Mark Richt on Spring Recruiting: Only ‘if it became a contact period’
Mark Richt and a number of other college football coaches were asked about how they viewed the topic of making recruiting trips to high schools in the spring.
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Recruiting is a never-ending cycle in college football, and the rules for how, when and where potential players can be contacted and recruited are constantly changing. Right now, the spring is designated as no-contact period, but coaches do have certain “evaluation days” where they can visit the schools.
The NCAA and the Power-5 coalition are always looking at ways to better the recruiting process without disrupting the lives of these high school students and in giving coaches ample opportunity to talk to and evaluate the players. The question is, should the “Saban Rule” be overturned and allow head coaches to go back on the road to evaluate high school football prospects during the spring?
Mark Richt had this to say, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
"“The only way I would want to be back on the road in the springtime is if it became a contact period. I don’t want to be out there and having to avoid contact. It gets a little chaotic anytime a head coach enters a high school.”"
Richt is completely on point here. The entire reason the rule for no spring recruiting trips for coaches was instituted in 2008 was because coaches like Nick Saban (for whom the rule was aptly named) were skirting the no-contact mandate and getting a leg up on those who weren’t getting those illegal bumps.
Even the anti-Dawg, Steve Spurrier agrees:
"“I sort of like what we do now. If we all stay in, it’s fair for all. Some coaches get sort of corralled to take pictures with all the kids and sign autographs. But whatever they say, it’s fine with me. If they say to go out in the spring, then I’ll start going out in the spring. If they stay in, I’ll stay in. Whichever way is fine with me.”"
If coaches are to head on the road and leave their schools for the purpose of recruiting, then it should only be during times that they can legally have contact with recruits. Otherwise, it creates too many questions and unethical practices.