidelines.

Just thought I would clarify…another recruit who EVERYONE knew would not qualify was Shannon Brown who even flunked or Quit JC.

I just want to point out that Shula and Saban walked into a dire situation at Alabama. Both were given teams with a great deal less than 85 scholarships due to the NCAA penalties( I will be the first to say they were deserved penalties for allowing boosters to have to much influence in the program under the previous President, AD and Coach). The loss of 30 scholarships is tough, and a coach cannot afford to miss or leave Any of his scholarships on the table after that spanking the NCAA gave Alabama. Just wait and see how Kiffin handles the USC situation once his restrictions are in place( USC appealled their penalties and lost that appeal) as this is the first year of their scholarship restrictions.

SEC Fact Finder

January 22nd, 2012
8:43 pm

Just noticed the blurb about Kelly from Oregon going to The Tampa Bay Bucaneers as Head Coach in the works.. Does anyone else suspect that the NCAA investigation and the exit of his two best players has a great deal to him looking for an escape plan.

Greek Fire

January 22nd, 2012
9:40 pm

SEC Fact Finder — very true and very sad the screw job the NCAA did on Alfy Hill. If JEFF SCHULTZ was any kind of journalist, this is the kind of story he would be seeking out, but that would actually require him to do some work. We know that won’t happen.

His esteemed colleague MARK BRADLEY basically wrote the same column twice ripping Alabama for being in the BCS NCG.

Schultz wrote this opinion piece – on an important topic – from the AJC’s usual slanted view, omitting key point’s in Saban and Alabama’s defense. Schultz is a proud graduate of the Furman Bisher school of “get Alabama at all cost” journalism.

Guess what — Bisher failed miserably, and Schultz, Bradley and the other AJC hacks are doomed to fail even more spectacularly. Alabama was winning national championships in football when Paul Bryant was wrestling a mangy bear in Arkansas, and my guess is Alabama will be winning championships when our bones are dust.

bitter "spoiled recruit"

January 22nd, 2012
10:06 pm

250,000 dollar 4 year scholly———-stop crying recruits—————-crowell prime example

of how recruits stick it to the “U”’s—————–fight crime with crime————or something

Russ555

January 22nd, 2012
10:57 pm

Jeff is right. Do away with letters of intent and sign nothing but binding contracts. But just for one year. That’s a valid rule. Each player has to earn his spot in summer camp every year.

globeflyer

January 22nd, 2012
11:00 pm

The delusional jealousy on this blog is palpable. Some UGA fans seem to be suffering from something akin to Stockholm Syndrome.

Andy

January 22nd, 2012
11:09 pm

If you want a real solution to the problem, allow unlimited scholarships for all schools. That prevents all the problems associated with signing limits, no scholarship offers get taken away, no oversigning, no grey shirting, etc. You would also see coaches like Nick Saban and Alabama continue to dominate, but at least all would be on a level playing field.

Bama

January 23rd, 2012
6:05 am

There is more to it than what’s put in this Article. And since this kid is from Georgia, I’m sure Coach Saban is and will be highly criticized. For the most part, Georgia Fans need to understand that this is part of it and if your coaches don’t want to participate then hush. Stay happy with just going to the SEC Championship and getting your arses kicked. Mark Richt will never win a national title. He’s too nice. Justin Taylor still has a scholarship. And if he’s upset, part ways and go some where else. Bama is NOT the only school that’s competitive.

Bama4life

January 23rd, 2012
6:09 am

TampaGator-yes I’ll agree there is some “unequal recruiting” going on. Nick Saban is a far better recruiter and evaluator of talent than Mark Richt, who is in no way his equal. You can blame oversigning and trash Saban all you want, but that’s the bottom line. All these attack jobs can’t change the basic facts.

SEC Fact Finder

January 23rd, 2012
7:27 am

TampaGator

January 22nd, 2012
8:02 pm
TIde Rising…

The limit was 28 then. Florida took 28. Bama took 29. They oversigned.

Now, goodnight.

You see, this is why you need to slow down and get some facts. How many of that 29 knew they would not qualify? How many of that 29 actually came on campus? How many of that 29 ever suited up for a football game?

