An emerging nugget that may change my view of the Swenson situation

[EvanstonCat]

Someone on Michigan board claiming that Swenson was offered an academic scholarship and a designation as a preferred walk-on.

This does not seem plausible to me, but if it is the case, it may change my perception of the situation.

On one hand, Swenson would still have the opportunity to attend his dream school, to join the football team, and to prove his merit to break on to the field. I'm not sure I see anything wrong with that. Maybe Harbaugh is also gambling that the kid loved Michigan so much he would still come (and hence, open up another scholarship). On the other - it isn't exactly being straight up with him either. Should have told him earlier that he wasn't going to have an opportunity at Michigan to come as a full scholarship player.

For the record, I have no problem with what Harbaugh did with Matt Falcon. Was straight up with him, said he didn't think the kid would be able to play for Michigan, but took care of him with an academic scholarship. And did so much earlier in the recruiting cycle. Falcon could have chosen to stay at Michigan, get his degree, and try to make the team. Instead, he chose to go elsewhere where he thought he had a better chance of playing. It was up front, direct, and the kid made a decision.

Similarly, in this case, if Swenson was given the opportunity to go to UM on a scholarship, and was being asked to prove himself as a walk-on, I have less of an issue with that. I do think it may be gaming the system a bit, but it's not exactly the same as kicking him to the curb as I thought it was.

This said, I don't believe for a moment that's what happened. This following article seems to paint a different picture.

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/ind...on_was_told_by.html#incart_river_mobile_index

 

[corbi296]

False. He was offered a preferred walk-on opportunity. No Scholarship.

 

[Eurocat]

1. Since when do you do this to kid who is a four star with Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State level offeres? I am not believing this. Sounds like a made up story now that the heat is on.

2, Not directed at you but how does this work exactly? If you could just offer everyone an academic scholarship and preferred walk on status. wouldn't that be an all too easy way to skirt the 85 scholarship maximum that the NCAA mandates? BTW - I have also wondered the same about NU, I think some of our kickers arrived with that status and I believe so did the QB that is Trent Greens kid, so the same question applies.

All that having been said, I have to say (please no rock throwing at me!) that I do have a LITTLE bit of sympathy for Harbaugh. The reason is that we expect coaches to make offers and then if accepted to keep their promises. Yet kids make verbals all the time and with two or three weeks to go "reopen the process". Why is nobody pissed when they do that?

We all know the ball-cap routine. Kid calls press conference, puts three caps on the table and after some play acting drama plops one on his head and says "I am going to be a Badger/Buckeye/Wildcat/Tiger..."

I find that to be rather taunting of the fans and quite honestly cruel to the coaches.

Imagine this scenario. Coach X walks into the press room of "Big State University" and says "Welcome members of the press and fans, today we will announce our decision as to who we will offer this year here at Big State for quaterback. class of 2021. (Takes out blown up picutures of three stud QBs).

"Our choices are these three five stars, Adam Anderson, Brian Brianston and Carl Carlson....and our picks is....Bria, no wait Car....hang on, no I'm just messing with you, Adam Anderson, get ready to play for Big State University next year son!"

Then coach sends out a tweet.

"We would like to thank the Brisanston and Carlson families for their support, we will always remain your friends, but after talking it over with my assistatnt coaches and University officials, we decided we have to do what is in our teams best interests, so thatnks and good luck next season to all of you..."

There would be outrage yet in a great sense that is exactly what the kids are doing when they decommit but no-one says anything except for fans of the screwed over time who are pissed at first and then say "well, he wasn't all that good anyway. screw him".

Just my two cents.

 

[NURoseBowl]

1. Since when do you do this to kid who is a four star with Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State level offeres? I am not believing this. Sounds like a made up story now that the heat is on.

2, Not directed at you but how does this work exactly? If you could just offer everyone an academic scholarship and preferred walk on status. wouldn't that be an all too easy way to skirt the 85 scholarship maximum that the NCAA mandates? BTW - I have also wondered the same about NU, I think some of our kickers arrived with that status and I believe so did the QB that is Trent Greens kid, so the same question applies.

All that having been said, I have to say (please no rock throwing at me!) that I do have a LITTLE bit of sympathy for Harbaugh. The reason is that we expect coaches to make offers and then if accepted to keep their promises. Yet kids make verbals all the time and with two or three weeks to go "reopen the process". Why is nobody pissed when they do that?

We all know the ball-cap routine. Kid calls press conference, puts three caps on the table and after some play acting drama plops one on his head and says "I am going to be a Badger/Buckeye/Wildcat/Tiger..."

I find that to be rather taunting of the fans and quite honestly cruel to the coaches.

Imagine this scenario. Coach X walks into the press room of "Big State University" and says "Welcome members of the press and fans, today we will announce our decision as to who we will offer this year here at Big State for quaterback. class of 2021. (Takes out blown up picutures of three stud QBs).

"Our choices are these three five stars, Adam Anderson, Brian Brianston and Carl Carlson....and our picks is....Bria, no wait Car....hang on, no I'm just messing with you, Adam Anderson, get ready to play for Big State University next year son!"

