Saban offers 8th grader
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/25/alabama-joins-lsu-i…
You stay classy, Nick Saban.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
Absurd. We may need a rule against this shortly. I would have said that was unnecessary not so long ago, but it looks like this is picking up speed...
February 25th, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^
How could you legislate against it? Saban's "offer" can't be accepted for four years.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
I have no idea how it could be enforced any more than the rest of the NCAA's "rules", but why wouldn't a simple statement that schools aren't to offer scholarships to students before a certain age / year suffice?
February 25th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
This is just a verbal offer. It holds about as much water as a verbal commitment. I'm pretty sure they have a rule that states offers aren't "official" until their JR season? Maybe I'm off on that.
February 26th, 2013 at 8:28 AM ^
until a player is in his junior year w/ the Tide. If the player demonstrates that he will see the field in his senior year, then Nick will grant the final year. Up until then, all four-year scholly promises are subject to revocation.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:57 PM ^
prohibit contact relating to playing at a particular college prior to a certain age. that won't change much because Saban could still invite these kids to camp, but at least it would mean that he can't offer them or say "i could see you playing at alabama one day."
February 25th, 2013 at 5:36 PM ^
I wish I could think of a good way to have such a rule. But how do you ban verbal scholarship offers?
February 25th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
What did Saban offer the 8th grader?
This could be a fun game. Nick Saban offered an 8th grader...
February 25th, 2013 at 5:31 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^
A scholarship!!!
Oh wait. I'm bad at this game.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:05 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 6:30 PM ^
I might commit somewhere for Danica McKellar.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
I wish a parent would tell their kid to commit just to further the absurdity of the situation. This kid is still learning about computer porn and body odor.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
I think the 13 year old that Kiffin offered semi-recently committed to USC.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:07 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^
this kid must have taken his ACT really early...right?
oh Saban...
February 25th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 6:23 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 5:48 PM ^
I'll bet Saban isn't even coaching at Alabama in 4 or 5 years.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:50 PM ^
Apparently Lane Kiffin offered a 13-year old a few years ago and the kid committed. That's crazy.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:00 PM ^
Very few guys get a chance to get such a head start on their medical hardship scholarships.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:08 PM ^
Per Tremendous, LSU offered this kid previously.
Still creepy.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:34 PM ^
I tried to embed at a specific time, but failed. This board is more difficult than it needs to be, and doesn't even have spell check.
Anyhow 2:06 for the best part
Edit: Figured it out after some googling. Still way more difficult than the average board
February 25th, 2013 at 6:36 PM ^
and grammar nazi's though......
February 25th, 2013 at 6:16 PM ^
He can feel like he has this kid "locked in," but can stlll withdraw the offer if he doesn't pan out. Not very ethical, but definitely very Saban...
February 25th, 2013 at 6:16 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 6:24 PM ^
Only Nick Saban can oversign across generations.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:55 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 7:13 PM ^
But that is because the 13 year old math genius can accept that scholarship and make it binding. This kid can't accept the offer, but Saban can hold it over his head.
This is why you can't compare academics to sports.
February 25th, 2013 at 7:24 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 8:07 PM ^
Saban: If you talk to other schools your offer is gone.
There are so many ways that a coach at a big university like that can exert undue influence of a child. There aren't a lot of stories out there about Saban being a kind-hearted individual. So I think it is rather safe to assume that he doesn't have the best interest of that kid in mind.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:33 PM ^
I feel like if this kid is getting scholarship offers from Alabama, I bet when he's in High School he'll have a lot of other offers to fall back on
February 26th, 2013 at 10:13 AM ^
a 13 year math prodigy knows that he is smart, and having known a bunch of them when I was in middle and high school, and having worked with many of them in math team and other activities, I can tell you that schools know what they are getting.
There is a big difference between a math genius at 13 that may already been doing college level math (or beyond) than a 13 year old DE who has to go against other 13 year olds, rather than high school OL or college level.
February 25th, 2013 at 7:04 PM ^
Georgia has a kid in the 2014 class who committed in July before his Freshman year of high school.
February 25th, 2013 at 7:47 PM ^
Damn, I was 98 pounds in 8th grade.
February 25th, 2013 at 7:56 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 8:53 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 8:43 AM ^
Here is the opening of NCAA Bylaw 13.02.12 -
"A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally"
The next Bylaw essentially states that the recruitment of someone fitting the above description can be accomplished through the family or relatives of the prospective student-athlete as well.
February 25th, 2013 at 9:30 PM ^
I heard that on his visit, some Alabama co-eds showed him their bra strap, the kid committed on the spot
February 25th, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^
This is the perfect example of why an earlier signing period is NOT needed. It will just add to the lunacy of offering kids that are way to early to project.
February 25th, 2013 at 10:47 PM ^
and offered on the spot
February 25th, 2013 at 11:27 PM ^
February 25th, 2013 at 11:33 PM ^
That's just dumb. For basketball, or soccer, or tennis you can make good projections from an 8th graders skill. With football you regularly have to take junior production and film with a grain of salt, and many 5-star and even top-10 seniors fizzle out at the next level. I guess he just wants Alabama to be more like USC.
February 26th, 2013 at 3:59 AM ^
Not sure why so many people's panties are in such a bunch about this.
It's a genius move really if he turns out to be a huge prospect to say hey we were there back when you were in 8th grade we knew how good you were then. If he doesn't turn out to be anything special they pull the offer in 3 years he goes somewhere else no harm done.
It's not like he's taking official visits to Bama or being shown a "good time" by the current Bama players and I doubt Saban's blowing up the kid's phone every day. That would be something to have a big problem with.
This is much more symbolic gesture than anything else and most of you would be lauding Hoke if he did this to someone that shows as much talent as this kid so young.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:37 AM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 8:24 AM ^
I sort of agree. If this kid was some kind of intellectual prodigy and was finishing high school early and colleges were clamoring to offer him an academic scholarship, nobody would have anything to say about it.
If Nick Saban wants to waste his time and Alabama's money recruiting 13 year olds, go for it.
February 26th, 2013 at 9:08 AM ^
Sorry for any formatting issues.