Lane Kiffin: Sith Lord of Roster Management

When it comes to the black art of roster management, there is no equal to USC’s Lane Kiffin. Recruiting under the cloud of the harshest NCAA sanctions handed down since the SMU “death penalty” case, Darth Kiffin is crafting a roster so stocked with talent and youth that it may be hard to see the effects of the penalties handed down in June 2010 and upheld on appeal in May 2011. Reggie who?

The sanctions were intended to severely punish the Trojan football program. It was supposed to wander in the darkness for the better part of a decade. They were supposed to be the ideal homecoming opponent for Colorado. They were not supposed to emerge from probation stocked with talent and ready for runs at PAC-12 and national titles, but they may well do just that.

How could this happen?

The answer lies in looking back in time and reviewing recruiting and roster figures from the years preceding Kiffin’s arrival before the 2010 season. Dr. Saturday has a keen analysis of how USC recruited lightly in Pete Carroll’s final years, leaving Kiffin with fewer scholarship players than the sanctions called for going forward. Once the severity of the sanctions were known (and the chances of successful appeal rated), Kiffin loaded up the magazine. He signed 30 players in the 2011 class, back counted several to the 2010 class and promptly redshirted half of them.

Add those 15 redshirts to the 2012 class of 17 new scholarship players and the freshman class that shows up for fall camp will be more than doubled. These aren’t two- and three-star projects, either. Half of recruits in the 2011 class were either four- or five-star players, so the talent pool on the field next September will be very young, but very rich.

In fact, the 2012 Trojans are one of the most popular picks to win the PAC-12 and play for the national championship.

The NCAA intended the sanctions to hurt and they may still make their impacts felt in the next few years. When recruiting under such harsh limits, you have to have a lot of luck avoiding injuries. Off the field issues have to be kept to a minimum. There is no such animal as a project recruit—every player you sign has to be a bona fide “can’t miss” and has to be ready to contribute immediately. And once you’ve gotten those can’t miss prospects in the corral, you have to convince them to hold the rope and resist the temptation to transfer or jump early to the NFL draft.

If Kiffin can do that, he will not only rule as the Sith Lord of Roster Management, he will also have shown programs like North Carolina how to practice the dark art of beating harsh NCAA sanctions.

Padawan Fedora, are you paying attention?

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The righteously indignant Pete Fiutak gets it wrong

Dear Mr. Fiutak:

Reinstatement decisions are NOT enforcement investigations.

In a column posted yesterday, Fox Sports’ Pete Fiutak takes the NCAA to task for what he sees as a glaring inconsistency in upholding the sanctions that hammer Southern Cal for the Reggie Bush case. He makes the mistake of comparing the Bush enforcement improper benefits case to the reinstatement decisions made by a completely different arm of the NCAA.

I probably shouldn’t single out Fiutak because honestly, he’s not the only one who gets it wrong. The sentiments he express are found in columns on sports pages across the country. They’re on websites, blogs and internet message boards. Very few of’em get it.

While Mr. Fiutak will get no argument from me that the NCAA’s “every case is different” approach to both enforcement and reinstatement matters is a recipe for chaos and confusion, his column contributes absolutely nothing to resolving the national confusion over the difference between the results of investigations conducted by the league’s enforcement arm and decisions rendered by a reinstatement staff with no investigatory powers whatsoever.

People want to compare the USC case to the other two highest profile cases of blatant violation of amateurism rules—the Cam Newton case at Auburn and the Tressel, Pryor et al case at Ohio State. In doing so, they try to make the case that Southern Cal is being made to pay a heavy price while Auburn and Ohio State get away scot free.

Here’s the key difference: The Bush case—after a half-decade of media and NCAA background investigation, a notice of inquiry, the formal enforcement investigation, a notice of allegations, a Committee on Infractions hearing, a decision, an appeal and a decision on the appeal—was a thorough, full-fisted anal exam conducted by people with no connection to the Trojan program. Meanwhile, the reinstatement processes that resulted in the eligibility decisions at Auburn and Ohio State were the result of dog-and-pony shows written, produced and directed by the schools themselves.

Repeat after me: Reinstatement decisions are NOT enforcement investigations.  Lather, rinse and for God’s sake repeat this to every college sports fan you encounter.

The Infractions Committee relied on information produced by the NCAA enforcement staff and that information was the closest to the truth that anyone could ever hope for. The reinstatement decisions were based on information provided by the schools, and that information was prepared in a manner that puts the best light on the school that anyone could hope for. It’s a huge difference and it seems to be completely lost on people who should know better.

