Steve Spurrier: Oversigning is a "Helpful" and "Ticklish Situation"

The Wall Street Journal discussed the practice of oversigning with three SEC coaches—Steve Spurrier, Houston Nutt, and Bobby Petrino—and the general consensus among them was that it's not a big deal. Quite frankly, all felt the it was something that was both necessary and helpful during the recruiting process.

For those that aren't aware,"oversigning" occurs when a coach knowingly brings in more players than  allowed in order to account for the unforeseen consequences of attrition, transfers, or the inability of a player to academically qualify.

It's a practice that is largely frowned upon yet, for some reason, continues to go unchecked.

What I found interesting about the statements made by the above-mentioned coaches is how well they have managed to justify their actions.

Spurrier claims that he is forthright with all the guys who stand the chance of being let go, but somehow you get the feeling that's not always the case. Spurrier even went so far as to criticize conferences that don't utilize the option—specifically the Big Ten—said Spurrier, "I think that really hurts them a lot...they end up giving scholarships to a lot of walk-ons."

Bobby Petrino echoes the sentiment saying, "I don't see it as a bad thing unless you're being dishonest or waiting until the last minute, which eliminates their visit opportunities with other schools".

However, its hard to believe that coaches are being as clear and concise about this matter as Petrino or Spurrier would have us all believe and, after all, the victim in this process isn't the coach or the football program, it's the athlete who gets cut after being promised a scholarship.

Do any of these coaches really expect us to believe that a prospect would still offer their comittment if they knew their name could end up on the cutting-room floor? It just doesn't seem likely, particularly when many of them have the option of signing elsewhere—and, the guys who are entertaining that conversation and saying they are still willing to take that chance, lets be honest, probably aren't the ones most likely to see their walking papers.

You think Spurrier would cut Jadeveon Clowney? Not likely. The coaches can pick and choose and the player is left at a huge disadvantage. 

It's a process that needs to be cut out completely by the NCAA, but something tells me it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Read the full article here.

Related articles

• SEC Coaches Defend 'Oversigning' (online.wsj.com)

Big Ten Upset: Minnesota Takes Down Iowa 27-24 in Minneapolis

Apparently, Iowa read the book on the Minnesota Gophers and took this game for granted.

There were few who thought it was possible that Minnesota could win against Iowa's strong defense, veteran quarterback play, and talented running game but, true to the mantra: "on any given Saturday", the Gophers gave a collective finger to all the doubters.

The 3-9 Gophers played with as much heart and determination as they have all season and overcame a late 4-point deficit to win the game 27-24 against the Iowa Hawkeyes—likely stealing away any shot the Hawkeyes had at a high-quality bowl bid.

What happened? Well, the easy answer was in the intro: Iowa was sleeping on the Gophers because of their record, and their seeming lack of anything resembling a consistent offense or defense this season. However, today, it became obvious that Minnesota wasn't willing to lay down and accept another loss—their pride was at stake, and they weren't willing to relinquish it for the 10th time this season.

Their defense stymied the run, holding Marcus Coker to just under 100-yards on the day, while Ricky Stanzi continued to disappoint with his uninspired quarterback play and inability to sustain a game-winning drive for his team. A late fumble by Coker simply added to the comedy of errors and put a sad cap on a season of heartbreak for the black and yellow faithful.

Kudos to Minnesota for FINALLY being on the winning end of a big game at home, but Iowa fans have to feel sick wondering what might have been—if only.

Big 12 Rumor: Did Nebraska's Taylor Martinez Leave The Team?

Twitter is hopping with another wild rumor, this one regarding Big 12 quarterback, Taylor Martinez—Nebraska's talented redshirt freshman.

No idea how this, unconfirmed, rumor began, but there is heavy speculation that the public undressing head coach Bo Pelini gave Martinez on the sidelines, during last night's 9-6 loss to Texas A&M, could have something to do with a decision to jump ship:



Honestly, the validity of the story seems questionable.

Why would Martinez risk another year of eligibility and his high profile position at a major school— a school headed to the even bigger spotlight of the Big Ten—just because his feelings got hurt on the sidelines?

That said, some feel that Pelini's less than hospitable demeanor could be the biggest factor and one of the main reasons why if this rumor turns out to be true, Pelini's could possibly be shown the door as well. 

Whatever the case, no one in Lincoln is ready to see a blossoming star exit stage left on a promising college football career at Nebraska.

College Football ATS Picks: Will Wisconsin Be Able To Run Up The Score Against Michigan?

56-64 is where the Lady Sportswriter currently stands. However, there is still hope—at least that's the story we'll agree to stick to.

So, without further ado, here are 15 more spread picks for Saturday, November 20. All courtesy of VegasInsider.com.

1. Purdue at Michigan State: Michigan State (-20)

Purdue has not been very good on the road, against the Big Ten, this season and the Spartans have too much offense to be stymied.

The Lady's Pick: Michigan State

2. Wisconsin at Michigan: Wisconsin (-4)

The Badgers pounced all over Indiana last week and posted a score that could have been easily mistaken for a basketball game. Considering Michigan's propensity to not know how to play anything resembling a defense, it seems likely that the Badgers will be able to find some room to score big points again this week as well.

