One of the biggest issues in college football that is not receiving enough attention is the over-signing of players. Every college football prospect should be concerned with over-signing because there is a chance it can happen to any player once they reach the college level. For this reason, I have listed below important information about over-signing and what you should know.
What is Over-Signing?
All NCAA college football programs are limited to having 85 scholarship players on their team per year. These 85 players include both returning players and new recruits. When a program signs more players than the allotted 85, this is over-signing.
In order to get back down to the 85 players they are allowed to give scholarships to, college football programs go about it a few ways. First, they usually wait to see which players, if any, become ineligible to play. Student-athletes can become ineligible by not making grades, getting in trouble with the law, etc. Then, programs will usually ask players to ‘gray shirt’ for a year. ‘Gray shirting’ is when you give up your scholarship benefits for a season so a peer can use them. Lastly, programs just start making cuts to reach the 85, which is obviously devastating to those student-athletes.
How to Overcome Over-Signing
While there are many college football programs in the nation that do contribute to the problem of over-signing, there are just as many who try at all costs to avoid this issue. These programs would rather sign a few less players than the allotted 85 so they do not have to make those upsetting cuts later on. This then gives the program freedom to sign a few walk-on players later on.
As a college football recruit, it may be in your best interest to research which programs do and do not over-sign when considering your options. By considering football programs that have a reputation of not over-signing, you may ultimately be saving yourself from heartbreak and hassle later on.
To find out more information about over-signing in college football, visit oversigning.com
Recently, it seems like anytime you turn on the television or internet you hear that another college student-athlete is in trouble for violating some sort of NCAA rule. These violations can result in consequences that not only greatly affect the player, but can also do serious harm to the team as a whole. For this reason, it is important to know what is expected of student-athletes when they reach the college-level playing field.
Two scandals that are currently in the college sports realm are those of Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green and former USC running back Reggie Bush. Both of these incidents have gained a vast amount of media coverage, but while both of these athletes violated NCAA rules, they have very different consequences.
A.J. Green and the selling of his own jersey
At first glance, this violation seems pretty harmless. A.J. Green, who is considered one of the top receivers in college football, sold the jersey he wore in the Independence Bowl last year to an agent for $1,000. After investigating into this, the NCAA suspended Green for four games. Green was not suspended, seemingly, for trying to make a profit. Rather, he was suspended for his communication with the agent, which is a major violation.
Reggie Bush and the receiving of benefits
Rewind back to 2005: Reggie Bush was an all-star running back for one of the nation’s elite football programs and ended up winning the Heisman Trophy for his talents. Now in present day, Bush has forfeited his award and his former school is dealing with an immense amount of consequences for his actions.
After a four-year long NCAA investigation, it was found that Bush had received money, gifts and benefits from agents. Bush forfeited his Heisman Trophy after talks that the Heisman Trust would eventually take it away from him anyway. But Bush is not the only one having to deal with the consequences of his actions; USC was hit hard with numerous sanctions, including a four year probation, a two year ban from bowl games, and a loss of 30 scholarships over a three year span.
What to learn from these incidents
These two incidents are just two of many current investigations being made by the NCAA for rule violations. The newly appointed NCAA president, Mark Emmert, has come out saying that he is going to continue being tough on rule-breakers so future student-athletes will not make the same mistakes.
It’s so crucial for aspiring college players to pay close attention to the violations and subsequent consequences of these current scandals. Upon reaching the college playing field, student-athletes are held to a much higher standard and are under so much more scrutiny. Anything done that violates NCAA rules will eventually be caught, and it’s never too late to pay the price for such actions. For this reason, student-athletes need to be aware of NCAA rules so they don’t make the same mistakes when they reach the college level.
Here is your TKS Insider for the week of April 26th, 2010. Another exciting week has gone by at The Kicking System. We had two new Radio Shows last week and we are getting great feedback. Last Friday, we hosted a Radio Show about the NFL Draft and again it was fun! We look forward to providing you more information via the Radio Show. But don’t forget we have some new videos out this week, schools looking for kickers still and more recruiting information.
