Coach Harbaugh addresses schools hurting recruits by trying to protect their own turf RE: satellite camps

Submitted by Ahriman on

SI article regarding schools squeezing Michigan (and others) out of satellite camps to protect their own turf.

Good for Coach Harbaugh standing up for kids who can't stand up for themselves and calling out selfish schools who are hurting lesser known kids who may not have the resources to travel and won't be getting scholarships to top tier schools (especially the pricks in the SEC).

Here's the link:

https://www.si.com/college-football/2017/05/18/satellite-camps-lsu-louisiana-michigan-texas-blocked?xid=socialflow_twitter_sicr

Here are a couple of nice quotes:

“It’s definitely a strategy by several football factories to prevent competitors on their turf, the kids be darned,” Harbaugh said.

A staff member at one of the schools shut out of Louisiana summed it up this way: “The combination of LSU’s pressure and the new NCAA rules not being able to have camps at anything other than a college campus has hampered everything.”

Great job NCAA, glad you're looking out for the little guys and promoting what's best for student-athletes.

Wolfman

May 18th, 2017 at 11:12 PM ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/10/08/alabama-illegal-…

As if being home to an extremely high number of high schoolers who make up the rosters of many of the top P5 schools isn't enough, let's not take any chances that carelesness on our part could lead to fairness among schools throughout the nation, it's in our best interests to keep this unprecedented influence we hold within the ncaa governing branch firmly in place, and when possible, do all we can to increase it. 

The frickin entire nation is aware of it. Pete definitely is aware of it, yet he sees no harm in Saban having a transparent love affair with Emmert. Hell, the speed with which those two acted against Harbaugh epitomized the influence Saban has with the ncaa and that Emmert has in protecting his school of choice. In the brief time Harbaugh did have down there he more than proved Gus wrong and, personally, I only see an upside in offering a young man who is going to play at one of the elite P5 schools a decision on whether he wants it to be one that will allow him an opportunity to earn a degree that will furnish him a pathway toward meeting some of the most influential and powerful members of this nation's economy or one that will let him know, "You know we'll always be able to find you a job with one of the area's top high school programs to keep you involved in the game."  

Give these young men the opportunity to at least contemplate what other schools have to offer and imagine a future they never even considered as realistic. As OP said so damn correctly, the SEC has been great in taking care of the blacks who reside in their area of the country. It's only been forty years since Bear's interest in social justice prompted him to direct his assistants to find the best black players in the state. The fact it conicided with USC and Sam Cunningham handing Bama their ass was a mere coincidence. Undoubtedly, it was the speed in which Harbaugh was able to convince three "difference makers" from the heart of SEC country to come to Michigan that scared the shit out of them. Florida has always been open country, with the in-state coaches knowing full well there was so much talent within the boundaries of that state, losing a player here and there would never hurt them. But taking a couple from Bama, Ga, LA since its reemergence? Now that's a different story. 
 

ATC

May 19th, 2017 at 1:20 AM ^

The other guy was skinner.... anyway, of the two, I liked Tardani best....... his "blast with the past" articles were always enjoyable.... I remember the first one I read, it was about Coach Leo Redmond. btw, I'm not sure when the chronicle ended.... it went down after I'd been gone from the county n state. PS ....on another subject, do you know if the Fairfield that's coaching Muskegon is related to dusty Fairfield the gent that coached Ravenna?

Wolfman

May 19th, 2017 at 1:22 AM ^

to recall the first one you read. You did point out a very interesting time in high school football, however, especially as it pertained to the Muskegon area. Those coaches, Redmond, Okie, et. al., handled their duties for over three decades. Hell, Okie came out of retirement to coach Baldwin for a few games due to some administrative problems, possibly a teacher's strike in the 70s. Don't know if he won, but that is dedication to the sport. As soon as the football season ended, many of the area coaches headed for the gym to lead their respective basketball teams. 

I have thought often about why so many of the players of that era earned scholarships from around the nation, the best being offered by Michigan and ND even. But when you consider there were three schools, all Class A at the time, those coaches were fielding some excellent teams that had to draw attention. I recall reading about the greats of that era, Morrall, Grandelius and many others, and of course the Burton Brothers in basketball. Grandelius even landed the head coaching job at CO and offered the DC position to Okie who was over 60 years old then. Just imagine what Michigan could have done with both Burton brothers. As much as Doc seemed to love the academics, Ed seemed to make up for it by totally ignoring them, it seems. I do imagine it was intimidating though for opposing teams to line up against them on the gridiron in the 50s, with both TEs exceeding 6'6." As you obviously know, Ed took his talents to the Globetrotters where he met Wilt. I have to believe the two leading scorers from the 1956 or 57 mythical high school NCs would have taken MI a long way in post season play. 

