In light of this exchange (h/t Oversigning.com),
Q: Will the SEC re-examine its rule, which has now become an NCAA rule, setting a limit of 28 football signees per class? Do you believe it has adequately addressed the issue of oversigning or does it need to be toughened, possibly even looking to the Big Ten model (which allows its football programs to sign only three over the number of scholarships it has available under the 85 limit)?
A: I don’t think there’s any particular model out there that we would care to emulate, but we’re going to take a look at all these issues. It’s more than just the question of oversigning. It’s a question of looking at all these issues that comprise how teams develop their ultimate roster. We have put together a group of our athletic directors who have been working on this now for several months and we anticipate looking at their report in Destin, when we do our business. We expect the First Amendment to be alive and well in Destin and I actually anticipate that we would do something more than we have done up to now.
There are a lot of things that go with it — the question of oversigning, the question of grayshirting, the question of early admission, the question of pre-enrollment in summer school. We are working to take a very comprehensive look at all the different elements, not just the one issue of oversigning.
… I think it’s time for another poll. I’m curious how many of you share my cynicism about what’s likely to come out of the Destin meetings.
As always, your comments are welcomed.
Get The Picture 
Foley and McGarity: “Seriously guys, we need to get tougher with this.”
Everyone from the west: “SCOREBOARD!”
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+1,000,000,000
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The Gamecocks will petition that SEC Westers share their oversigning & medical “hardship” secrets with the rest of the conference.
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with the likely outcome being that Jimmy Sexton, speaking on behalf of all SEC West head coaches who put food on his family, will summarily deny the petition based on trade secret, FERPA and HIPAA grounds
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Why would the conference make a substantial change anyway? Due to media pressure? Please. Due to Beg Ten pressure? Please. The truth is, at this time, our conference is seeing unprecedented success. Whether or not oversigning is a major part of that success is moot. At this time, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Why would the conference make any change that they do not have to make, that, oh by the way, may limit our competitive advantage? I don’t see any TRUE change being made at all.
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Because it’s the right thing to do, and the Southeastern Conference wants to do the right thing, regardless of the effect on winning. *snicker*
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Yeah, but this is one that I think is both an issue of competitive balance within the conference (what the Big Legends do is up to them IMO) and fairness to the kids that can be changed. Kicking a kid out of the dorm in August is both really bad morally AND for PR which does mean something to everyone involved.
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“within the conference”, “fairness”, “morally”, and “PR”. All very good points. I mean, am I the only Georgia fan who walks away from Internet sites about oversigning and the SEC with the sticky goo of someone else’s tar brushed all over me?
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I thought it was JD Shellnutt who was the chief of police?
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He’s my brother.
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I done told you, the law’s on my side.
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I hope the commissioner forces through something similar to (but not necessarily a copy of) the Big Ten’s policy. Since it’s in 3/4ths of the athletic directors’ best interests to retain their competitive advantage, I don’t think anything of substance will happen.
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Agreed. I think Slive’s pretty much tipped his hand with the mention of that ADs’ report.
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Is Slive in the athletic directors’ thrall? He can talk about getting the report from the ADs and gaining additional insight and synergizing synergies and whatnot, but it’s obvious that the various methods of “roster management” are by and large harmful to the student-athlete. I do have respect for the man, and I would understand if he’s powerless to make changes without the athletic directors’ consent, but he could still voice his own opinion on the matter.
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I wouldn’t say he’s “in thrall”. But I would say he’s good at taking people’s temperatures.
I’ve felt all along that there wasn’t a majority of SEC ADs pushing for changes. And it’s not like Slive hasn’t handled Machen and his proposals before.
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Unlike you, Mike, I have no respect for the man. He’s as crooked as a dog’s hind leg and nothing will change except for window dressing.
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I think they will study the problem, they adjurn poolside for a drink. They will do nothing. Don’t want to rock the boat, you know.
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Hard to say, but I suspect the schools who practice oversigning, and who have a competitive advantage because they exploit the rules to the fullest extent, will not want to change the way it is now.
And that is the majority of the SEC.
That would be the SEC West schools and South Carolina. They would like to keep their advantage, so they can keep signing 4 classes to every 3 of schools like Georgia and Florida, sifting through another class every 4 years or so to see who sticks.
You can correct a lot of recruiting mistakes that way, for one thing.
~~~
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