News:
Marcus Diaz, Poway HS won the TKS Sunday group class, with a 53 – yard field goal.
New Video: Nathan Briner, Sports Therapist based in San Diego, talks about how to improve your range of motion with Muscle Activation Techniques.
New Video: If you did not catch the last TKS Radio Show about the NFL Draft, catch it here.
Visit www.kickingsystem.comfor top level football kicking videos, recruiting tips, tools and upcoming kicking events.
John Matich, is a former NFL and NCAA kicker and now owner and director of The Kicking System, which offers Camps & Private Kicking Lessons in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles.
Dear Kickers & Punters:
Here is your TKS Insider for the week of April 26th, 2010. Another exciting week has gone by at The Kicking System. We had two new Radio Shows last week and we are getting great feedback. Last Friday, we hosted a Radio Show about the NFL Draft and again it was fun! We look forward to providing you more information via the Radio Show. But don’t forget we have some new videos out this week, schools looking for kickers still and more recruiting information.
The Kicking System (TKS) launched their radio show this past week, and SportsForce CEO, Andrew Beinbrink, was there to kick things off. Andrew and TKS’s John Matich talked college recruiting for kicking and punters and more. John is a former NFL and NCAA kicker and now owner and director of The Kicking System, which offers Camps & Private Kicking Lessons in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles. Visit www.kickingsystem.com for top level football kicking videos, recruiting tips, tools and upcoming kicking events. Below is an example of a highlight video of one of John’s kickers.
According to John, “The very first TKS Radio Show was a great success. Andrew Beinbrink stopped by and talked about recruiting. We got some great feedback and provided a ton of information. We also talked abut the seven points of success on becoming a kicker.” Visit the following link to hear the show at anytime. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kickingsystem/2010/04/20/football-kicking-punting-recruiting-news-workouts
During the show, Andrew and John discussed the Seven Points of Success to become a successful kickers or punter. You can find them below.
Academics – You must study and achieve the highest grades possible
Technique Work – Kicking 2-3x per week working on your skill
Physical Conditioning – Working out, specific for kicking (Yoga, functional training, etc)
The NFL Draft takes place from April 22-24 in its first year of the new three-day format. There aren’t many NFL Draft prospects with roots to the Valley, but what the group lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. MVP Magazine provides a look at the NFL Draft prospects who played high school football in Arizona.
Danny Batten, DE/LB, South Dakota State, Mesa (Mesquite H.S.) Ten teams visited Batten’s Pro Day. An accomplished, versatile player but at Division I-AA. Projected 7th round.
Kyle Calloway, OL, Iowa, Vail, AZ Huge at 6-7, 323 pounds. A steady, versatile offensive linemen who should have a solid NFL career. Projected 6th round.
Everson Griffen, DE, USC, Avondale (Agua Fria) First-round talent, but inconsistency and question about work ethic may cause him to drop. Could be a star NFL pass rusher. Projected 1st round.
Max Hall, QB, BYU, Mesa (Mountain View) NFL teams rarely draft a QB that is only six-feet tall with questionable arm strength. Hall hopes Drew Brees’ success will reflect on his potential. Projection 4th round.
Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State, Fountain Hills (St. Mary’s) A smart, active player but lack of ideal size and strength will hurt draft value. Projected 7th round.
Shelley Smith, OL, Colorado State, Phoenix (Westview) Good strength and footwork with the ability to be a pulling guard. Some scouts questions his physical play at the point of attack. Projected 6th round.
Ekom Udofia, DL, Stanford, Scottsdale (Chaparral) A strong, passionate player with good natural instincts who can take up multiple blockers. Better than his numbers indicate. Projected 6th round.