Jock strap

January 23rd, 2012
8:16 am

Tampa Gator the Liar,

When you make up lies and make up a rational and make up facts I will as well as others will slam you for being a liar. If you continue to lie to prove a point I will continue to call you out for being a liar.
The truth hurts sometimes but your made up lies will hurt you more!

Whisky Breath

January 23rd, 2012
8:36 am

Get your facts straight Jeff, Saban didn’t pull the scholly, it was delayed until 2013. Just a little fact that you conveniently left off. Any way you look at it, you can only have 85 schollys at one time.
After that you have walk ons. They don’t play at Bama and LSU. You want to change the rules because you believe it will help Ga and bring down Bama. It won’t work. By the way, those rules have held up for about 40 plus years.

Jock strap

January 23rd, 2012
9:03 am

11 arrest since Muschamp arrived. WOW!

Tai Chi

January 23rd, 2012
10:00 am

I’m so glad that College Football is NOT ran like a business. Oh wait, yes it is.

Leopold Bloom

January 23rd, 2012
10:25 am

Just to play devil’s advocate, didn’t the NCAA prohibit coaches from evaluating talent in the spring (the Saban rule)? If they didn’t limit their ability to evaluate, they could make more informed decisions and fewer mistakes. Just sayin’.

flagboy?

January 23rd, 2012
10:40 am

right. . right. The NCAA is going to do something about this, pronto.

This is the same organization that let Ohio State players play in the Sugar Bowl so their suspensions could begin at the beginning of the next season.

Right. . hold your breath.

Brick

January 23rd, 2012
10:51 am

I agree with everything you said, Saban gets mentioned as the best in college football, maybe he is, but by doing what the does to get the results he does, he isn’t playing on a level playing field. He basically has put the rest of the NCAA on probation. Over a 4 year period he signs 30-35 more players than almost everyone else in the NCAA. When Bama was on their last probation for buying players, they were only at a 15 scholarship disadvantage. Hoow can someone who has nearly 50% more players to choose from and still loses games be considered the best? One thing he is the best at is manuniplating the rules and loopholes to give himself a huge advantage over everyone else, before he started doing this, he was very average, winning at a 60% clip. Your idea to make the schlarships for 4-5 years would stop it, if a kid quit, transferred, got arrested, flunked out, injured, he still counts, sign 25 per year max, 85 max for schlarships, but if a team has 75 returning scholarshipped players, they can only sign 10. That would do away with loopholes.

Brick

January 23rd, 2012
10:59 am

Tide Rising, you bring up an example of a frosh having surgury on his wrist 3 times getting a medical hardship. Why would Bama offer such a high risk kid while others passed. Let me tell you why, there is no risk for Bama, if he is able to play great, if he isn’t Bama just gives him the old medical hardship. Of course you don’t see that as an advantage do you, but bama gets to sign 2 kids for one slot, which cuts in half the risk of a mis evaluation. How can you not see playing with 35 more kids over 4 years isn’t an advantage, Bama wasn’t that penailized for buying players, they were only short 15, but they put everyone else down 30+. Some level playing field Bama has. Its ethically and morally wrong, but not illegal, yet.

Conceptual Truth

January 23rd, 2012
11:15 am

Brick

January 23rd, 2012
10:51 am
I agree with everything you said, Saban gets mentioned as the best in college football, maybe he is, but by doing what the does to get the results he does, he isn’t playing on a level playing field. He basically has put the rest of the NCAA on probation. Over a 4 year period he signs 30-35 more players than almost everyone else in the NCAA. When Bama was on their last probation for buying players, they were only at a 15 scholarship disadvantage. Hoow can someone who has nearly 50% more players to choose from and still loses games be considered the best? One thing he is the best at is manuniplating the rules and loopholes to give himself a huge advantage over everyone else, before he started doing this, he was very average, winning at a 60% clip. Your idea to make the schlarships for 4-5 years would stop it, if a kid quit, transferred, got arrested, flunked out, injured, he still counts, sign 25 per year max, 85 max for schlarships, but if a team has 75 returning scholarshipped players, they can only sign 10. That would do away with loopholes

The real numbers at Alabama was 21 scholarships taken away, not 15. However the bigger suffering was that under no circumstances could they replace scholarship players who left due to any reason. Scholarships could be given to players already on campus, but those awarded scholarships were limited.

