The NCAA recently lifted the ban on satellite camps, which opponents believe was giving some teams a recruiting edge in their territories, and the ACC is still trying to figure out what led to the reversal of the ban. By being able to recruit top players they necessarily wouldn’t have access to, some teams will be able to improve their college football rankings in hopes of making the playoffs.
After Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh announced that he would be holding satellite camps, SEC and ACC coaches quickly came out against the camps calling it a loophole that was being exploited by the popular Harbaugh.
The coaches argued that having coaches like Harbaugh hosting satellite camps in states like Florida would lead recruits away from schools in the state and create more work for the coaches. The coaches in favor of the camps argued that having satellite camps will help provide opportunities for students that typically wouldn’t be recruited by schools outside their state, and also provide them with an opportunity to earn a scholarship, which they wouldn’t get after the schools in their state have used all their up.
Regardless of which side is right, the ACC athletic directors aren’t happy because the camps were initially banned then reinstated a few weeks later.
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said that the ACC would like to know exactly what happened to make the NCAA change its mind, because the organization did not give a specific reason for the reversal of the ruling.
Blake James, who is Miami’s athletic director as well as a member of the NCAA Division I council that initially banned the camps, spoke with his fellow athletic directors and the 14 football coaches in the conference about what happened.
James told the other athletic directors the same thing the NCAA said when it reversed the ruling, which is that the committee wants the recruiting process to undergo further review.
As expected, the ACC athletic directors and coaches weren’t happy about the answer given to them because they believe that athletic directors and conference commissioners are responsible for making day-to-day decisions, but felt that they didn’t have a say in this decision despite voicing their opinions about the camps.
The ACC athletic directors and coaches are also upset because the reversal was done by the NCAA Board of Directors, which consists of school chancellors and presidents.
Pittsburgh’s athletic director Scott Barnes was also critical of the decision because it was made by the presidents and chancellors instead of the athletic directors and coaches, who are directly affected by the reversal.
Barnes also feels that it doesn’t make sense for coaches and athletic directors to work so hard on was overruled so quickly by the board without seeking any input from the athletic directors or coaches.
For now, Barnes doesn’t think that the system needs to be overhauled. He believes there are a few things that need to be worked on because some things haven’t worked out as planned. Barnes hopes that with time, both sides can work out their current differences and figure out what is best for all the concerned parties.
