Jumbo Package: Another “Saban Rule” proposal is taking center stage

With the advent of the early signing period, coaches have less actual face-time to spend with their teams. In response, ACC commissioner Jim Swofford is proposing more dead-times in the recruiting calendar, a proposal that will likely enjoy near-universal support:

The ACC will also propose football legislation that creates recruiting dead periods in February and July, restricts the spring recruiting period to four out of six weeks from the current six weeks and prohibits verbal offers to prospects before Sept. 1 of their junior year. That’s largely fallout from the new December signing period, which the ACC originally proposed and continues to support, Swofford said.

The present dead periods are few and far between. For the ‘17-’18 signing year, dead periods are: all of August, December 19 to January 11, February 5-8,

The 2017-18 FBS recruiting calendar calls for the following dead periods, June 25-July 24 — that works out to about 280 recruiting days a year.

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Meanwhile, another rule change is in progress, and it is yet another “Saban Rule;” it limits the number of headsets available on the sidelines/booths. As silly as this sounds, Andy Staples doesn’t mince words for Alabama’s competitors who are coaching scared: Nick Saban is living rent-free in your heads.

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The SEC is seriously considering and voting on a couple of rules which won’t necessarily affect the Tide aside from a possible stray addition here and there, and some more money in its already-lined pockets. But, for some teams on probation and others about to take a spin of the NCAA’s wheel of caprice, it could be very damaging.

The Southeastern Conference will vote on a proposal at its spring meetings next week that would lift all conference restrictions on athletes who want to transfer from one league member to another if their original school receives a postseason ban, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

The league is also looking at increasing the financial penalties for schools that have received a postseason ban. Presently, the money is in escrow for half a decade and the naughty bunch has to earn some of it back over the next five years by staying clean. The new proposal would work a forfeiture on all of that postseason lucre. Both rules would have immediate effect.

Ole Miss could get sanctioned again today with the mere stroke of a pen.

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On the subject of transfers, Alabama has denied Brandon Kennedy’s initial appeal to transfer to either Auburn or Tennessee. Next up, a full appeal board hearing in December.

Said Saban,

“We don’t like to get put in the middle of these rules as coaches. I think none of us do. We have rules. But yet, we’re not supposed to abide by the rules and they reflect poorly on us when we try to support the rules that we have. And the rules that we have, we have for a reason. And I just stated the reason: Do we want free agency in the SEC? Should guys be able to leave your team and go play for somebody else next year that you have to play against? And I do feel that there are cases where that may be a viable option, if it’s for academic reasons.”

Jeremy Pruitt has been especially outspoken about the matter. But, let’s be honest, this whole thing reeks of Phil Fulmer.

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The draft projections are dropping for the June NBA Draft. Collin Sexton was widely mocked to go to New York at 9, but some see him as high as 8 overall. The Cavs could use playmakers. And none have him dropping below the 12th pick, the Clippers. That seems a weird pick to me, and I doubt he seriously falls that low in any event. There are other teams in desperate need of a point guard that are apt to be scared off by the streaky Trae Young.

Still, Sexton’s heart seems it is already in the Big Apple, and Avery Johnson, for his part, is trying to make it happen:

His college head coach believes he can play in the spotlight in New York.

“He can handle New York City,” Avery Johnson told MSGNetworks.com. “New York City would love this kid. They would love Collin because he has a flair about him. When you’re a team that’s drafting in the lottery and you haven’t had a lot of success in terms of playoffs and advancing, you’ve got to get the best player available.

“And I’m sure if he’s available around the time that you guys draft, he would be a no-brainer because he not only would be great on the court but he’s a guy that’s going to sell a lot of tickets.”

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Spencer wrote a great pie chart feature on rivalries. It’s worth checking out.

Rivalries should have some tusslin’ and hollerin’. In non-hilljack terms, some fighting, scrapping, some personal fouls, various football-related misconducts, brawls, resulting legislation following said incidents, bowl bans, international sanctions, and general extracurricular conflict. It all helps. For example: Alabama-Auburn is always at least a baseline rivalry, and sometimes it blooms into something where trees get poisoned, babies get named after key players in a moment, and in the most lasting moment of all, triumphantly mocking bumper stickers are made.

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Who is overachieving when it comes to getting the most out of the talent on-campus? Surprisingly, Alabama is No. 15 on this list. That really puts an end to the notion that the Tide simply out-talent competitors. To the contrary, Alabama is developing the talent that lands in Tuscaloosa beyond even the wild blue chip rankings. Alabama, Vandy, and Auburn were the only teams in the Top 20. The list of teams that have gotten aggressively average results relative their talent won’t surprise you: Georgia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, LSU.

Coaching matters, who knew?!

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The first preseason mag is out! And Alabama is being pegged by Athlon win the SEC and National Championships.

Same here, Athlon. Same here.

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That’s it for the nonce. Go forth to offseason Gumping.