Making room for 35

[Sandvol]

gray shirts can not participate in football before 2015 spring so bring on 5 gray shirts is no help to 2014. it also reduces 2015 class by 5.

I will be shocked if he is able to convince 5 prospects to gray shirt..

It they come in under the Aug 1 rule then he'll have to lose more upper classmen to get to the 85-maybe up to 8.

 

[TVOL71]

As a Vol alumni, I hold my Alma Mater to a higher standard than allowing something classless like that to happen, you honor your commitments. Maybe some kids are told they arent tops on the depth chart, but you dont back out of your obligations. Im sorry your wife had that experience, thats awful, dishonest and lacks honor and those are all the reasons why that wont fly at UT.

An athletic scholarship has commitments both ways. The player commits to making his best effort to work toward the teams goals along with academics. There are usually some that do not try to perform their best because feel they are not treated or judged fairly by the coaches or for some other reason. If this is the case, the coaches and the University don't owe them anything. In some cases, however, some players may work hard but not have the talent, speed or other abilities to fit in to the system. In those cases, I hope the coaches can find a good fit for them somewhere. At any rate, this is the way it is in major college athletics.

 

[TVOL71]

Every competing SEC/Big 10/Big 12 coach to a recruit: "sure sign with UT, if you do not make the 2 deep, they will dump you" Mom/Dad/Grndma, what do you think about that type of commitment and loyalty to your son? [insert competing coaches letter of intent]

Probably while they are doing something similar to some of their other players.

 

[Sandvol]

This whole thing is very puzzling because even the NCAA has a 25 scholarship rule but you can back count and have early enrollee's if you were short of 25 the year before and were short of 85. I still don't see how he does it without having some players gray shirt. I'm sure UT's compliance office has attorneys who figure all this out. Why are we the ones who figured this out? I guess we'll learn.

 

[Boca Vol]

Well if they are that smart then they can get an academic scholarship.

You have never stepped foot on UT's campus, have you?

 

[OH-Vol]

Its time to cut the fat...

We need to fire all the fat people

 

[Vato]

What's crappy is being judged as a coach while trying to compete with players that you get stuck with. I expect BJ to do everything in his power to turn this program around and start winning. He doesn't have time to worry about hurting a few feelings along the way. Let me be clear, WIN, WIN, WIN, and do it FAST and within the rules.

I agree. If you work at a company and you can not carry your weight, you get fired. Why is college sports any different. You get paid a scholly to do your job. If you don't you get fired.

 

[LWSVOL]

It they come in under the Aug 1 rule then he'll have to lose more upper classmen to get to the 85-maybe up to 8.

I don't see 5 coming in as scholarship players in August that have not been recruited. we don't have 5 commitments on our list that we have not recruited so that isn't likely. its also not likely Butch is going to run off 8. if he does and plans to bring in recruits in August then you will see 8 leaving well before August. he will need to clear space before they arrive.

BTW, I don't believe "blue shirt" is an NCAA term. it is a term that was developed based on a process that New Mexico St pulled off. Which it is easy for a school of that caliber to find a player they have not recruited and put him on scholarship in August. those type players are not recruited by many schools

 

[tenntex67]

I can't believe that some people are all up in arms over this. Butch was hired to build a winner and we all hold him to that. Yet, when he might possibly make the steps to accomplish this, people aren't happy with the way he might do it. The funny thing is that many of the same people upset about pulling scholarships will be the ones lamenting the lack of depth and talent if Butch doesn't do what is needed.

This is part of growing up and introduction to the real world. This isn't tee ball where everyone gets rewarded for just showing up. It sounds like to me, if we want Tennessee to become a winner, the fans are going to have to toughen up as much as the players.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[DazzleVol]

I don't see 5 coming in as scholarship players in August that have not been recruited. we don't have 5 commitments on our list that we have not recruited so that isn't likely. its also not likely Butch is going to run off 8. if he does and plans to bring in recruits in August then you will see 8 leaving well before August. he will need to clear space before they arrive.

Just curious, but if a recruit comes to UT but has a brother pay the tuition do they still count towards the 35? Or could we find about 3 more kids this way?

 

[gnm53108]

Just curious, but if a recruit comes to UT but has a brother pay the tuition do they still count towards the 35? Or could we find about 3 more kids this way?