Then coach sends out a tweet.

"We would like to thank the Brisanston and Carlson families for their support, we will always remain your friends, but after talking it over with my assistatnt coaches and University officials, we decided we have to do what is in our teams best interests, so thatnks and good luck next season to all of you..."

There would be outrage yet in a great sense that is exactly what the kids are doing when they decommit but no-one says anything except for fans of the screwed over time who are pissed at first and then say "well, he wasn't all that good anyway. screw him".

Just my two cents.

Your point is well taken, Euro. That hat dance nonsense is about as harebrained as it gets, and nobody likes to see a kid flip at the last minute. However, an easily swayed seventeen year old kid - being pulled in multiple directions while making the biggest decision of his young life - might almost be expected to second-guess his decision at some point, though usually to no great effect. And occasionally, they will change their minds and opt for a different school. While that can suck for us as fans, it's still the kid's life that we're talking about and at seventeen, he's not exactly as prepared to make big decisions as he will be years later. A coach, on the other hand - essentially a CEO of a program - ought to be held to a higher standard. Not even necessarily the highest of standards, but certainly moreso than an impressionable teenager. A coach has GOT to know better than that. He's got to BE better than that.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

In summary, "if the things Harbaugh is putting out there to cover his ass are true, maybe I would consider viewing the situation a little differently (but not really). Plus those things appear to be more bullshit and here's proof."

 

[gocatsgo2003]

1. Since when do you do this to kid who is a four star with Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State level offeres? I am not believing this. Sounds like a made up story now that the heat is on.

2, Not directed at you but how does this work exactly? If you could just offer everyone an academic scholarship and preferred walk on status. wouldn't that be an all too easy way to skirt the 85 scholarship maximum that the NCAA mandates? BTW - I have also wondered the same about NU, I think some of our kickers arrived with that status and I believe so did the QB that is Trent Greens kid, so the same question applies.

All that having been said, I have to say (please no rock throwing at me!) that I do have a LITTLE bit of sympathy for Harbaugh. The reason is that we expect coaches to make offers and then if accepted to keep their promises. Yet kids make verbals all the time and with two or three weeks to go "reopen the process". Why is nobody pissed when they do that?

We all know the ball-cap routine. Kid calls press conference, puts three caps on the table and after some play acting drama plops one on his head and says "I am going to be a Badger/Buckeye/Wildcat/Tiger..."

I find that to be rather taunting of the fans and quite honestly cruel to the coaches.

Imagine this scenario. Coach X walks into the press room of "Big State University" and says "Welcome members of the press and fans, today we will announce our decision as to who we will offer this year here at Big State for quaterback. class of 2021. (Takes out blown up picutures of three stud QBs).

"Our choices are these three five stars, Adam Anderson, Brian Brianston and Carl Carlson....and our picks is....Bria, no wait Car....hang on, no I'm just messing with you, Adam Anderson, get ready to play for Big State University next year son!"

Then coach sends out a tweet.

"We would like to thank the Brisanston and Carlson families for their support, we will always remain your friends, but after talking it over with my assistatnt coaches and University officials, we decided we have to do what is in our teams best interests, so thatnks and good luck next season to all of you..."

There would be outrage yet in a great sense that is exactly what the kids are doing when they decommit but no-one says anything except for fans of the screwed over time who are pissed at first and then say "well, he wasn't all that good anyway. screw him".

Just my two cents.

1) It's just Harbaugh trying to cover himself.

2) The rules on "counters" toward the scholarship limit are pretty complex, located in section 15 of the NCAA rule book: https://law.marquette.edu/assets/sports-law/pdf/www.ncaapublications.com_productdownloads_D114.pdf

Long story short is that an academic scholarship for excellence wouldn't count toward the limit as a an exempted source. That said, I'm pretty sure at least a couple schools would challenge Harbaugh if a player were ever to take such a scholarship offer.

 

[Deeringfish]

If you could just offer everyone an academic scholarship and preferred walk on status. wouldn't that be an all too easy way to skirt the 85 scholarship maximum that the NCAA mandates? BTW - I have also wondered the same about NU, I think some of our kickers arrived with that status and I believe so did the QB that is Trent Greens kid, so the same question applies.

I was wondering the same thing and always just thought that walk-ons got what ever financial aid they qualified for because NU is righteous in my eyes. But his does make the limits practically meaningless. In fact if a guy is not on the team he wouldn't be subject to restrictions like practice limits and coaching contact.

 

[villox]

Why the hell is Harbaugh able to offer ACADEMIC scholarships to kids at Michigan?

 

[NURoseBowl]

Why the hell is Harbaugh able to offer ACADEMIC scholarships to kids at Michigan?

A fine question in its own right.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Why the hell is Harbaugh able to offer ACADEMIC scholarships to kids at Michigan?

It's the Stanford operating model. He brought it to Ann Arbor.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

Someone on Michigan board claiming that Swenson was offered an academic scholarship and a designation as a preferred walk-on.

