Michigan over-signing?
Since Brian was one of the main bloggers to call attention to Saban's oversigning, I'd be curious about what you think the "ethical" thing to do at this point would be.
As you say, with the Florida kids and the kicker, we will have one more commitment than we have scholarship spots. You point out Winston, the additional Florida kids, and (maybe?) a DE that may be committing in the class. Would it be "ethical" for Rich Rodriguez to continue to recruit kids he's not sure will have space for a scholarship? I understand that these are verbals now, and aren't binding, but what happens if we gain commitments from Hawthorne, Smith, Jackson, Winston, Roh, a kicker, and either Hadley or Teague? That puts us with 5 more verbals than we have scholarships.
What happens if, in February, we only have 2 kids leave the team? Does RR call 3 kids and tell them "tough shit"? Would that be "ethical"? Is it just a race, and the three last kids to sign have to go elsewhere? Wouldn't signing more kids, right now, essentially be "hoping" that we have a certain level of attrition...which is exactly the charge levied against Saban?
I understand that this is a hypothetical, but I wonder if the situation (a potential to not have scholarships for everyone) would hurt on the recruiting trail?
August 4th, 2008 at 12:39 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:39 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:43 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:44 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:45 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:48 PM ^
BlueSeoul - if you go here: http://mgoblog.com/content/michigan-depth-chart-class-0
And just count up the people that have eligibility next year, we have 17 spots. Now, people may leave early, people may get hurt, scrubs may not use a 5th year, whatever.
MGoObes - the questions is, really, if Brian thinks it would ethical to take more commitments than we knowlingly have spots for, seeing as we're about to do it. It's one think to take commitments now, when we have no idea how many spots will open up, than it is in February - when, theoretically, spots already have.
BSB - I agree, it has the "potential" to get ugly - I don't think it is. I'm really only asking it as a hypothetical, given Brian's stance on Alabama.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:47 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:48 PM ^
August 4th, 2008 at 12:58 PM ^
Early enrollment won't help us. Theoretically speaking, you can sign 25 players a year for 5 straight years, redshirting each freshman class and end up with a total of 125 players.
The NCAA sets the school limit at 85 scholarship players total/25 incoming freshman a year. Early enrollment helps when you sign 27 and need to be at 25 for a given class, 2 can early enroll and count towards the previous class (if it wasn't already at the limit)
Rush N Attack, I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. I'm not saying we're doing the same thing as Alabama.
I was curious if Brian thought that offering a significant number more scholarsips than we knowingly have is ethical. I know his stance on over SIGNING.
And he answered the questions. Case closed.
I do have a problem with pushing kids out the door after 4 years, especially in cases where a player might have been set on a slower academic path and would not be on pace to graduate in 4 years. I don't have a problem with informing kids that they probably won't see the field if they come back, and allowing them to decide to leave as a result, but I do have some moral issues with pushing a kid out the door or not offering a fifth year; the certainty of the fifth year, IMO, is a fair price to pay for asking a player to take a redshirt season in the first place. Taking a redshirt season is an investment that, IMO, is a two-way street.
Other than that, the posters above have it right: Verbal committment =/= Letter of intent. If RRod actually *oversigns*, or if there are indications that he will do so, then we revisit the subject.
Just speculation here, but they would have to be on an extremely slow academic plan not to graduate in 4 years. Consider that the vast majority are in LSA, which is a 120 credit program. Walking in the door with 0 AP or transfer credit means 8 semesters at 15 credits per, or 10 semesters at 12 credits per.
If you were to take into account most players taking spring + summer term classe, 3 credits each in spring and summer means they take 30 credits a year (12 + 12 + 3 + 3) for 4 years. This of course is assuming that they don't fail a ton of classes, which is entirely likely but would also make them ineligible. Once again assuming, most 5th year seniors that get renewed probably work in a Leinart type style where they aren't full time students and need something like Ballroom dancing so that they don't graduate but don't actually have a difficult class.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:33 PM ^
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