I am the first to admit that while I know more about NCAA rules and procedures than I ever wanted to, I still have a great deal to learn. It would be helpful if Pete Fiutak and all the other master blasters in the national sports media would slow down, understand the processes involved and at least try to grasp this key distinction between enforcement and reinstatement matters. By not doing so, they’re not helping the public get their own arms around the concepts.

I’ll bet there’s one thing on which Fiutak and I can agree. That would be a standardized set of penalties with mandatory minimum sentences for major violations. This idea was posited by MrSEC. Such a system would end the “every case is different” approach currently in place in both the enforcement and reinstatement offices of the NCAA. To be certain, some unintended victims will suffer under such a cut-and-dried system. But if everyone understands what the penalties are—that all drug dealers, murderers and rapists go to prison, no matter what—there will be fewer people weighing the risk reward ratio and making the wrong decision.

We need that and if this week’s news is any indication, we might soon get it.

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Recruiting: Lane Kiffin playing with fire, or playing by the rules?

Dave Miller at National Football Post wonders if former Tennessee head football coach Lane Kiffin is taking advantage of a loophole in NCAA recruiting rules. Kiffin and USC are recruiting lights out for the 2010 class, and National Signing Day is tomorrow, February 2. They have 25 verbal commits already, and NCAA rules allow up to 28 to address academic non-qualifiers.  But wait… Isn’t Southern Cal under sanction?

Last year, the NCAA Committee on Infractions absolutely hammered the football program over the Reggie Bush fiasco. The Committee imposed a 30 scholarship reduction over three years (10 each year), which was supposed to go in place before the 2011 calendar and season.

So how is Kiffy able to load up on top drawer recruits, following a no-bowl, dismal 8-5 season?

Enter the ubiquitous NCAA loophole!

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Lane Kiffin is merely taking advantage of the appeals process as the school fights sanctions that would limit its signing classes to 15 for 2011 through 2013. Until the NCAA makes a ruling on the Trojans’ appeal, the sanctions will be kept on hold. The school also is fighting the back half of the two-year bowl ban.

is not expected until February or March.

Which means that Kiffin is on the hunt for several of the nation’s top prospects, and the former Tennessee head coach has already snagged some of the best available talent in what he has described as “the most important class ever signed at USC because of the situation surrounding it.”

Out of the school’s current 25 commits, nine players have already enrolled early in January. Quarterbacks Max Wittek and Cody Kessler were big “gets” for Kiffin, as well as addressing the lack of depth at offensive line. The class also could include multipurpose threat De'Anthony Thomas and receiver George Farmer, perhaps the nation's top receiver.

Of course, real drama could unfold on National Signing Day if players who have made commitments give in to final sales pitches from other major programs.

But for now, the situation at ‘SC doesn’t appear so bleak.

So what happened to the program being handcuffed? Is Kiffin taking advantage of a loophole?

Well, it depends on how you look at it.

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If I recall correctly, USC fought the NCAA tooth and nail, managing to stall the league for years. I don’t think they self-imposed any scholarship reductions, so continuing on as if the sanctions are not in place is in technical compliance with the rules and consistent with a profession of innocence.

But the “playing with fire” aspect of this story is that Kiffin is running a terrible risk. The appeals committee might treat Kiffin’s latest play with such scorn that they make the sanctions stick in the 2011 year, forcing USC to cut loose ten recruits.  Which ten?

Exit question: What are the chances that the NCAA allows any and all 2011 recruits to retain all eligibility and transfer to any school of their choice?

 

BREAKING: Reggie Bush surrenders Heisman (statement)

It’s a sad day for Bush.  It’s a sad day for USC.  It’s a sad day for College Football.  It’s a sad day for the New Orleans Saints.

Statement, released today from New Orleans:

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"One of the greatest honors of my life was winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005. For me, it was a dream come true.

But I know that the Heisman is not mine alone. Far from it. I know that my victory was made possible by the discipline and hard work of my teammates, the steady guidance of my coaches, the inspiration of the fans, and the unconditional love of my family and friends. And I know that any young man fortunate enough to win the Heisman enters into a family of sorts. Each individual carries the legacy of the award and each one is entrusted with its good name.

It is for these reasons that I have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as Heisman winner of 2005. The persistent media speculation regarding allegations dating back to my years at USC has been both painful and distracting. In no way should the storm around these allegations reflect in any way on the dignity of this award, nor on any other institutions or individuals. Nor should it distract from outstanding performances and hard-earned achievements either in the past, present or future.

