That this is even a question (okay, series of questions) summarizes the current sad state of affairs otherwise known as transfer rules.
What are the rules for other teams to recruit your walk-on players? With Stetson Bennett potentially leaving UGA how does a walk-on player like him see what options he has available with other programs? Are other schools able to actively reach out to him to gauge his interest and offer him a scholarship? Can we put restrictions on where he potentially transfers (i.e. not within the SEC)?
Stetson Bennett is a walk-on. He has no scholarship. He signed no national letter of intent. The carrot Kirby Smart offered to entice him to stick around Athens another year was the mere possibility of a future scholarship.
In short, the school owes Bennett nothing. And yet…
According to Will Lawler, UGA’s director of compliance, “another institution would have to receive permission to contact a walk-on student-athlete who has enrolled at UGA before making contact.” Lawler said there is more flexibility to contact potential walk-ons without permission prior to enrollment.
Also, there was this interesting caveat, which may apply to Bennett: “Generally speaking, a football transfer student-athlete would have to serve a year in residence if he transfers to another FBS institution unless he meets an exception to permit immediate eligibility. Exceptions are fact-specific and depend on a number of factors that must be evaluated by and in the context of the future institution (e.g., recruited status, participation in practice, sponsorship of sport, and many more).”
The tl;dr version of that? For all intents and purposes, minus Georgia’s consent, if Bennett transfers to another D-1 school, he’s treated as a walk-on about the same way he’d be if he were a star player on scholarship. “Generally speaking”, in other words, he’s just as fucked.
And some of you think I complain about this stuff too much. Jeebus.
Get The Picture 
Didn’t Baker Mayfield run onto something similar to this? I agree, it’s ridiculous.
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Baker was restricted from transferring in-conference. There has been no information that this has occurred with Stetson. It’s likely that he did not get SEC transfer options.
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For Stetson, football at UGA was an extracurricular activity. Why he has to be subject to the National Corrupt Athletic Association’s transfer rules is beyond me.
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Trade off for getting access to better looking girls on campus?
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Well played
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I don’t think you complain about it too much. I don’t think it’s possible to complain about it too much. It is complete and total bullshit. The guy didn’t sign a piece of paper, he owes UGA nothing. If Kirby has an ounce of honor he will say loud and clear that anybody can talk to Bennett and Bennett can go wherever he wants. Fuck the NCAA.
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No matter which angle I try to look at this, it just ain’t right. Stetson was fully committed to the team as a walk-on but the team not to him, in the sense that he didn’t have a scholarship. Now, Stetson likely has to abide by scholly rules. And I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if the “can’t play in-conference” rule comes up. Will be interesting to see CKS’s take on this. At least sitting out a year will allow him to adjust academically….
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I don’t see him transferring to an SEC school, so I don’t think this will be the test case.
I think he ends up at an FCS school to play immediately. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Statesboro.
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GA Southern is a FBS school now. He’d have to sit out a year.
I don’t believe there is a FCS program in Georgia anymore. Everybody is FBS or DII/DIII/NAIA.
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Mercer and Kennesaw are both FCS if I remember correctly, but yes, I was aware GSU had stepped up to the Sun Belt (dumb move if you ask me for both them and App State).
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Mercer, Kennesaw State, and Savannah State are all FCS.
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Forgot about SSU
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Tech’s an FBS school? Huh…
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Kennesaw State would be a really good option for Stetson Bennett. The place has been brought along right–with a winning tradition–and he could really help them, too. The Owls made it to the playoffs this year and won a couple of games. I’m betting KSU wins a nattie in the FCS within 5 years. KSU has become one of the top party schools in the South. Plus, terrifically good looking women at KSU.
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I thought KSU runs the triple option.
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How does this situation continue to exist? It’s a poor reflection of the legal community that they can’t break this legalized servitude the ncaa and schools enjoy.
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The Georgia Way……………just more of the same shit. Although this is the NCAA way as well We should be better
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I think some just think you complain too much in general. This was the most fun season in a long time but you seem to spend a lot of time on lawsuits, the AD, how you are a wallet, etc. and a much smaller percentage on actual football. I suggest people just stop reading or stop complaining about the complainer. Not like anyone is forced to read this or any other blog.
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I had to take a minute and check, but as of today, there are 9421 posts on this blog about Georgia football. Not sure there are too many other blogs out there that can make a similar claim.
It’s the offseason.
Serious question — what would you like to see me post about here?
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Personally I would not mind seeing a little more on the Olympic sports but as this is just a football blog then I would like to see more on what the teams we are playing are up too. However, pretty sure at that point I would have to actually start paying you money. Another alternative is less posting regarding deceased equines, but then that just gets back to people can just skip reading it.
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I’ve posted stuff about LSU and Missouri in the past couple of weeks. There’s been a good bit about Tennessee, Florida, too.
Have no fear — Steele will be out in a few weeks and I’ll be able to do some diving into what’s ahead on Georgia’s schedule. No charge for that, either. 🙂
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If it makes you feel better I am indirectly paying you as I probably lose an hour a day of work. I have not yet found a client I can bill for reading here. I seriously need to up my marketing game!
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I could always try to do a post a week on something relevant to your line of work. 😉
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Lol. I like where your head is at on this one!!
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I generally support the transfer rules but have to say, with no scholarship involved from UGA, I don’t think he should be restricted the same as the scholarship rules. I wouldn’t have an issue if he couldn’t transfer to a team on UGA’s schedule, bit feel he should not have to sit a year. I thought he was going JUCO year one, but that may have changed.
Given the glowing reports on him in practice, that may not be a bad avenue for him as he could get his stock up by playing well for one year and land a spot on a bigger name school’s roster the following year. Unlikely he would get an opportunity like that with no playing film in college. Wish him well, seems like a well adjusted young man with enough talent to deserve a shot at seeing what he can accomplish.
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The JUCO route is the way most of the top players who transferred have gone in the past.
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let him go where he wants-no penalty. However, that would give him way too much control of his own life. And that can not be allowed.
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Wow – I had no clue and just assumed that Stetson could go anywhere he wanted given he was not on scolly. This is akin to doing some intern work as a summer gig, and the next thing you know you’re slapped with a non-compete and are restricted from working elsewhere after learning that firm doesn’t have a paid position available for you. I mean, it really is the exact same thing.
But alas, the NCAA is all about student athletes, as I’m constantly reminded in their commercials, so surely they are doing what’s best.
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It just means more.
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