The Lady's Pick: Wisconsin

3. Ohio State at Iowa: Ohio State (-3)

Iowa plays well at home and I'm not convinced that Ohio State is the best team in the Big Ten.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa

4. Iowa State vs. Missouri: Missouri (-11)

The Cyclones only need one more win to make it to bowl eligibility and while it doesn't seem likely that they will get that win here, they will be motivated to play better than they did last week against a measly Colorado team.

The Lady's Pick: Iowa State

5. Oklahoma State at Kansas: Oklahoma State (-24)

It could be 34 and the Cowboys would still be the safer bet. Turner Gill has no offense on this team and he knows it. He's probably just hoping he can get enough out of the defense to keep it interesting—good luck.

The Lady's Pick: Oklahoma State

6. Arkansas at Mississippi State: Arkansas (-3)

The Razorbacks have their running game clicking now and that has just made Ryan Mallett that much more dangerous. The Bulldogs unraveling began last week in Tuscaloosa and continues today.

The Lady's Pick: Arkansas

7. Illinois vs. Northwestern: Illinois (-7.5)

The Illini have had trouble with mobile quarterbacks this season and they will have their hands full with Dan Persa today. Despite the goofy display of football we are likely to see—based on the fact that the field couldn't hold two fleas at a square dance—Persa should still be stellar.

The Lady's Pick: Northwestern

8. Virginia Tech at Miami: Virginia Tech (-2)

Virginia Tech looked skechy last week against Carolina, but don't expect that to happen two weeks in a row. They'll be back firing again.

The Lady's Pick: Virginia Tech

9. New Mexico State at Nevada: Nevada (-37.5)

The Aggies are awful, but you have to be cautious giving this many points to the Wolfpack at this point in the season. With Boise State looming large, Nevada could get caught sleeping a little bit—not enough to lose—long enough for the Aggies to cover.

The Lady's Pick: New Mexico State

10. West Virginia at Louisville: West Virginia (-4.5)

After a big win last week, the Mountaineers have to be feeling good about themselves, and that's just the kind of attitude that can set you up for a fall against a lesser opponent.

The Lady's Pick: Louisville

Lady's Luck Picks:

11. Oregon State (+3) vs. USC

12. South Carolina (-21) vs. Troy

13. Texas (-21.5) vs. Florida Atlantic

14. South Florida (+3) vs. Pittsburgh

15. NC State (+2.5) at North Carolina

Penn State Football: Brett Brackett's TD Catch Helps Catapult Joe Paterno to 400

It seemed harmless enough, an end of half touchdown score to bring a team back from the brink of embarrassment. At least, that's what the fans of the Northwestern Wildcats might have been thinking when they saw Matt McGloin connect with Brett Bracket for six points with less than :06 seconds left to go before the half.

Brackett's touchdown catch, however insignificant it might have seemed at the time, became just the momentum grabber the Nittany Lions needed to go from zero to 100—on both sides of the ball.

Or perhaps, better still, ol' Joe Paterno might have delivered one helluva halftime rally cry to his guys. Might he have told them they were better than their play showed? Perhaps he let them know that the play they had exhibited to that point was unacceptable and sub par?

Maybe he just said, "win this damn game, I don't need the press stretching out this 400 nonsense".

Whatever he told his players in the locker room, it worked, because the Penn State team we saw in the second half was very different than the one that was overrun in the first half. They came onto the field and lit up the third quarter with 21 unanswered points and stymied the Northwestern offense the rest of the way.

It was a win befitting of a coach that so many have come to love and respect, not only for his longevity in a game that has become more about "lately" than "history", but for his honesty. Paterno has always been a straight-shooter. Perhaps the Brooklyn boy in him wouldn't allow him to be anyone else.

Joe Paterno is now the winningest coach in FBS history and, quite frankly, it's an honor that no other coach is ever likely to have again anytime soon.

Congrats to Joe Paterno!

Related articles

• Penn State rallies for Joe Paterno's 400th win (sportingnews.com)

College Football: Dan Persa Leads Northwestern To 21-7 Lead Over Penn State at Halftime

At the half of the Penn State/Northwestern game, it has been all Northwestern as the Wildcats lead 21-7 going into halftime of the game in Happy Valley.

Dan Persa has run all over and through a porous Penn State defense for 88-yards and two touchdowns—even adding a passing touchdown to the mix when Drake Dunsmore made a phenomenal one-handed grab on their last possession of the half:



Persa's Penn State counterpart, Robert Bolden was largely ineffective in the first quarter and has, all but, been replaced by former walk-on, Matt McGloin—who has been more productive for the Nittany Lions.

McGloin led the team on a nine play, 82-yard, scoring drive to end the half—bringing Penn State within two touchdowns.



The game isn't over yet and the Nittany Lions still have an opportunity to secure win number 400 for Joe Paterno, but the defense will need to tighten up and get a handle on the talented Persa.

