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 10:22 AM ^
This staffer didn't do a great job because CAL actually did this at the start of the season. Marshawn Lynch took snaps at scout team RB when the team played in Australia.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000689589/article/marshawn-lynch-t…
November 8th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
I'm not saying it's not a great idea, but considering the stupid shit that is against NCAA rules, I can't imagine this being ok.
Would love to see Harbaugh have Tom Brady running the practice squad with a red jersey on.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:13 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 9:16 AM ^
Don't worry, once Harbaugh starts doing it, it will be deemed a terrible thing and soon banned by the NCAA.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:21 PM ^
You bring up a good point: If there is something out there Harbaugh does not like, he just needs to do it himself for a week.
It will be banned instantly.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:13 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^
Your worried about whether former players are paid when the NCAA doesn't seem to care a lot about some larger programs paying current players/recruits?
November 8th, 2016 at 2:36 PM ^
Relax, I'm not worried. It was just a curious question. I know you can't pay current players, but wondered if you could pay former ones who are coming back to basically do play with the team without actually playing in games.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:14 AM ^
Not sure that Trent Richardson is the guy you want to be learning from...
November 8th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 9:15 AM ^
I mean -- if this is legal, there is no excuse not to use it. Get everyone not currently on an NFL roster who is still in game shape back to Ann Arbor asap.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:17 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 9:22 AM ^
Well, most of Alabama's dominance over the years has been their offensive and defensive line play. How well they play in the league can't stand out as much as skill players.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:25 AM ^
There are almost 1700 people on active NFL rosters. You could say the same thing about any school.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
as much as they HAVE talent. Compared to their recruiting they have underdeveloped defensive backs and quarterbacks to an almost criminal level. Running backs seem to underperform when they don't have the biggest players on the field blocking for them. And the lbs have difficulty when the best DL in cfb isn't keeping them free and clear.
They do Amari Cooper and Julio Jones (depsite being underused in college) so there's that...
November 8th, 2016 at 9:23 AM ^
Seems again like a slippery slope. But while it's within the rules, he has every right to do it.
My guess is they are coming back as "team managers", and that's the loophole. Team managers do a lot in practice to help as scout players, from actually playing in some sports, to just getting guys into the right spots as quickly as possible. This is throughout college sports, so any rule needs to make sure they aren't restricting other sports because football is finding a loophole (essentially the same concern that applies with the Spring Break Spring practice issue).
These guys aren't on the coaching staff, they aren't on the staff in another capacity. They can't coach. They don't have eligibility remaining. It's cool for the players. It's a cool idea to get your team to go up against guys that are reasonably quite good (although it causes you to lose some practice time for your players you still have). I get why they are doing it, and it's nice in a vacuum. But seems like a loophole that should likely be closed. I have no issue with guys coming back as often as possible and being present at practice or whatever else, but allowing them to suit up and act as pseudo-coaches on the field seems a bit much.
And for the record, I was also for more regulation on satellite camps. While I think they are a benefit, I think they are cool and agreed with Harbaugh doing it while it was within the rules, I'm not completely against restricting the number to something more reasonable (I think they went a bit far, but am not totally against where they ended up; just happy they still allow the camps to take place though).
November 8th, 2016 at 9:23 AM ^
BUT satellite camps are terrible for CFB!
November 8th, 2016 at 9:25 AM ^
In a vacuum, the players aren't really hurt by satellite camps or the use of former players on the practice squad, so why restrict it? And the reason behind it is because there comes a slippery slope that you want to prevent getting too before you actually get there. Both rightfully should have some regulation. Neither in a vacuum are necessarily bad for the players. But certainly you get to the point where it doesn't benefit the players/coaches and especially the smaller programs.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
I'll start by stating I don't think using former players as part of practice should be legal. That just seems ridiculous to me for many reasons.
I don't think satellite camps and what Saban is doing are similar issues at all. Satellite camps are designed to help high school kids improve at playing football and to provide exposure for high school kids in recruiting. Everything is focused on helping a high school kid. If anyone wants to argue satellite camps are only for college recruiting, fine, I think that is true for some coaches but not all.