It would free up a scholly.

Who's your brother?

 

[LWSVOL]

Just curious, but if a recruit comes to UT but has a brother pay the tuition do they still count towards the 35? Or could we find about 3 more kids this way?

If they were recruited, yes they would be a counter. the reason is you would have rich alumni providing funds to families so they could pay for the student-athlete and not have to count against scholarships. Big time programs with rich supporters would do this all the time.

the Berry's are going to be on scholarship as is TKJr. that has been decided per my information.

 

[amarcus07]

As a Vol alumni, I hold my Alma Mater to a higher standard than allowing something classless like that to happen, you honor your commitments. Maybe some kids are told they arent tops on the depth chart, but you dont back out of your obligations. Im sorry your wife had that experience, thats awful, dishonest and lacks honor and those are all the reasons why that wont fly at UT.

So you would have problems with a student on academic scholarship losing his scholarship for falling below standards?

 

[ChiroVol]

This is the one thing me and the Ol' Dools agree on. It is a contract...BOTH WAYS. If you don't play well or break that contract in any way, a school should be able to scratch that contract. I'm sure there are some guys who get a scholly and coast. They arent' there to win, they are there to say they are on the team and get the perks. I'm sure this is a small minority but no doubt it happens! IMO, knowing your scholly could get pulled would make everyone work harder and buy in. JMO, TIFWIW.

 

[SaintLouisVol]

This has been going on forever.

In the past, if there was a player who simply didn't make the cut but was in good academic standing and pursuing a degree (especially a player who had been around a few years) , the coach had options. There was always a "slush fund" of scholarships, financial aid, etc, that they could use to get the kid through school without him counting against the numbers.

I played with a guy in HS who played college FB. He got hurt (career ending) and the school kept him there to graduate on some other kind of scholarship.

This ought to still be the case. If it is not, it is a shame.

On the other hand, if the only reason the player came to school was to play football and has no interest in pursuing a degree, I have no issues at all with him getting walked if he isn't able to perform to the standards of the coach. Many will leave of their own accord anyway in hopes of getting playing time somewhere else.

For those whose academic endeavor is limited to "maintain eligibility," the rules of engagement are different. If they perform well above the standard and become desirable to the NFL, they seem to have no issues with moving on. Why shouldn't it work both ways?

 

[Sandvol]

I don't see 5 coming in as scholarship players in August that have not been recruited. we don't have 5 commitments on our list that we have not recruited so that isn't likely. its also not likely Butch is going to run off 8. if he does and plans to bring in recruits in August then you will see 8 leaving well before August. he will need to clear space before they arrive.

BTW, I don't believe "blue shirt" is an NCAA term. it is a term that was developed based on a process that New Mexico St pulled off. Which it is easy for a school of that caliber to find a player they have not recruited and put him on scholarship in August. those type players are not recruited by many schools

The blue shirt rule is not really how they are doing it:

13.9.1 Letter of Intent – Limitation. Each SEC member institution is limited to signing 25 football prospective student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent, Conference financial aid agreement and/or institutional offer of athletics financial aid from December 1 through May 31st of each year. [Adopted 5/29/09; effective immediately; revised 6/3/11; effective August 1, 2011]

(Here’s a .pdf link if you want to peruse the SEC rules yourself.)

The dates are critical, because the SEC bylaw collides with a new NCAA rules interpretation that impacted this recruiting cycle. Academically eligible student-athletes who plan to enroll early (in January) are now allowed to sign aid agreements with universities as early as Aug. 1.

Tennessee had a flood of players sign aid agreements last month — perhaps a half-dozen players or more. Why is this significant? By the letter of the law, those players wouldn’t count against the SEC’s signing limit. They’re freebies, if you will.

Its the new NCAA Aug 1 rule. This allows schools to skirt the SEC rule. But they still can't go over the 85 so they'll either have to gray shirt some or let go of upper classmen.

 

[LWSVOL]

The blue shirt rule is not really how they are doing it:

13.9.1 Letter of Intent – Limitation. Each SEC member institution is limited to signing 25 football prospective student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent, Conference financial aid agreement and/or institutional offer of athletics financial aid from December 1 through May 31st of each year. [Adopted 5/29/09; effective immediately; revised 6/3/11; effective August 1, 2011]

(Here’s a .pdf link if you want to peruse the SEC rules yourself.)