For the rest of my days, I will continue to strive to demonstrate through my actions and words that I was deserving of the confidence placed in me by the Heisman Trophy Trust. I would like to begin in this effort by turning a negative situation into a positive one by working with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust.

I will forever appreciate the honor bestowed upon me as a winner of the Heisman. While this decision is heart-breaking, I find solace in knowing that the award was made possible by the support and love of so many. Those are gifts that can never be taken away."

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As I wrote in an earlier post,  I don’t blame Reggie Bush.  I don’t blame USC.  I blame a culture of corruption that lets skanky agents compromise the integrity of the game.  And as long as there’s money to be made by compromising the game—and the amateur status of the athletes who play it—it will continue until the consequences of the crimes are brought to bear on the perpetrators.  Right now, there are no consequences.  A few states have passed legislation that ostensibly makes a crime out compromising college athletes, but the laws are toothless and virtually unenforceable. 

What needs to happen is that the NFL (and NBA as well) need to step in and stiffen their own rules.  If one agent is caught compromising the amateur status of a student athlete, that agent should be banned for life.  Make an example or two out of these scumbags, and stuff like this will stop.

Reggie Bush to lose his Heisman

The University of Southern California will get another black eye later this month, as the Heisman Trophy Trust is planning to strip former USC running back Reggie Bush of the coveted trophy.

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Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting.

The Heisman trust has been conducting its own independent inquiry into Bush’s eligibility since the NCAA ruled in June that the USC star had committed multiple violations by accepting cash, gifts and other impermissible benefits while playing for the Trojans. Yahoo! Sports first detailed the extra benefits in September 2006. In its findings, the NCAA retroactively ruled Bush ineligible for part of the 2004 season and all of 2005. The NCAA also ordered the USC program to remove all references to Bush from its sporting venues and promotional materials and vacate his statistics from all games in which he was ineligible.

In July, incoming USC president C.L. Max Nikias announced that the university would be returning its copy of Bush’s Heisman to the trust, stating the Trojans would honor and respect athletes who “did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes.” New USC athletic director Pat Haden followed up in August, stating during an interview with the Dan Patrick radio show that Bush should also voluntarily return his Heisman.

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It is a tragic moment in college football history.  In the 75 years since the Downtown Athletic Club has been selecting the most outstanding college football player of the year, no one has ever had the award taken away.  Instead of being remembered as the electrifying athlete who led USC past Oklahoma to the national title in the 2005 Rose Bowl, he’ll be remembered as the player who took “impermissible benefits” during his tenure with one of college football’s most storied programs.  Shame on you Reggie, for creating such a dark spot on USC’s history.

But who could blame him?  And, who really thinks that the atmosphere at Southern Cal was a rare anomaly? College football is big business, and the top prospects in NCAA are hotter commodities than credit default swaps were in 2007. At large institutions like USC, it is virtually impossible for athletic departments to keep up with who players come into contact with.  When you have agents and their runners throwing wads of cash at 20-something kids with little life experience, stuff like this is bound to happen.  When agents and their runners throw lavish parties and offer all of the pleasures a young man could want, what do you think is gonna happen?  Think it only happened at USC?  Think Reggie Bush is the only one this happened with?

I don’t blame Reggie Bush.  I don’t blame USC.  I blame a culture of corruption that lets skanky agents compromise the integrity of the game.  And as long as there’s money to be made by compromising the game—and the amateur status of the athletes who play it—it will continue until the consequences of the crimes are brought to bear on the perpetrators.  Right now, there are no consequences.  A few states have passed legislation that ostensibly makes a crime out compromising college athletes, but the laws are toothless and virtually unenforceable. 

What needs to happen is that the NFL (and NBA as well) need to step in and stiffen their own rules.  If one agent is caught compromising the amateur status of a student athlete, that agent should be banned for life.  Make an example or two out of these scumbags, and stuff like this will stop.

I feel sorry for Southern Cal because a fine institution has had its legacy tarnished.  I also feel sorry for Reggie Bush, who really was an outstanding college football player and probably deserved that Heisman.  But I really hate that a handful of people with no integrity at all have created such a dark time in the history of a great sport.  This shouldn’t be about Bush or USC.  It should be about cleaning up a very big mess created by a few unscrupulous agents and their shameless minions.

Update: The Heisman Trust is now telling ESPN news that no decision has been reached and that Yahoo! Sports reports are inaccurate.  However, the latter is sticking by their story that Bush will be stripped of the award.