Wolfman

May 19th, 2017 at 2:14 AM ^

Shane was a MCC kid who studied under Holmes and Ribecky, later Annese at Muskegon, thus his love affair with the option attack. Dusty was a qb at Puffer when they were down and got his start in football in TX. Both extremely bright young coaches when they got their first head coaching jobs in Muskegon area, but Dusty has about 4 more rings than Shane, who has none. But to be fair, when they squared off in the playoffs at the small school level - Dusty wouldn't listen to offers from any larger schools - it was one-sided in Shane's favor, like 65-7. Had he stayed at the smaller level, I'm certain he'd have more than his fair share and a couple of those losses in the state finals -2 out of 3 I believe- were decided on final plays. He'll get a few, I'm sure. 

ATC

May 19th, 2017 at 3:17 AM ^

Did you know Russ Damm? (He played RT on Michigans '32 team) anyway, I sat with him at a few Muskegon HS games as a kid..... he said he told Bo "....I told you so...." sometime after that Wisconsin game. Bennie Oosterbaan, who's family lived somewhere near Lakeside, was the reason he went to Michigan.... Mr. Damm said he had no choice (not that he wanted one) ...came home from school and his parents told him he's going to U-M ...they spoke with Bennie earlier in the day and trusted their former neighborhood kid. (Mr. Damm also was one helluva fisherman)

PopeLando

May 18th, 2017 at 6:31 PM ^

The key to pissing everyone off is if you're going to do it, make sure you're in the right. Harbaugh is in the right. Fuck the SEC.

Chuck Norris

May 18th, 2017 at 6:34 PM ^

"Great job NCAA, glad you're looking out for the little guys"

I understand your sentiment, but to be clear, we are in no way "the little guys." 

xtramelanin

May 18th, 2017 at 6:41 PM ^

he's not talking about michigan or P5 schools.  he is referring to the thousands of kids who would/will never ever have a chance to go to a camp like that and receive the attention and focus of some outstanding coaches.  he's talking about the 'little guys' that walk on at MAC schools or even JC's here and there.  

Blueblood2991

May 18th, 2017 at 6:48 PM ^

Obviously the kids are the ones who lose the most here, but that's already been discussed at length the past few years.

However, I also genuinely feel bad for Harbaugh here. I watched a few periscope videos of the camps last year, and I have never seen a grown man having so much fun running around a field doing drills.  Most coaches play golf or hump sharks to unwind, Harbaugh plays shirtless Peru Ball.

LDNfan

May 18th, 2017 at 7:01 PM ^

Its the dirty south so no surprise here. They have never really cared much for the poor blacks down there...just a semi-valued comodity on the field/court and much less than that off.

The Victors

May 18th, 2017 at 7:13 PM ^

He's definitely not wrong.

Heck, Coach O more or less admitted that was the exact reason they forced their way into the Louisiana camp, “Protecting the state of Louisiana is always going to be my job as the coach of LSU.”

East German Judge

May 18th, 2017 at 8:13 PM ^

....also these quotes are great...

Southeastern Louisiana coach Ron Roberts told SI, “I don’t think I’m going to be able to comment on any of that.” The school’s AD, Jay Artigues, said, “The only thing I can tell you on it, I know every decision we make is in the best interest of Southeastern Louisiana. I’m going to do what’s best for us.”

Blueblood2991

May 18th, 2017 at 8:30 PM ^

It's a breath of fresh air hearing Coach O being honest about it at least. Doesn't make it any less shitty, but I respect that he admits that it absolutely is about territory.

Nothing pissed me off more than Reverend Freeze being all sanctimonious about family time and Saban saying they were somehow bad for the kids.

Kewaga.

May 18th, 2017 at 8:36 PM ^

 

 

but this f**king pisses me off!  

 

Complete bullshit the SEC is....  Like you don't already have an inherent recruiting benefit to begin with and now you want to protect the Univeristy and their coaches that are making a killing at the expense of recruitis, many of which can not afford to travel to check out these other schools, who might be 2 -3 stars that could get a scholarship somewhere else, that would have a chance at a better education than the local SEC schools can offer....