What Saban is doing is using people no longer officially part of a college team (eligible player or paid coach) to actively take place in a team practice activiity. The only benefit of this situation is the school preparing for an opponent by using a resource that basically has nothing to do with the school now.
How this is legal, I have no idea. Does the rule state they have to be alumni? What if a coach complied a practice squad of all the best football players not currently in the NFL regardless of the school they attended. And then practiced against that squad every week. Does that sound like fair and balanced collegiate sport? Sounds like the NFL to me.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:26 AM ^
This is a great message for Alabama recruits. "Hey guys, here's our starting QB from two years ago and our Heisman-finalist RB from four years ago. They're here right now because they're both out of the NFL already!"
November 8th, 2016 at 9:33 AM ^
So it's not really a bad message to send recruits. You are telling them: look, if you don't make it in the NFL, you are still welcome back here and to be a part of the program and all that stuff. So it's not really a negative. Unless having Devin Gardner come back, Gallon come back, or any number of other Michigan players come back and be around the program would be considered "bad for recruiting", then I don't really see that as an issue for Alabama.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
this is something the NCAA will address this off-season or very soon.
November 8th, 2016 at 2:01 PM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 9:49 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 12:21 PM ^
this!
November 8th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
This is a cool idea. Harbaugh could bring in Denard to simulate Barrett, Woodson to simul...
Dammit NCAA
November 8th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^
this comment needs more upvotes, I enjoy the work you put into this. Kudos.
November 8th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 10:47 AM ^
You lost the force and now ur just a full-time prick. Well played
November 8th, 2016 at 10:56 AM ^
Gardner was the #5 QB coming out of college. You think half a dozen coaches and position changes didn't eff him up?
Gardner would have been a stud in the Harbaugh regime.
November 8th, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^
I don't mind them doing this if it is not against the rules. There is a trade-off however, as it takes time away from younger players getting reps. My first thought about this particular situation is that Trent Richardson can onlyimitate Ray Charles because Richardson has no vision.
See what I did there? [insert favorite Joker laugh (mine is Hamill or Ledger)]
November 8th, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
I don't see how this is a problem if basketball teams are allowed to do stuff like this. A lot of women's teams have practice squads of guys they play against in practice.
November 8th, 2016 at 10:17 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
he would cry foul. Instead, Harbaugh is a true competitior and would say, "Well done, just upset I didn't think of it first."
November 8th, 2016 at 10:21 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 10:35 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
I'm sure the other 5* guys are encouraged.
November 8th, 2016 at 11:12 AM ^
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November 8th, 2016 at 11:14 AM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^
Using this practice as some sort of back-handed criticism of Bama is silly and looks bad. What is says to recruits is that Saban is serious about preparing and winning, and that former players come around and care about the program. It doesnt say anything else.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:18 PM ^
It says they are Alabama "graduates" and don't have jobs.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^
when you take 5 star recruits and 1st round draft picks? And they are out of the league. Saban sells the NFL dream. A cursory glance will say hey these guys made it. A deeper look by a student evaluating colleges will reveal why a Trent Richardson didn't succeed in the NFL after being a top 5 pick. He had the best line, the best defense, and too many miles on him. He never had to learn new things to succeed. Same with their qb's. Easy to win with a clean pocket and 5 star receivers...and never leaving the warm weather. But how will you perform on the road in December in Green Bay and a ferocious pass rush? Alabama doesn't prepare them for that.
November 8th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
I don't buy the lack of preparation for NFL players; Alabama has the 5th-most players in the pros of anyone. Hell, MSU has 10 more than UM.
Richardson flaming out did surprise people, mostly because we didn't all realize that drafting an Alabama running back tends to be a crapshoot. But Alabama produces a bunch of pros, many of whom play for a long time on a slew of teams.
November 8th, 2016 at 11:16 AM ^
I mean, Richardson had the time.
But honestly, if this is cool with the NCAA, I think it's nice and quite useful. Imagine Denard coming back and helping UM prepare for OSU.
November 8th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
November 8th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^