It has just been told to a 2008 graduate who was recruited by UGA and signed early last November that he must attend a JUCO the next 2 years to develop.

The HC said that they had expected more players to sign Pro and didn't, therefore, over-recruited "just in case". What a croc!

I guess it's good news for JUCO's but what about these kids who looked forward all summer to playing and/or attending UGA as a student-athlete?

I believe it may happen to at least 8 or 9 more by the end of the fall. Maybe with the rule change they have to make their cuts before the fall now. Most of the players I know were aware they could be cut, but they thought it was after the fall. Some of the players who were cut last year took it very hard.

Although this is a bummer for the kids. I think it was better of the coach to tell them now then after fall and then they are stuck. If they signed a NLI they can probably get a complete release and have no penalty. Once they step foot on that campus then they are stuck. So although a bummer I would rather my son find out now then after fall.

I was under the impression that an NLI was a legal contract - and that the school had to make a space for a year.

I suppose that going to the school and forcing yourself onto the roster is a good way to be one and done but still...

These kids were probably all good enough to have other options - seems a shame that the kid is the one paying a price and the UGA coach is off the hook.

This won't be the last one... and with the new rules, the kids are the ones who pay the price. By telling them now, the kids can at least transfer to a JC - but their chances of going to most 4 year schools are zero.

I think the program has to make good on the scholarship but not the roster spot. Sounds like the coach is telling the kid he's not going to make the cut down to 35. That makes his choices either the JuCo route or go to school but sit for a year (at least).

Or, he might try transferring now -- if he's going to sit next spring anyway -- and seeing if he can find a school that'll take him for next year.

Is there any NCAA exception that would allow the kid to transfer AND play somewhere else this year?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
It has just been told to a 2008 graduate who was recruited by UGA and signed early last November that he must attend a JUCO the next 2 years to develop.

The HC said that they had expected more players to sign Pro and didn't, therefore, over-recruited "just in case". What a croc!

I guess it's good news for JUCO's but what about these kids who looked forward all summer to playing and/or attending UGA as a student-athlete?[/QUOTE

Quote by YoungGunDad
"I will say that I still don't agree even with college kids moving all over the place if they don't like their ___________ (fill in the blank(s). Seems to me that they should learn how to investigate things more in-depth before making a decision. A lot of headaches can be eliminated if this were taught better by parents and/or mentors. Yes, things change unexpectantly. Learn to suck it up and forge on..grow up.I was raised in an era when "The going gets tough, the tough get going." Not "throw in the towel because I haven't the fortitude" to stick it out".


I guess better teaching by their parents/mentors and more in-depth investigating of UGA and their recruiting practices might of prevented this.The only two options I see for these unfortunate young men are to "quit" and move on or "learn to suck it up and forge on..grow up".

I think the point is that UGA should not be over-recruiting in the first place. They have been farming kids out to JUCOs for years.

On the other hand, they will only stop when the players stop signing with them, for some it is just too big of a temptation. They have already taken away some scholarships from kids from the '08 team, and will take away some more from both the current team and the incoming freshman. There were several kids notified today.

Unless UGA has already started, he can go to another D1 school right now and play this next season, once he is in school, he will have to sit out a year unless he goes to a JC.

That is too bad that the player is caught up in what must be a very stressful situation. As noted by others, it could have been worst and he could have brought him in and not be on the roster and waste two years, if he did not want to go the JC or non-D1 route.

I can also see this happening to many other players around the country, all you need is some player who the school forecast will be drafted and sign, not sign or get drafted and you may have a over recruiting problem even if the coach has good intentions.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
I think the program has to make good on the scholarship but not the roster spot. Sounds like the coach is telling the kid he's not going to make the cut down to 35.

A counter must be included in the 35 man varsity squad. See this link for the rule.

Of course that doesn't mean he will travel or ever play.

Note that anyone who signs a NLI is a counter--unless he leaves or doesn't enter school. So the coach obviously would prefer that an unwanted player not enroll.

From the unfortunate player's point of view, the sooner he leaves, the sooner he can begin to play baseball again. If he obstinately stays at the school where he signed his NLI, he gets the 25% scholarship, but effectively limits himself to 3 years of D1 eligibility. (Freshman year, not allowed to play; sophomore year, fufilling residency requirement.)

It would be probably difficult to arrange, but I suppose that the player could enroll at a different D1 school this fall, and play this year.

If the player is given a complete release from his NLI there is no penalty and he can go to another NLI institution and play. Are you saying that even though he is released the school itself is still held liable for that scholarship as a counter? If its a complete release it seems it would release both parties.

Given the desire to play baseball and the potential financial needs of the player, I would think that it is going to be hard to find a 4 year school that needs another player this close to the first day of school.

I did find one resource that might help - please pass it on if you know of anyone in this situation.

This link is a directory of schools that are not full:

http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/spaceavailabilityresults.htm

No way of knowing who has baseball space (and money) left from this list but hopefully will help a little.

08

Could he go to a JC for a semester and then go to a D1 school in the fall? Hopefully take enough and transferable units.

That would give him more time to search.

He must already be a NCAA qualifier...

Balk, you have just proved the old saying is true: It's better for one to keep his mouth closed and appear stupid instead of opening it and removing all doubt.

You quoted something completely out of context that I stated several months ago (that you apparently still can't get over) about players leaving programs for various reasons on their OWN accord. Not because they were released by a D1 or any level coach this early in the season and had no idea it was coming.

The rest of the intelligent posters on here are staying on point about how and/or why this could happen. How about joining the rest of us?

Fort Valley, do you know how many kids from this program got the news today? Do you also know if all/most will be playing at the JUCO level now or recommended this route?

http://hsbaseballweb.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4686003481/m/1941006092

This is a case where that ridiculous transfer rule will rear it's ugly head. Sad to say but this is probably going to happen more than some believe.

This is a serious problem that needs to be dealt with. This is not the first time that Perno has done this and it don't seem like he's going to change. I know this is probably happening at other schools but it's ridiculous. These kids were just at orientation 2 weeks ago, and now they're having to find a place to go and play. It's just stupid.

Does anyone know when a student has "enrolled" at a school? Is it when they register for classes or when they actually show up for class? If they went to orientation, odds are they have signed up for classes...

If you go to UGA's athletic site it lists a television show that Coach Perno is going to be a guest on, on Wednesday night. I guess people could send e-mails to the show requesting that they bring up this very topic to Perno and see what he has to say about it.

I think people should be cautious when lambasting UGA. If he legitimately thought he would lose many of those guys to the draft, then he did nothing wrong with the numbers he recruited. This is what you get at a top TWO program. Every guy and his brother wants to play there and see their faces on ESPN. Programs like these never just recruit one guy for a position. They recruit several and let competition determine who plays. It is athletic Darwinism and that is how it works from the D3 level on up through the D1 level. It is so cool to tell all your friends about signing somewhere in early November. That is truly the easy part. I invite people to follow the announcements of early signings here on the hsbbweb and verify for themselves how many of those kids actually get to play for the first year or two. You might be surprised. Your kid might be the best player in the state he is from and still not good enough to beat out a 22 year old who has been on a college strength program for four years. There is no shame in that. It is just how it goes many times before you can reap the rewards at a top program. Sometimes it takes a couple of years. Sometimes you just have to wait your turn and trust what the coach is telling you.

I agree with Cleveland Dad. UGA has to be aggressive with their recruiting. Players get caught up in the glitz and glitter of a top program and gamble with their baseball future. Thats-a-balk also makes a good point when he says:

quote:

investigate things more in-depth before making a decision. A lot of headaches can be eliminated if this were taught better by parents and/or mentors.