 

 

Un F**king Conscionable!  I'm absolutely disgusted.  How you can sleep at night, I don't know.

FatGuyTouchdown

May 18th, 2017 at 8:02 PM ^

but according to the 24/7 composite, try and put these schools in order of their current recruiting rankings (WITHOUT LOOKING PLEASE):

Michigan State

Georgia

Cincinatti

Iowa State

Kansas

 

 

BIGBLUEWORLD

May 18th, 2017 at 8:09 PM ^

Letting high school athletes learn about opportunities is different geographical areas would definitely be for their benefit.

Most universities generate a certain amount of regional loyalty. If they don't, or if a school in another region offers advantages to the student, why would anyone in their right mind want to restrict that?

Afraid of competition? Just damn selfish? Corrupt?

This "SEC mindset" and their NCAA butt-kissers is bad for college football. It would be great if Warde Manuel, or better yet, several B1G AD's spoke out about this.

UM Griff

May 18th, 2017 at 8:31 PM ^

Shutting down opportunities for these kids to experience satellite camps is just terrible. They are not leaders of young men - they are self centered idiots.

BIGBLUEWORLD

May 18th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^

Your statement is an overly broad, groundless generalization. Of course, since you are a general, I guess you can't help over-generalizing.

A football coach is going to be competitive and try to win. Being a tough competitor and building a winning culture doesn't require an entire, corrupt culture of cheating and taking advantage of young athletes.

There are people like Bo Schembechler, John Wooden, Vince Lombardi, who are just much better coaches than the competition.

 

George Pickett

May 18th, 2017 at 10:19 PM ^

I didn't say winning requires a culture of taking advantage of athletes.  But I've watched enough college sports to know that both Harbaugh and the SEC are just trying to field the best football team.  The "think of the kids!" crap on both sides is annoying and extremely transparent.

CriticalFan

May 18th, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^

With Michigan at that camp, the top kids were getting offers to LSU or UM. The next tier was going to parlay an "offer" into a group of 5 scholarship. The rest get a day of great coaching. Without UM there, 1/2 the top tier goes to LSU (who only has so many scholarships for camp offer types), and the rest go play with Bobby Boucher at Southeast Louisiana State

Wolfman

May 19th, 2017 at 12:55 AM ^

You are putting all coaches in the same bubble and that is just not true in comparing Nick Saban or Mark Dantonio to a Jim Harbaugh. You furnish a pregame tape, please, of any other coach playing catch and getting himself fired up for the game like Harbaugh and I'll defer to your conclusion then. The man just has too damn much fun to be boxed with all the others. Hell, then he even talks about playing catch with the GOAT, "Yeah, he throws a pretty good ball."  Yeah Jim, I believe you. Oh he definitely cares about winning games; this I will not even argue, and if he didn't there is no doubt in my mind we wouldn't be calling him ours.' But if you cannot see that he manages to do the job as well as he does, finds time to piss all the other coaches off - now I know he enjoys that - and at the same time becomes immediate friends with most of the young men he's recruiting separates him by large measure from all the others you lump him with, then by the power of all your southern brethren who have preceeded you to the mighty confederacy in the sky, I will withdraw my saber from the scabbard that has protected it for over a century and a half, bow in a manner I imagine to be correct and hand it to you as a token of respect.

UNCWolverine

May 18th, 2017 at 10:40 PM ^

I have definitely heard of Andy Staples before this but he never really differentiated himself to me, or he was just another journalist. After watching that I will start to seek him out and consume his work. Cheers Andy, you have a new fan.

Go Blue.

DCmissingAnnArbor

May 18th, 2017 at 11:59 PM ^

It is crazy to me how so many SEC fans have bought into the narrative that Harbaugh's satellite camps were recruiting gone wrong. They are so biased they forget to ask "what is best for the kids." I posed that simple question to a passionate SEC friend, and he couldn't really respond. 

DCmissingAnnArbor

May 18th, 2017 at 11:59 PM ^

It is crazy to me how so many SEC fans have bought into the narrative that Harbaugh's satellite camps were recruiting gone wrong. They are so biased they forget to ask "what is best for the kids." I posed that simple question to a passionate SEC friend, and he couldn't really respond.