Arizona State University Prospects
ASU has produced its share of stud NFL Draft prospects but this year isn’t one of them. No ASU player figures to be drafted before the fifth round although there are a few players who could go on to have solid NFL careers. Only time will tell if any of them becomes a standout like former Sun Devils Terrell Suggs, Zack Miller or Jake Plummer.
Player POS Projection Comment Thomas Altieri C Undrafted Knee injuries plagued this talented center. Dexter Davis OLB Rd. 6 3.5 sacks as a senior will hurt draft value. Shaun DeWitty RB Undrafted Fast but not an NFL back. Travis Goethel ILB Rd. 7 An underrated player whose stock is rising. Shawn Lauvao OG Rd. 4 An anchor on a poor offensive line. Ryan McFoy SS Undrafted Solid ASU career, but won’t be drafted Chris McGaha WR Rd. 6 Sure hands, athleticism too good to ignore. Dimitri Nance RB Undrafted Solid career but never met expectations. Mike Nixon OLB Undrafted Age works against a talented overachiever. Danny Sullivan QB Undrafted Never got on track in his one year as starter. Jovon Williams FB Undrafted Versatile but not an impact player. Kyle Williams WR Rd. 7 Speed and athleticism may get him drafted. Jarrell Woods RB Undrafted Only had 18 carries in three years at ASU.
Specialists often have the hardest times getting noticed by college recruiters and coaches.You often hear about kickers from a small school in Nebraska or Idaho that hit a 65-yard field goal and are listed as the number one kicker in their class on Rivals.com because of that kick. Kickers are also often the last position to get recruited and there are thousands of good kickers across the country. So,what can set you apart?
Here are three easy and simple things you can do to separate yourself from the rest:
Build it and they will call. If you can build a high-end highlight film or DVD, coaches will notice. All you need is a 3-5 minute DVD of your best kicks in games and practice that is easy to see and professionally done. Visit as an example: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/nsloan
Make sure your game film looks professional and that is not low-end film. Add your personal information such as SAT score, grades, phone number and school information at the beginning or on the DVD itself. Highlight your strengths, such as hang time on kickoffs or long field goals. Put your best stuff in the beginning.
Once you have your DVD, send it to at least 20 schools that interest you. Find out the name of the special teams coach or recruiting coordinator and include the DVD with your football resume. You have only one chance to make your first impression!
If you’re a rising senior or JUCO player, I recommend attending the college camps. Each Top 25 college football program will either have a “football camp” or a kicking camp in June or July. Sometimes you’ll be invited to attend by the coaches on staff; as an alternative, you can sign up online, as most schools list their camps on their athletic websites. There are numerous kicking events and combines out there, but the new rule that college coaches cannot attend them places even more emphasis on the summer camps.
I can tell you from experience, by running the San Diego State University Football Kicking Camp last summer, the entire staff was in attendance, with the head coach holding for placements. You’re guaranteed exposure at these camps. Sometimes colleges will just have you come in for a day and kick for a couple of hours. Others, like Cal, have full-fledged kicking camp; it has a three-day kicking camp that includes instruction and lectures.
Study! I can’t tell you how many more doors you can open for yourself if you can raise your GPA or SAT scores. Making sure you are on pace for the NCAA clearinghouse and have all the requirements to graduate are easy steps to solidify your eligibility, but I cannot overemphasize the important role grades play in your acceptance to certain universities. Sometimes kickers and punters have to “walk-on” their first year and earn a scholarship. Getting into the school academically is a great way to help you get on the football team.
Lastly,if you’re an upcoming junior, senior or JUCO player, let your performance speak for itself. Acquiring great stats, kicking long field goals and setting records will only help you get noticed. Your high school coach will believe that your college material and recommend you more to college coaches when they visit your school.
John Matich, is a former NFL and NCAA kicker and now owner and director of The Kicking System, which offers Camps & Private Kicking Lessons in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles.
Visit www.kickingsystem.com for top level football kicking videos, recruiting tips, tools and upcoming kicking events.
