Decommission the Decommits

[HornSwoggler]

D. Knox's recent change of heart along with the 2013 uproar regarding verbal commitment to Texas got me thinking about the scholarship commitment process. I know that I should spend less time on this subject and more on improving the world but what the heck!

Here is my latest idea on improving the recruiting process: Allow athletes to sign a Letter of Intent at any point in the recruiting process. Make the breaking of an LOI by the athlete or the school mean something like loss of one or two years college eligibility or loss of scholarships, respectively.

This would accomplish several beneficial things:

Schools would not offer a scholarship unless it really wanted the athlete not to just make its early presence felt.
Fewer early verbal commitments would occur.
Fewer decommits would occur.
Schools could spend their time recruiting instead of begging and appeasing athletes to stay with them after a verbal.
Carpet bombing offers to any athlete that is breathing would be reduced.
Athletes & Coaches would learn the value of commitment.
Recruiting costs would be reduced and a more level playing field might result.
Athletes can concentrate on successfully completing high school and improving their games instead of going on trips all over the country just to go.
Recruiting plans would not be disrupted by decommits late in the recruiting game.


The only negative I have thought of so far is there would be less recruiting talk for the fans. Not really a negative, right?

 

[It Hurts]

That was dumb, nothing person, but No, don't even try to hold a 17 year old kid to a contract, it's illegal. How about giving them a reason to not decommit, like winning.

 

[Texdoc]

How 'bout like Integrity by the time you're 17. Being taught that your word should mean something.

They know the W/L record when they give their word.

Decommiting is classless.
Not commiting until you're ready to shut it down isn't.

HOOK 'EM,
Texdoc

 

[It Hurts]

Are you kidding, there are people in their 60s that don't have integrity running multimillion dollar corporations, why does this kid have to be more responsible than them. Look this sucks for UT, but the kid is not the problem, it's no big deal UT will survive, let's give the kid a break, let him make the decisions that affect his life without acting like he did something personal to us.

 

[1leggedduck]

No offense to anyone here, as I understand the positions and they both have merit. However, this whole process is about getting children who are not able to legally enter into a contract, to enter into a non-binding contract to play football for a specific college. I couldn't get mne to comply with their agreement to cut the lawn or walk all weekend, at 17. The problem is that adult's careers and lots of money are at stake. The near religious zealotry of college football fans drives a huge industry, all based on the decision of teengers, and their performance for a few years into their early 20s. It isn't that kids are bad or corrupt. They're kids. Some will mature and some will not, but they are like any other 17 year old kids, except for all the attention that being the building blocks of a $$$$$$ industry brings. Kids haven't changed. College football has changed. The money changed it. And now we, as fans, get all wrapped up in the flakey actions of big, strong babies.

 

[LonghornCatholic]

Don't commit if you're not committed. That's all.

The "strong baby" had a right to decommit, and Mack had a right to tell him "no".
Both will move on.

 

[Bluff Horn]

Just a reminder - we sign guys each year who were committed elsewhere.

Daje Johnson - TCU
Shiro Davis - LSU
Rami Hammad - Baylor
Kendall Sanders - OK State

That is how the game works.

 

[notanative]

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[HornSwoggler]

Mea culpa! I didn't think about the legal aspect of a minor and contract law. I don't know if there is legal issue or not. Legal issues can be addressed just as they have been for the current LOI process involving minors. I don't feel that is an important issue.

The point was to offer a different approach that would accomplish several positives regarding the recruiting process and the ridiculous state into which it has evolved.

I don't care for Mack's approach and I don't like the lack of importance of standing by a commitment even for teenagers regardless of the poor examples they see every day from peers, parents, corporate leaders, politicians, etc.

I do like the excitement of building a stellar class of Longhorn recruits but I dislike how it is accomplished. There has to be a better way.

 

[Bevo Incognito]

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[agssuk]

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[puckhead]

Um, I could be wrong, but sometimes don't the parents have to sign the LOI... perhaps because the kid is still a minor.

I don't have any problem with the OP. If the kid is 13 years old and wants to commit to play for tOSU, just get the kid *AND* his parents to sign.

Hold both the school and the kid to the contract with the appropriate sanctions against the breaching party.

I like it.

 

[agssuk]

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[where_are_my_8s]

Umm, if you had a job before the age of eighteen you had a contractual agreement. You don't hold up your end, they don't have to hold up their end.

High school athletes often sign agreements saying they won't use alcohol or drugs with penalty of losing the eligibility to play in games or that season.

It is like any contract. If you don't want to sign it you don't have to sign it. You don't have to buy a house but if you sign the paperwork you are responsible for the payments. If you don't there are consequences but you aren't forced to sign the paper in the first place.

 

[agssuk]

^^^^^

Thats poor. You cannot go into the military without parents consent if you are under 18. You cannot sign a letter of intent without parents consent if you are under 18. You are NOT under a contractual agreement if you work at Sonic. Sorry, but that is BS. You can walk at anytime. The military? Yes. NCAA LOI? Yes. Sonic? NO..

 

[agssuk]

8's....hope in didnt mis-understand your post. If I did....sorry!!!!

 

[notanative]

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[coolhorn]

Every team out there has players back out of verbals. They're sixteen and seventeen years old, and impressionable. Some of 'em are gonna be more blown away by each of the latest schools they visit.

UT actually has done a good job, up until the last year or so, of getting players to stick with their commitments. It's safe to say the won-loss record has gotten into the heads of some of those that have backed out of their verbals. UT is also getting a lot stiffer competition now from agricultural. They're in a much better conference, with a hip and popular new head coach...aggy isn't gonna go away on the recruiting trail anytime soon. UT on the other hand has a head coach that's showing his age and rarely makes the front of the sports section any more.

The only thing that's gonna stop players from decommitting is winning, and looking good doing it. Alas, I don't expect that with this current coaching staff.