DESTIN, Fla. — Something is going to happen regarding over-signing and the SEC’s new “roster management” proposals for football this week. But exactly what, nobody is sure just yet.
According to South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, the league’s football coaches took a 12-0 vote to the conference athletic directors Wednesday afternoon to keep at 28 the number of players schools can sign on national signing day. But whether the ADs will forward their recommendation or the presidents accept it when they vote Friday is unknown.
“Nobody really knows, there are so many ideas and options out there,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said following Wednesday’s meetings. “We don’t know exactly what’s going to be taken. The presidents don’t meet until tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll have some conversations with them. But you couldn’t leave that meeting and say this is the way the straw votes went.”
That was news to Spurrier.
“Oh yes, coaches are 12-0 for the 28,” he said. “I don’t think the presidents are, but that’s OK. I don’t know, they’ll make the final call.”
Georgia coach Mark Richt in the past indicated he was in favor of rules that would curtail over-signing. But he was cryptic about what the tone of Wednesday’s discussions. “I’m not making any comments as far as any vote or anything,” he said shortly after leaving the meeting. “I’ll just say that we have a very good discussion. We were very clear as to what we would like to see and what would give them some mechanisms to make sure that everything is done in a proper way.”
Alabama coach Nick Saban lashed out at media as he left the AD’s meeting early, a possible indication he expects change. “What’s the problem with 28?” he snapped. “Y’all are creating a bad problem for everybody. You’re going to mess up the kids getting opportunities by doing what you’re doing. You think you’re going to help them, but you’re really hurting them.”
Eliminating divisions
The ADs accepted the men’s basketball coaches’ recommendation that divisional play be eliminated and the SEC tournament be seeded 1 through 12. The league’s presidents still need to vote on the recommendation Friday before it’s official.
“If [the presidents] approve it, we want to go 1 through 12,” said Georgia coach Mark Fox, who voted for the change. “We have to come up with tiebreakers and everything else, but the seeing will be based on conference record. It wasn’t unanimous, but I think everybody is confident that this was the best thing for the league.”
However, since the 2011-12 schedules are already set, they will still play a divisional schedule this season. But the standings will be listed one through 12 and no divisional champion will be crowned.
Paying players
The most surprising news Wednesday was Spurrier’s announcement that he had proposed to the SEC that football coaches be allowed to pay their players a “game bonus” of $300 per game during the season.
“They can give it to their parents for travel, lodging, meals. Maybe they could take their girlfriend out Sunday night or Saturday night and so forth,” Spurrier said. “A bunch of our coaches felt so strongly about it that we’d be willing to pay. Seventy guys, 300 bucks a game. That’s only $21,000 bucks a game.
“I doubt it will get passed. But as coaches, we make all the money, as do universities and television, and we need to give more to our players. That was just something we need to get out there.”
Generally, Spurrier’s proposal was not taken seriously. But his gesture was appreciated.
“The spirit of wanting to get more financial help for our players is unanimous,” said Richt, who didn’t sign the proposal. “But how to go about it, I’m saying that wouldn’t necessarily be the best way to do it. I didn’t sign it because I didn’t want to say that’s how I felt was the best way to get it done.”