The dates are critical, because the SEC bylaw collides with a new NCAA rules interpretation that impacted this recruiting cycle. Academically eligible student-athletes who plan to enroll early (in January) are now allowed to sign aid agreements with universities as early as Aug. 1.

Tennessee had a flood of players sign aid agreements last month — perhaps a half-dozen players or more. Why is this significant? By the letter of the law, those players wouldn’t count against the SEC’s signing limit. They’re freebies, if you will.

Its the new NCAA Aug 1 rule. This allows schools to skirt the SEC rule. But they still can't go over the 85 so they'll either have to gray shirt some or let go of upper classmen.

I miss-interpreted what you were saying in previous post. completely agree with what you said. UT signed 7 to the FAA between August and December.

 

[jskizzle812]

As a Vol alumni, I hold my Alma Mater to a higher standard than allowing something classless like that to happen, you honor your commitments. Maybe some kids are told they arent tops on the depth chart, but you dont back out of your obligations. Im sorry your wife had that experience, thats awful, dishonest and lacks honor and those are all the reasons why that wont fly at UT.

guess what this is a business and it happens everywhere if you demand big wins and to be a winning program you gotta cut the fat

 

[UTProf]

Alot of coaches won't necesarrily tell a kid to pack his bags, but they will sit down with them and explain the situation to them and let the player make the best decision for them. The coach will tell the player his concerns and let him know that the coaches do not feel he is buying into the program. They let him know playing time will be hard to come by and if that player wishes to transfer they will grant them a release and help them find a new place to further their education. A lot of times they will give them the option to stay with the knowledge that most of their career will be spent on the scout team unless something greatly changes in their attitude and performance. All that being said, most players in that situation will choose to transfer. Not always as cut throat as some of you are making it out to be.

This is about as truthful as it gets. That said, human emotions are involved and feelings sometimes do get hurt, especially if the player thinks he's not being treated fairly. If its done in fairness and honesty though things usually go smoothly even though it does hurt to move on sometimes. Other times the player already knows he needs to move in order to get a shot at playing and welcomes things. Jones doesn't strike me as unfair so the whole process should play out as good as it can with human emotions involved.

 

[Remy]

One of the secrets not often discussed is NCAA scholarships are actually year to year renewable by the administration. It is not four years come hell or high water. If kids don't produce on or off the field, coaches can and do send them on their way. I had an acquaintance years ago that was an NAIA All American in baseball that played on half scholarship his senior year due to low productivity his junior year. The NCAA has about the same set up. True many coaches dont want that kind of reputation and find other ways to get kids to move on that are not working out, others like Saban could give a rats axx, if someone better comes along you grey shirt, pay for a year on your own.

 

[Nashvol2]

As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Volnation loves to go to both extremes. I'm sure there is honest conversations had with every player at the end of the season just like you and I have with our management. Conversations about where you are versus coaches expectations, where you are versus your own expectations, commitment level, future goals exc. If there not happening, the coach is doing the organization and the players a disservice.

 

[FootVolintheFall]

I received an academic scholarship in school. I didn't perform up to the academic standards the following the year. The scholarship was then revoked. Why do you some of you have a different attitude regarding a football scholarship? The players are fully aware of the possibility when they sign, as was I.

 

[MFL]

Excellant, thanks for a logical explanation. The dead wood goes first and I dont blame CBJ. He's wants his players around him. It's been the biggest part of the problem. Players with no coaches that they could identify with. We keep firing coaches and the result will be the same.

 

[GVF]

Class and obligation is not just the coaches job. If you are not performing to the standards befitting a scholarship student, academic or athletic, you lose it. A university offers full acadeimc rides as well. I bet those students get reviewed reguarly in order to keep their scholly. Why should sports be any different. If you are not/cannot/will not meet the scholastic and/or athletic requirements you lose it. Happens in life all the time. You offer someone a job. That someone is obligated to meet expectations to keep said job.

 

[FTCvol]

As a Vol alumni, I hold my Alma Mater to a higher standard than allowing something classless like that to happen, you honor your commitments. Maybe some kids are told they arent tops on the depth chart, but you dont back out of your obligations. Im sorry your wife had that experience, thats awful, dishonest and lacks honor and those are all the reasons why that wont fly at UT.

el oh el