Friday, April 25, 2008

So Much for the Saban Rule

He's back. It didn't take long for Nick Saban to find a way around the "Saban Rule," which prohibits head coaches from making off-campus visits during the spring evaluation period, running from April 15 to May 31.

Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News details how Saban hooked up with William Ming, a hotshot defensive end recruit from Athens (Ala.) High.

It started when Crimson Tide assistant Curt Cignetti visited Ming at his high school, which has a Distance Learning Lab that allows students to take online classes by using a live webcam. Writes Scarbinsky:

"Cignetti left behind a web address that Ming used to log on later that day and spend 15-20 minutes talking, through the webcam, with Saban, who was in his office in Tuscaloosa.

"Athens High Coach Allen Creasy, who witnessed the conversation, called it 'a first from a recruiting standpoint' for his school.

" 'You could see [Saban's] facial expressions and hand gestures just as if you were sitting across the desk from him,' Creasy said. 'It's the next-best thing to being there in person.' "

And perfectly legal under NCAA rules. Although Saban and his staff are restricted to one phone call to a junior recruit during the spring evaluation period, a prospect can make unlimited calls to a staff, even if a "call" involves the use of a webcam.

As you can expect, Crimson Tide fans are giddy over the news.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Once again proving why he's one of the best recruiters out there.

Anonymous said...

How DARE you be happy about your coach kicking everyone's ass on the recruiting trail, and doing it by the book, druid?

And that Saban, what an asshole... Tubby and Fulmer get a rule passed JUST to keep him down, and he has the temerity to go and rain on their parade.

Anonymous said...

Oh my...
The Wiz really is obsessed with Saban.

Al Bundy said...

the NCAA will never be able to keep up with tech savvy staffs.

Anonymous said...

Clearly he is just trying to prove to LSU that they should hire him back.

War Eagle!!

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised that they have webcams, much less the internet, in Alabama. PROGRESS, FRIENDS!