The bigger picture in regards to the NCAA is the fact over a 20 year period the number of total football scholarships were reduced by 20. Lets look at those numbers:
Under old numbers a team could afford to have 4 deep at every position on the roster, and still have room for speciality players, such as kickers, snappers etc.

Now with 85 a team had better not miss on more than 4 players in a class or they are looking at major depth issues. One has to look at the NCAA for allowing a good number of smaller schools who have moved up into the FBS from FCS( 1AA) over the past 20 years who now control more than most want to realize. Those smaller schools wanted to reduce the scholarship numbers so they could be competitive, they wanted more BOWL games, they wanted split revenues and wanted the television contracts.

All in All..if you want to change the overall outlook of College Football, and folks this is the time to do it with the talk of a mini playoff, the big boy conference and schools had better start pushing their presidents to take the top 75 schools that want to play real football and start a Championship level league and let the others who do not want to spend the money stay where they are. That 75 number is of course flexible, but take the top 5 or 6 from the big conferences and lets open up the scholarships, allow for payment to players while going to school, enforce the admission requirements, the graduation requirements, the grade requirements and lets see who really is serious about making the system better.

Conceptual Truth

January 23rd, 2012
11:19 am

Just wait, we will see what MAJOR scholarship reductions look like in about 3 years with USC. That program is going to be in trouble in the very near future.

Too tough

January 23rd, 2012
12:10 pm

Over singing is just plain wrong and this should be addressed and enforced, by the GREAT chikn sh#t NCAA that allowed those Ohio state boys to play in the bowl games…good grief!

Robert

January 23rd, 2012
12:21 pm

Schultz’s article is flawed on so many levels, it’s hard to know where to start. So let’s just stick with a couple of points.

First of all, the notion that an early signing period would have meant that Taylor would have signed with Alabama is beyond stupid. Coaches have advocated for an early signing day in December. Why on earth does Schultz think this would have mattered a bit? Taylor was injured in August.

And, oh, by the way…someone tell me why it’s such a travesty that Alabama is maknig him wait to enroll. Schultz says that Saban yanked the offer, and that isn’t what happened. Newsflash to Schultz…when you have to start off your article by basically lying or distorting the truth, it’s a pretty sure bet that the rest of the article will be moronic.

Second, and again this is an obvious flaw to Schultz’s desire for binding four year commitments. You can’t expect universities to commit to four years when the players don’t have to. Want to have four year scholarship commitments from universities? Then you have to eliminate the ability of players to leave early for the NFL.

Robert

January 23rd, 2012
12:25 pm

TampaGator…how is your example “oversigning” if Bama had a scholarship they could backcount to the previous year? Perfectly within the rules…not “oversigning” at all.

Tide Rising

January 23rd, 2012
12:32 pm

“but by doing what the does to get the results he does, he isn’t playing on a level playing field.”- Brick

Wrong! When its all said and done Saban can only admit 85 guys on scholarship. Same as everyone else.

“Over a 4 year period he signs 30-35 more players than almost everyone else in the NCAA.”- Brick

Blatant lie or else you are just stupid- this lie is easily proven and you should do a little research unless you just don’t mind making stuff up off the top of your head.

In terms of oversigning Alabama is middle of the pack in the SEC since Saban’s arrival at 26.6 signees per year. The worst offenders are Ole miss and AU followed by Kentucky, S. Carolina, and Ark. The worst offender in the nation is Troy which has signed an average of a whopping 33 signees a year. Your assertion that Bama has signed 30-35 more players than anyone else in the nation is complete BS. And is easily proven to be BS. Facts don’t seem to matter much in your world.

“Tide Rising, you bring up an example of a frosh having surgury on his wrist 3 times getting a medical hardship. Why would Bama offer such a high risk kid while others passed.”

Once again complete BS. When Bama offered him he had not had 3 separate surgeries. It was after Bama offered him and he finished his senior year that they started to have these operations to repair what ended up being a career ending injury. You simply don’t know what you are talking about again. There is no advantage to signing a kid that can’t play for you or anybody else for that matter. You aint too bright are you?

