re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition

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lol at you thinking anybody who downvoted your passive aggressive crying didn't 'detect your sarcasm.'

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Parks = Higher upside

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“When all the attention started his junior year there were a lot of questions about his academic stuff,” Mahan said. “Most of it was back when he was a sophomore. We had some making up to do as far as getting him back on track. And he still has some work to do, but there is a plan and everybody is on that same page. It’s just a matter of Akial doing his work and finishing up strong which he’s very capable of doing. The plan is very capable of following through with.”

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As of yesterday, it was sounding very very bad for Byers' grades per Orr.

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The Alabama football team is now two days into its pre-bowl mini-camp, bringing news of offensive coordinator-in-waiting Steve Sarkisian’s increasing involvement in practices. Sarkisian has been present at each practice thus far, watching the sidelines and occasionally speaking with Alabama players. It’s the most involvement the current “analyst” has seen all season with the offense, largely thanks to the NCAA bylaws.

NCAA Bylaw 11 governs the amount and type of coaches a program can use, and what their individual duties can be. As it stands, each team is allowed nine full-time assistant coaches — a rule Nick Saban has called to change to allow the addition of a 10th coach, presumably for special teams. At the beginning of each year, the head coach signs a form declaring who those nine coaches will be. He can’t change that roster until one of those coaches leaves, except in cases of extreme duress.

Those nine assistants, plus four graduate assistants, the strength coach and the head coach, are the only staff members permitted to “participate in coaching” during practices, games and workouts. Presumably, Sarkisian’s observation of practice wouldn’t violate this bylaw, so long as he doesn’t work with players individually or as a group.

The restrictions also extend to recruiting. Off-campus recruiting is only allowed by the head coach, the nine assistants and one of the four GAs. That means the incoming offensive players at Alabama can’t be recruited by Sarkisian, despite his having established relationships with several Alabama recruits. The early enrollees can’t be recruited by him now and can’t have much contact with him during the coming semester, until Lane Kiffin’s employment at Alabama has officially ended. According to the bylaws, he can’t evaluate incoming players or make phone calls to potential players until that time.

Those regulations are waived when players sign National Letters of Intent or financial aid agreements. As more and more players commit to Alabama in writing, Sark’s restrictions on their recruitment relax.

Kiffin’s decision to continue as offensive coordinator for the College Football Playoff is almost certainly in Alabama’s best interest. As for Sarkisian, he’ll watch and wait.

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