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Friday, April 18, 2008
Saban not fond of new recruiting rule
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The SEC coaches met with the media by conference call on Thursday to talk about spring practice and other issues related to next season. I’ll be doing a complete spring wrapup at the end of the month, but here are a few interesting tidbits that came out of the call.
1. Saban does not like new recruiting rule: Alabama coach Nick Saban is very much a hands-on recruiter. So he does not like the new rule that prohibits head coaches from visiting high schools during the May recruiting period. The change was put into place because it was becoming more difficult to enforce the rules that kept head coaches from having direct contact with the recruits. Head coaches could “bump” into the recruit during the visit but they could not carry on a conversation. “It’s ridiculous that we’re doing what we’re doing,” Saban said. “We put ourselves at a tremendous disadvantage.” Saban was asked this new rule was directed at him. Saban is known in coaching circles as a very aggressive recruiter. “I’d rather not answer that,” he said. “Everybody can draw their own conclusions.”
2. Tim Tebow can improve: Florida coach Urban Meyer said a good bit of the spring was spent trying to get Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, to stay in the pocket more and not run as soon as he feels defensive pressure. “He’s one of the best players of our era but he most improve his ability to play in the pocket,” Meyer said. Meyer also said he had to be talked into letting the ESPN cameras set up at last Saturday’s spring game. But he also conceded that it never hurts recruiting for the world to see 60,000 people at Florida’s spring game.
3. The HBC will still call some plays: South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said he will turn some of the play calling duties over to Steve Spurrier, Jr., but that he will still be the offensive coordinator. “I just think it (not calling all the plays) does free you up during the week,” Spurrier said. “I’m going to try to help the entire offense and the entire team.” Spurrier said he was spending too much of his time writing down plays while the rest of his offensive assistants watched. “I’m still going to have my input in the play calling,” he said.
4. Auburn will be running more plays. A lot more plays. Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville rolled the dice last December before the Chick-fil-A Bowl when he hired Tony Franklin to install the spread offense. “About an hour before the game I was nervous wondering if it was going to work,” Tuberville said. Then Tuberville saw the results. In 12 regular season games Auburn averaged about 67 plays. Auburn ran 90 plays in beating Clemson 23-20 in overtime. “This is a league that is built on defensive players, a solid kicking game and some skilled players on offense,” Tuberville said. “The last few seasons we haven’t been able to recruit those skill players. This is an offense that gives those kinds of players opportunities. It will be a little easier to recruit to.”
5. Watch UK’s Trevard Lindley: Last season Kentucky had some of the league’s best players on offense. This season the Wildcats will have to lean on their defense until the offense grows up. Coach Rich Brooks said it is time for people in this league to notice cornerback Trevard Lindley of Hiram. “He is as good as anybody in the country,” Brooks said. “And he will be even better this year. He just has a knack for making plays.” Lindley, a 6-0, 175-pound junior, intercepted three passes, broke up 11, and caused two fumbles in 2007. He returned one of those fumbles 66 yards for a touchdown in an upset win over Arkansas.