Tide Rising

January 23rd, 2012
12:34 pm

“Schultz says that Saban yanked the offer, and that isn’t what happened”

True dat. Seems Schultz likes to play fast and loose with the truth. The young man’s scholarship is only delayed an additional 6 months to make sure that when he does report that he is in fact at 100% and fully healthy. Facts don’t matter to Schultz. Or the truth for that matter.

Robert

January 23rd, 2012
12:41 pm

“True dat. Seems Schultz likes to play fast and loose with the truth.”

Like I said…when you have to start off your article like this, it’s a sure bet that the article will be stupid. A poorly written rambling by a guy with an agenda.

LHarding Dawg

January 23rd, 2012
3:04 pm

Don’t shoot Schultz, he’s only the messager.

Golden Tornado

January 23rd, 2012
9:07 pm

I loved your article, Jeff. The 1963 variation on this same theme, running off lower-end signees, is what drove Georgia Tech out of the S.E.C. Bobby Dodd was unwilling to treat boys that way.

hmmmmm

January 24th, 2012
4:59 pm

Early signing would be great for the elite prospects. If knucklehead rivals start throwing out offers earlier and earlier, kids that get all starry-eyed and jump on the first offer, don’t give themselves the opportunity to decipher upcoming offers. Schools will get sucked into throwing out offers for fear of being left out. That does noone any good.
I would like to see a rule implemented that says schools cannot make an official OFFER until mid-Dec. of senior season. May be unrealistic, but even if coaches secretly make an early offer, kids can’t be suckered into officially making that decision too quickly.
For the most part, that kid will have every offer on the table by the official offer day. Then he might be able to make a more knowledgable decision. And his parents can do their due diligence. And if more time is needed, move signing day to March 1.

hmmmmm

January 24th, 2012
5:03 pm

More importantly, what’s the deal with AL offering to help the kid with work? Big time Red-Flag…..Hello NCAA, are you hearing this?

GT Fan

January 24th, 2012
6:22 pm

You all better be careful or Nick Saban just might “go off” on the media like he has become accustomed to doing … i.e. the past 2 SEC media days

The inmate (aka Saban) is slowly garning way too much control/respect of the asylum. Kinda like those old E.F. Hutton commercials, haha!

Gary

January 25th, 2012
10:00 am

Was noticing that 9 of the 100 best players according to rivals were committed to Bama. That does not include the undecideds on the list who have not announced yet. I am sure they will grab some of them as well. I know he is a good coach, but it is the talent pool that is making the difference. I wish more attention would be brought to his recruiting practices so even if the NCAA avoids dealing with it, some of these highschool kids and their families might want to reconsider their future. How many of these elite athletes will end up at a Saban Juco when they could easily be playing D1 for another school because Saban needs to stack his roster. It really is wrong for college football to ignore this and it is a shame the quality programs who avoid this practice don’t demand accountability for the students.

Gary

January 25th, 2012
10:18 am

Hey Golden Tornado, pretty sure Tech did not want to share its bowl money. Get your facts straight before spewing crap like that. There were no rules or ethics in colleg football 63. Women were not fully integrated at tech until 68 and your first female instructor was not hired until 68. You had your first black football player in 69 or 70. Do you really think your coach or school gave a crap about recruiting practices in the 60’s. The SEC decision was about money. Nothing else.

Gary

January 25th, 2012
10:21 am

Tide Rising, if this was just one article I would give Saban the benefit of the Doubt, but it is not just clowns like this from the AJC, the Wall Street Journal wrote a scorching article about Saban and this practice. He may not be breaking the rules, but I am pretty sure the will name the new rules after hime to prevent Sabaning your recruits and current players.

kc

January 25th, 2012
4:59 pm

Golden Tornado-ding ding ding-you are correct. Just read Dodd’s book-that is what he said-. Never knew Bobby Dodd to be a liar.
Gary-sorry-you are wrong. It is so cool to say Dodd and GT got “greedy”. Whatever… It was NOT about money. Believe what you want to believe. You are wrong though.

Scholarship guarantees, early signing would curb oversigning

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Scholarship guarantees, early signing would curb oversigning

Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC).

491 comments Add your comment

About Jeff Schultz

We’ve Moved!

One Subscription. Total Access.

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