College Football: Was Bret Bielema "Wrong" for 2-Point Try Against Minnesota?

The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Minnesota Gophers by a final score of 41-23. However, the final score won't be what anyone focuses on come Sunday morning. No, much of the chatter will center around the ethical nature of Bret Bielema's play calling with his team up by more than three scores.

Leading 41-16 in the fourth quarter, with less than seven minutes to play in the contest, Bielema called for a two-point conversion after a Wisconsin touchdown. The conversion ended up being no good, but it was clear that Minnesota coach, Tim Brewster, took some exception to Bielema's decision to go for two with the game so well in hand.

Bielema defended the call, saying that it was the proper one, given the circumstance and the score, but Brewster obviously felt it showed a serious lack of class on Bielema's part—calling the move "wrong".
It's easy to understand why Bielema's actions could be classified as bush league but, then again, we've also seen teams go on big run inside of ten minutes—diminishing a big lead within a matter of minutes.

Hard to say for sure who is wrong here, but, what say you? Was Bielema bush league or just playing it safe?

Ohio State vs Michigan: Does The Big Ten Realignment Tarnish Their Rivalry?

The Big Ten announced its new alignment following the addition of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2011, and Michigan and Ohio State will be placed in seperate divisions. Will that make the annual season-ending battle against these two traditional powers less interesting?

Honestly, the one thing that made this match-up so crucial was the fact that it meant something—a trip to the Rose Bowl in many cases. Now, the Big Ten will not only maintain the rivalry in-season, but offer it the possibility of happening twice in one season via the conference championship game.

How is this a good thing?

Granted, right now, Michigan doesn't seem to pose any threat of giving Ohio State a run for its money— this year or the next. But, the Wolverines will not be down forever, they will eventually get rid of the stain that is Rich Rodriguez and this rivalry will return to its former glory. When that happens, how much juice will it have if neither team is playing for anything of importance—nationally?

It hurts both Michigan and Ohio State on a national level because no one outside of those who reside in Columbus or Ann Arbor will be able to get excited to see the two teams play—especially if they feel it will happen more than once.  It will cease to be must-see tv for a large segment of college football fans who love not only the rivalry itself, but what it stood for.

Here is what ESPN's Andy Katz had to say about the realignment:



Beyond this, though, the real losers are the Big Ten basketball fans—wow. 

This alignment essentially gives Michigan State a red carpet to March Madness every year while giving the finger to the fans of Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, and Indiana. No doubt the fans of those programs are staging a silent protest as we speak—just another reminder that college football rules the checkbook.

A Texas to Big Ten Move Is, Perhaps, The Dumbest Thing I've Ever Heard

Why on earth would Texas consider moving to the Big Ten?

I'm perplexed by the idea and have bantied it about quite enough at this point so, I am posing the question to other common sense-filled beings—why would Texas make the jump from the Big 12 to the Big Ten?

I understand that there is money in doing so; that by adding Texas to the Big Ten, the revenue of the conference increases substantially based on their having secured every major television market that matters—save New York. I realize that the almighty dollar is at the root of all this expansion evil.

That said, I also know that Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan aren't the only teams in the Big Ten who would be given the opportunity to play Texas if they did join. There are, after all, eight other teams that make up the Big Ten (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State, Northwestern, Indiana, Purdue, and Wisconsin) and nearly all of them would play Texas at some point.

So, in seriously considering that fact, be honest, who really wants to see Texas play Indiana, Minnesota, or Illinois?

I mean, because, obviously, the Longhorns would have to fill out that 13 game schedule with at least 5-6 other conference match-ups, right? You can't play the big boys every week.

There would be just as many bad match-ups in the Big Ten as there are in the Big 12. The difference would be that Texas would seem alarmingly out of place playing Minnesota as opposed to Oklahoma State.

Even more, what becomes of the Red River Rivalry? Would Oklahoma still play Texas every year?

Of course, the obvious answer is yes, since the two teams have played each other since 1900 but, if the Sooners moved to the Pac-11, which is looking to become the Pac-16, would the rivalry hold as much weight as it has since 1996 when they became part of the same conference?

After all, the 'Red River Rivalry', for many years, was the deciding factor in who would go to the Big 12 Championship Game and represent the Big 12 South; with that implication gone, would that game matter more or less to the college football fan?

Which leads to my next question: Why would Texas want to give up it's Big 12 dominance in exchange for Big Ten parity?

The Big 12 as it's configured right now is Texas, Oklahoma....and everybody else. Period. Nebraska is on the upswing and Texas Tech is always lurking but, in truth, nobody can touch Texas or Oklahoma in terms of success, recruting, or popularity in the Big 12. So why leave?

Texas doesn't need the money and they wouldn't be done any favors by joining another conference. If anything, Texas is bringing more to the table no matter where they go, so what's in it for them?

It just seems like a whole lot of trouble to go through when the formula isn't broken.

For my money, let Colorado go and be the second coming of Oregon State in the Pac-11, but where the chatter about the rest of the Big 12 jumping ship and joining other is concerned, I only have one thing to say: just don't mess with Texas.