OT-ish: Saban using former players for practice squad
So...this just seems so outside of the rules, considering former players cannot even speak with recruits..but apparently he has cleared it with the SEC and the NCAA. He has brought back Blake Sims, Trent Richardson, and Parker Wilson.
Personally, I love the idea, (and would love to former players having a chance to come back and improve the current players) but I think we all know if Harbaugh did this, Sankey would salt the earth and the collective ESPN mind(s) would lose it.
EDIT: Source added.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:23 AM ^
Source?
November 8th, 2016 at 8:24 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 8:31 AM ^
You had a practice squad in high school?
November 8th, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
I'm pretty sure that is against MHSAA rules as well. Not positive but I remember this being a big deal that was brought up after the Div. 8 state championship a few years back when the winning coach admitted to bringing back guys.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:03 AM ^
Not to mention the assumption that guys are in good enough condition to give a decent look.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:13 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 3:56 PM ^
go green?
November 8th, 2016 at 8:28 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
Brady and Woodson are on our practice team next spring.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:31 AM ^
Never OT for a team we are going to play this year.
WE WANT BAMA!
November 8th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 8:31 AM ^
I'm betting that most of our former players have jobs and such.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
One of the tradeoffs of using former players is that it is taking development time away from current players. For example, the practice squad is where the Glasgows had the opportunity to make an impact and earn playing time.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:12 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 8:31 AM ^
Blake Sims was on Game Day when they played Ole Miss or TAMU talking about how he was preparing the team for the opposing team's QB all week.
I'm with the OP, I like the idea of it, but if we did it they'd instantly bitch.
As soon as we had Charles Woodson playing a few snaps at scout team JT Barrett on a Friday when recruits are around it would be national news.
Tom Brady, Denard, Funchess, etc.
Anytime someone had a bye week we'd have them getting reps as scout team. Then think about all of the guys who are good players but aren't in the NFL. DG, Gallon, Roundtree, etc.
It'd get out of hand real quick, we could make a whole alumni team.
Make one for MSU and one for OSU...then during those weeks of practice we go up against the alumni scout team that's been studying our rivals all year.
Go crazy with it.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:04 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
That made me nearly spit out my coffee laughing
November 8th, 2016 at 9:34 AM ^
I'm with the OP, I like the idea of it, but if we did it they'd instantly bitch.
So you wouldn't do it? You'd scrap the idea because "they" would complain?
November 8th, 2016 at 10:41 AM ^
Who said that?
November 8th, 2016 at 8:35 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 8:38 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
what happens if they hurt a player....
November 8th, 2016 at 9:06 AM ^
It is pretty well documented that guys are the scout team for women's basketball teams.
A few years ago the Texas Tech coach considered suiting up and playing in his teams spring practice as a QB.
Bringing guys back would seem to fall under the category of allowed becaused there is no specific rule against it.
November 8th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
I had some friends that were guys on the scout team for the U of M women's basketball team, but I was under the impression that you had to be a student to do that, which seems like what the NCAA should logically have as a rule, but apparently that isn't true at the moment. Coaches might fall in a different category too because they are directly involved in practice anyway, so if Harbaugh wanted to be scout team QB, and I'm sure he has at some point, he can within a practice.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:15 PM ^
24, I was dating a girl at Randolph Macon, and would scrimmage against the girls team at the end of their practices. I've also played 7 on 7 with various flag football teams against high school teams skill guys. But with the NCAA being so restrictive, I applaud Saban for finding the loophole.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:21 AM ^
If Harbaugh were to bring Tom Brady & Charles Woodson back to be on the 'practice squad' it would be banned within a month
November 8th, 2016 at 12:15 PM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 4:12 PM ^
look at what organization we're talking about here. The NCAA rulebooks are loaded with stupid, head-scratching rules. They're a very poorly-run organization that seems to lack professional processes and decision-making. So, many of these dumb rules were likely backroom, good 'ole boy deals for specific member schools and have been on the books ever since.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:39 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 8:41 AM ^
Sounds stupid.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:56 AM ^
You sound stupid.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:11 AM ^
And you need a haircut.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 9:01 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 9:03 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^
Well, as someone who worked at one of Trump's golf courses years ago I can tell you that this is certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. Like it or not... also, NO POLITICS ESPECIALLY TODAY!!!
November 8th, 2016 at 8:56 AM ^
What a phenomenal idea. We should steal this ASAP.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 9:02 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^
He'd be in an "Ohio State" uniform.
I don't think I could handle that.
November 8th, 2016 at 5:33 PM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 9:03 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
The payment aspect would seem to be fishy to me.
I can see players who are currently free agents wanting to stay in football shape and get some live reps doing it on a voluntary basis.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:19 AM ^
Sort of seems like a good idea, but then you get players going to a school because they know that afterwards they'll have a $100,000 a year job playing on the practice squad if they don't make a pro team. I suppose it is the same as guys taking assistant coaching jobs, but it seems like a back door to some shady payouts, and an unfair advantage for bigger schools who can afford to do it. That said, it would be cool to have the former players around.
I also wonder about it being demoralizing. The hero of the program is hanging around after college playing on a practice squad without other options.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:29 AM ^
To be clear I doubt these guys are getting compensated in cash, that would probably be a violation.
I'm sure their compensation could be viewed as live football reps during a time when they otherwise wouldn't be playing real football. You could get film for your agent. You could have NFL scouts come and see you in live drills. The benefits are there.
November 8th, 2016 at 10:25 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
A naive faith that if Alabama asked to pay former players to come be on the scout team the NCAA wouldn't have approved it.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:05 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
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