DESTIN, Fla. — Georgia football coach Mark Richt was obviously uncomfortable with being portrayed as the face of opposition against over-signing, and Houston Nutt is equally uncomfortable being called the face for it.
Nonetheless, their opposing philosophies were getting a lot of media attention here at the SEC Spring Meetings as coaches and administrators entered the first day of debate over whether to introduce new legislation aimed at curbing the practice.
Richt indicated too much had been about his comments at a recent Bulldog Club meeting in which he was critical of the practice of over-signing.
“I’ve never accused anybody of anything,” Richt said when he met with media before Tuesday afternoon’s meetings. “First of all, I think everybody should have a right to manage their own numbers. All I’ve said is if you sign 25 guys and there’s only room 20 and after summer you have to tell two or three of them they have to wait until January and they’re shocked about it, I don’t think that’s right. That’s all I’ve ever.”
Nutt is generally blamed for bringing attention to the issue when he signed 37 players at Ole Miss in 2009. He took exception to being called “the poster child for over-signing” by one reporter Tuesday.
“I think that’s unfair,” Nutt said. “I get a lot of credit for that. But if you do your research you’ll find that was the only time I did that. I didn’t have any problem with the 28.”
SEC football coaches and athletic directors are discussing a “roster management package” that could place further limitations on signing practices and while also addressing “grayshirting,” early enrollment and medical disqualifications. Just last year the SEC adopted a rule limiting to 28 the total number a school could sign.
“In my opinion it worked,” said Auburn coach Gene Chizik, whose team won the 2010 BCS championship. “I’m very comfortable where it is now. For us to turn around a year later and talk about changing again, I have my doubts about us having given it enough time to see whether it’s worked or not.”
Said Tennessee coach Derek Dooley: “Obviously that’s been the big talk the last couple of week. But, like any piece of legislation, I think we have to be careful not to get caught up in the frenzy and over-legislate.”
Coaches and ADs won’t vote on the package until Wednesday.
Basketball divisions examined
There is strong consideration this year not only to change the seeding format for the SEC men’s basketball tournament, but also for eliminating East-West divisions. There is also talk of expanding the conference schedule to 18 games.
Georgia coach Mark Fox was measured about his personal views, but believes change is imminent. “I think we have to look very hard at going away from being in divisions,” he said. “Two years in a row our Western Division champion was left out of the NCAA tournament. I’m not saying we have to have change, but I think it will happen.”
The coaches voted 6-6 on eliminating divisions for the SEC tournament last year. Florida coach Billy Donovan is a proponent of keeping divisions, but seeding the tournament based on RPI.
Etc.
Richt said the Bulldogs were fully aware that 2011 signee Chris Mayes, a defensive tackle out of Spalding High School, would not qualify and would have to go to junior college. He does not expect any other casualties from the 2011 signing class. “They’re all in the fight,” he said of achieving freshman eligibility. ... Chizik on defending the BCS championship in 2011: “January 10th is so far in the rearview mirror for us it’s gone. We’re not returning a lot of guys that started on last year’s team. But the guys we have are excited and passionate about trying to do it again.”
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