When someone goes on a job interview, they often buy new clothes, get a haircut, and maybe even shed a few pounds, in hopes of making a good first impression to a potential future boss.
The idea of making a good first impression also holds true for the approximately 330 college football players who were invited to workout at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis from Feb. 24-Mar. 2. Each athlete undergoes extensive mental and physical evaluations by the personnel of all 32 NFL teams, which serves as their job interview for the 2010 NFL Draft on April 22-24.
In an effort to get into optimal physical and mental condition for the Combine, most athletes go through a pre-Combine training program, which is geared toward improving their draft position. The difference in getting selected in the first round versus the second round is literally millions of dollars. For other athletes, a good showing at the Combine can mean the difference between being selected on the first day of the Draft instead of the second day or being drafted at all.
Most pre-Combine programs have a similar goal of providing comprehensive physical and mental training specifically geared toward the numerous drills conducted at the Combine. Standard amenities generally include strength and speed training, learning position-specific skills, usually from former NFL coaches and players, as well as access to a nutritionist, massage and physical therapists and more.
Where the programs vary is the path a facility takes to achieve this shared goal. Selecting the proper training program has become an important part of the NFL pre-draft process and numerous Valley-based facilities rank among the elite.
Command Performance No Valley-based facility has made more of an impact on the NFL Draft than Athlete’s Performance Institute, which began offering Combine training in 2001. Their clientele list reads like a who’s who of NFL players, as founder Mark Verstegen and his crew have trained 257 draft picks, including 53 first rounders and the last four number one overall picks.
API offers 28 specialists that focus on speed, strength, nutrition, position specific, chiropractic, physical therapy and on-site meal preparation by a culinary team. They also provide a specialist for the Wonderlic Exam, the 50-question aptitude test given to all NFL draft prospects, and a media specialist, who works with the athletes on improving their interview skills and dealing with the media.
API has four facilities nationwide. In 2009, its Arizona facility relocated from Tempe to its current luxurious location in North Phoenix. This facility is as high end as they come and offer too many amenities to list in their entirety.
This year’s class of 22 NFL hopefuls include former Sun Devils Chris McGaha and Dexter Davis as well as Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
A Combine pioneer Warren Anderson, executive director of the Phoenix-based Make Plays.com Center for Human Performance is considered a pioneer of Combine training when he began his program in 1985 at the urging of Bruce Allen, now the Washington Redskins general manager.
“We worked together in the USFL,” Anderson recalled. “Then Bruce went into the agent business and I was just starting up in the training business. He told me I should consider doing Combine training for his athletes, so he could offer them a competitive advantage.”
Anderson has nearly 30 years experience and, along with his team of former NFL coaches and players, work toward improving football skills through the Makeplays Combine Training Program where athletes train twice a day, 5 – 6 days a week. Since launching combine training, Anderson has worked with more than 500 players that were drafted in the NFL, including 41 first-round draft picks.
No Doubt Another major player in pre-Combine training is Brett Fischer of Phoenix-based Fischer Sports Physical Therapy and Conditioning. The facility is well known for its work with baseball players but for more than 10 years, Fischer has partnered with Will Sullivan to train an average of 10-15 players per year through his No Doubt! Football, NFL Combine Training Camp.
While Fischer has trained five first-round picks and six-second-round picks, he has established his reputation for training many unheralded players and turning them into higher than expected picks.
“These are the kind of guys I like working on,” said Fischer, who has more than 20 years of sports conditioning and rehabilitation experience. “I’m not downplaying the importance of also working with the first-round picks but it’s also important to find the guys that no one projected very high that go and do well.”
Fischer also prides himself on 40-yard dash training as many athletes he worked with went on to set Combine records.
Diamonds in the rough Other NFL Combine training options include Triple Threat Performance in Tempe, which will train more than 20 athletes this year and is growing its reputation in this area. Triple Threat boasts former Olympian Dan O-Brien on its coaching staff.
