Texas Feels Targeted By New Recruiting Regulation

Sports News - February 11th, 2010 - Written By John Ritter

It's a practice that has only recently surfaced in college football, but has already ruffled the feathers of the NCAA. In attempt to neutralize the attacks of opposing schools during the recruitment period, NCAA Football programs who have cloudy head coaching futures have opted to pre-emptively name a successor to allow potential recruits peace of mind as they weigh their options.

But while those assistant coaches gain the title of head-coach-in-waiting, and the necessary status and power as heir to the throne, they are not bound to the restrictions of the NCAA during recruiting. Assistants are allowed unlimited off-campus visits, while head coaches are limited to only one visit.

Many schools have cried foul over the practice, calling it an unfair competitive edge, and the collegiate government has finally stepped in to squash the practice before it grows. A new rule for 2010 now binds a coaches-in-waiting to all the powers of a head coach, including the bad ones, as they will only be able to meet with recruits at the same rate as the head coach.

That means uber-recruiter Will Muschamp, among others, won't be able to be the kingpin for Texas. He was named Mack Brown's successor in 2008, and has been one of the nation's best pitchmen. Just this year, Texas attracted five-stars Jordan Hicks and Jackson Jeffcoat in the 11th hour to secure the nation's third-best class, according to Rivals. He was named one of the country's top-25 recruiters by the website as well.

Several other schools have used the head-coach-in-waiting method, including Florida State and Kentucky. But those schools barely skirted the rule because the transition process has already occurred, allowing Jimbo Fisher and Joker Phillips to take the throne.

Therefore, Texas and Maryland are the only remaining programs with a head-coach-in-waiting, and members of the Longhorn Nation feel "singled out".

"Obviously, since this legislation impacts only two programs in the country, we feel we are being singled out," said Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds on Orangebloods.com. "We are exploring our options for legislative relief within the NCAA process, since we believe this places our program at a direct disadvantage. Will is our head coach-in-waiting but he is also our defensive coordinator, and this legislation restricts his ability to perform his current job duties."