That doesn't even sound kosher, but if so, how is that not reneging on the original offer? Hoke made the verbal offer, Swenson accepted, Harbaugh re-affirmed the offer, Swenson re-affirmed the commitment, and then Harbaugh reneged. The exact details notwithstanding, isn't that going back on one's word?

 

[GlideCat]

All that having been said, I have to say (please no rock throwing at me!) that I do have a LITTLE bit of sympathy for Harbaugh. The reason is that we expect coaches to make offers and then if accepted to keep their promises. Yet kids make verbals all the time and with two or three weeks to go "reopen the process". Why is nobody pissed when they do that?

IF football is a part of the educational system and there is any validity to the relationship of the coach with the scholar-athlete, then the coach is cast in the role of role-model to the recruits and the players. The recruits are not cast in that role towards the coaches.

Also, the fans are definitely ticked when a recruit bags on a commitment at the last second. All of the fans of the specific school he does it to.

 

[Hungry Jack]

It's not so much rescinding the schollie, it's the timing of it all that stinks so much.

 

[mikewebb68]

Someone on Michigan board claiming that Swenson was offered an academic scholarship and a designation as a preferred walk-on.

Someone on the NU Board claims the earth is flat, Strangely, that has not altered my perception that the Earth is not flat.

Have you SEEN the people who post on that board? Hint: credibility is NOT one of their strong points...

 

[hdhntr1]

Someone on Michigan board claiming that Swenson was offered an academic scholarship and a designation as a preferred walk-on.

This does not seem plausible to me, but if it is the case, it may change my perception of the situation.

On one hand, Swenson would still have the opportunity to attend his dream school, to join the football team, and to prove his merit to break on to the field. I'm not sure I see anything wrong with that. Maybe Harbaugh is also gambling that the kid loved Michigan so much he would still come (and hence, open up another scholarship). On the other - it isn't exactly being straight up with him either. Should have told him earlier that he wasn't going to have an opportunity at Michigan to come as a full scholarship player.

For the record, I have no problem with what Harbaugh did with Matt Falcon. Was straight up with him, said he didn't think the kid would be able to play for Michigan, but took care of him with an academic scholarship. And did so much earlier in the recruiting cycle. Falcon could have chosen to stay at Michigan, get his degree, and try to make the team. Instead, he chose to go elsewhere where he thought he had a better chance of playing. It was up front, direct, and the kid made a decision.

Similarly, in this case, if Swenson was given the opportunity to go to UM on a scholarship, and was being asked to prove himself as a walk-on, I have less of an issue with that. I do think it may be gaming the system a bit, but it's not exactly the same as kicking him to the curb as I thought it was.

This said, I don't believe for a moment that's what happened. This following article seems to paint a different picture.

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/ind...on_was_told_by.html#incart_river_mobile_index

I don't think you can offer a preferred walk on an academic scholarship. That would likely be too close to having extra scholarships.

 

[hdhntr1]

1. Since when do you do this to kid who is a four star with Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State level offeres? I am not believing this. Sounds like a made up story now that the heat is on.

2, Not directed at you but how does this work exactly? If you could just offer everyone an academic scholarship and preferred walk on status. wouldn't that be an all too easy way to skirt the 85 scholarship maximum that the NCAA mandates? BTW - I have also wondered the same about NU, I think some of our kickers arrived with that status and I believe so did the QB that is Trent Greens kid, so the same question applies.

All that having been said, I have to say (please no rock throwing at me!) that I do have a LITTLE bit of sympathy for Harbaugh. The reason is that we expect coaches to make offers and then if accepted to keep their promises. Yet kids make verbals all the time and with two or three weeks to go "reopen the process". Why is nobody pissed when they do that?

We all know the ball-cap routine. Kid calls press conference, puts three caps on the table and after some play acting drama plops one on his head and says "I am going to be a Badger/Buckeye/Wildcat/Tiger..."

I find that to be rather taunting of the fans and quite honestly cruel to the coaches.

Imagine this scenario. Coach X walks into the press room of "Big State University" and says "Welcome members of the press and fans, today we will announce our decision as to who we will offer this year here at Big State for quaterback. class of 2021. (Takes out blown up picutures of three stud QBs).

"Our choices are these three five stars, Adam Anderson, Brian Brianston and Carl Carlson....and our picks is....Bria, no wait Car....hang on, no I'm just messing with you, Adam Anderson, get ready to play for Big State University next year son!"

Then coach sends out a tweet.

"We would like to thank the Brisanston and Carlson families for their support, we will always remain your friends, but after talking it over with my assistatnt coaches and University officials, we decided we have to do what is in our teams best interests, so thatnks and good luck next season to all of you..."

There would be outrage yet in a great sense that is exactly what the kids are doing when they decommit but no-one says anything except for fans of the screwed over time who are pissed at first and then say "well, he wasn't all that good anyway. screw him".

Just my two cents.

The kids are 18. All they know is what they have gotten a chance to see and it is much more reasonable for them to want to make a change. As far as the hat dance, while I am not a big fan, those kids tend to have a lot of offers and letting everyone know at the same time.