The NCAA has again bowed to the SEC and ACC out of fear over Harbaugh and Meyer coming south and grabbing athletes. A Committee voted 6 to 4 (each football conference gets a vote) to prohibit football camps from being conducted away from campus AND prohibited coaches from other schools from attending other school's camp. That means that Hop can hold camps in Hattiesburg, but can't send coaches to the Alabama State camp like in the past. This was advocated by the SEC to keep Harbaugh and Meyer from holding camps in the south or from attending camps of other southern schools where they might see a kid who couldn't afford to pay to go to a Michigan or OSU camp. The vote was SEC, ACC, Pac12, Big12, SunBelt and MWC for with the Big 10, AAC, MAC and CUSA voting NO.
This only hurts players who want to be seen by programs outside their geographic area. For example, suppose a kid from Raleigh, Ms comes to a USM camp. He is good but USM doesn't have a need at that position of he is just a little below the talent USM is looking for. In the past, a MAC coach or SunBelt coach could be there and he might catch their eye. Or substitute OM for USM. A kid is good but not the so called SEC Pad lelvel. He could be seen by a SunBelt or MAC or AAC coach and get recruited by them. Now, unless that kid has the resources to travel to other camps (I.e. Money) he doesn't get seen.
Thank you NCAA. Where is the best interest of the student athlete in this.
Quick Hits: Nick Mullens by Lanny Mixon, on Flickr
