Can someone please explain to me the USC recruting sanctions? I've seen where they've recruited 23 players so far this year. I thought that they could only recruit up to 15 players per year, for the three years. I must be wrong, and need someone to explain it. :geaux:
If memory serves they lost 5 per year. There is a good thread on it back in the archives but you will have to look that up. The short of it is if you are only allowed 85 on scholly and lets for the sake of argument say they are maxed right now. As the Sr's graduate they will have less and less scholarships available and it will be a while before they are back to 85. Sort of like a dog chasing its tail.
I know it's 30 scholarships over 3 years but I never really understood what it actually translated to either. I figured it was time I did so did a search to answer you in the process. I still don't really understand completely but here's a read (though dated) I found that may help. The sanctions aren't "officially" in place until their appeal is heard so it could all be pushed back but still be levied for three years from that point on. Also, the article points out that they can replace up to 10 additional transfers and/or early entrants to NFL. I think the reduction is 10 per year, meaning they can maintain a 75 man roster on scholarship and the recruiting number varies according to how many they lose in any given year. Someone may be able to explain it better/more accurately. USC football: Roster, scholarship update - USC : The Orange County Register
As a side note, I've done a lot of business in SoCal and it is unreal how big a has been USC football has already become. No one is wearing USC football gear at the moment, which is different than recent history where everyone had USC stuff. I suspect USC will be back, but it won't be before everyone in the PAC 10 gets their shot in.
The sanctions are in full force currently. They were not able to go to a bowl game this year. With regards to scholarships, they are backcounting... in other words they have a lot of eligible to enroll this month who can count against last year's numbers some how. (don't know how the rule works, just know they can do it.) However, counting against the 2011 class, they can only have 15 sign. In theory by the time the sanctions are over, they will only have 55 scholarship football players and will have to rebuild their numbers from there with the 25 scholarship limit. Bhelm may be able to explain the back counting rule better.
I still occasionally read/post on one of their boards and though I never really tried to understand the full effect the sanctions would have it's very clear they'll sting and hamper their program if they're not lessened. From their situation and others since, it's clear to me the NCAA does what it wants, when it wants. USC had gotten to where it was thumbing its nose at them imo with agents roaming the practice field/locker room, for one thing. I wouldn't want to get in a pissing contest with the NCAA. Pete knew what was coming and hauled ballz. Kiffen is arrogant enough to think he can be successful through it all, I guess. Maybe he just wanted in and took it figuring he'd stick it out til things got better.
I think I know but they just changed the rules so haven't got confirmation on if I understand it completely. Basically, you can only count back early enrollees and the team must have been under the 85 scholarship limit the previous year to be allowed to count players back to the last class. They also have to be under the signing day limit as well of 25 enrolled (I believe the 25 is across all conferences but maybe I am wrong). So if they signed and enrolled say 20 last class, only had 80 players on scholarship last year, and have 5 early enrollees in the current class then they could count back 5 guys. Then they could sign and enroll a total of 30 prospects in this class with 5 of them counting back. USC was definetly under the 85 and likely very short of that total. The other factors such as how many enrolled on scholarship and how many enrolled early this year I don't know.
Don't sweat it, I was reading on their forum and they don't truly understand what's going on/how many they're taking and where they're putting them. >[ame="http://wearesc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153874"]I hope we don't oversign.... - WeAreSC Forums[/ame]<