The IKEI Performance NFL Draft Preparation Program is limited to 10 players each year. Founder Chad Ikei has more than 20 years of experience and a background in strength and power sports. IKEI Performance has locations in Scottsdale and Chandler.
Speed specialists know about Mo Streety, who has worked with athletes for 11 years. Players he has worked with include Darrelle Revis, Roddy White and Terrell Suggs.
Coach Gary Zauner was an NFL special teams coach for 13 years including with the Arizona Cardinals. He has carved out a niche for working with punters, kickers and long snappers and holds annual camps in Scottsdale to prepare prospects for the NFL Draft.
With millions of dollars potentially at stake, making a great impression at the NFL Combine and ensuing Pro Day workouts have taken on greater importance. Leading up the NFL Draft, many players will climb up the rankings of prospects, as they gain favor in the eyes of those who have scrutinized their very move. And once the names are called on April 22, smiles will come across the faces of many Valley-based sports performance professionals knowing they played an important role in prepping members of the Class of 2010 for their chance at a career in the NFL.
Note: This story originally ran in the February issue of MVP Magazine, the first ever interactive digital sports magazine. Read the current of MVP Magazine at www.mvptoday.com
Headlined by a quintet of players from the two-time state champion Oceanside Pirates, Brady Hoke announced a class of 27 recruits yesterday on National Signing Day. The largest Aztecs recruiting class since 2005 is the latest sign of Hoke’s attempt to cleanse the program of its losing ways.
“All programs have a blueprint of what they want to be,” said Hoke at a Montezuma Mesa press conference (video below), “The biggest thing for us is to recruit guys who have character. We want to recruit guys who come from winning programs.”
In that case, reaching out to John Carroll and Oceanside High is a natural start. The six-time defending CIF champions and two-time state champs are coming off a 13-0 season. The late addition of speedy cornerback/slotback Jerry Whittaker (who decommited from Arizona) to a group that already included linebacker Rene Siluano, cornerback King Holder, linebacker Jake Fely, and defensive lineman Kenneth Galea’i gives Hoke his first clear win in local recruiting.
Yes, the biggest fish in what might have been the best year for prep talent in San Diego history still left the pond. There are no obvious superstars like Tony Jefferson, Ricky Seale or Thomas Molesi in Hoke’s class. But you’ve got to start somewhere, and the class of 2010 for SDSU reflects months of hard work reconnecting with local prep coaches who had backed away in the Craft/Long era.
The San Diego Section’s all-time rushing leader will be heading to the Bay Area to play football. Escondido’s Ricky Seale signed his letter of intent to attend Stanford University in the fall, and to play for coach Jim Harbaugh on the football team. Seale’s signing, which took place today at the Escondido High School Learning Center, capped months of speculation as to where Seale would land.
“Thank God, it’s finally all over,” said Seale after putting ink to paper.
Seale was one of four Escondido athletes signing letters of intent on Wednesday, a banner day for the North County school. Tim Zier signed a baseball scholarship with SDSU, while Joe Morton signed to play basketball at Wyoming, and Mala Lemay accepted a softball scholarship from Hawaii.
“It was a 50-50 deal all the way,” said Seale, “but Stanford was always my first choice.”
After the jump, watch video of Seale and Tim Zier answering questions on Signing Day:
Seale didn’t know for sure if he would be admitted into Stanford until late last night, when Harbaugh called his house.
“I was just, Oh My God,” said Seale, “I was actually surprised I got in, but I’ve been working so hard for it so I was really happy it all worked out.”
Seale was receiving pressure from inside his own school and to the west as well. Over at Oceanside, the five Pirates who are coming as a group to play under Brady Hoke were reaching out to Zier, asking him to help recruit Seale to SDSU. Meanwhile, the Pirates were trying to keep mammoth defensive tackle Thomas Molesi in town as well; Molesi said he came “this close” to switching, but instead honored his commitment to Oregon State.
Watch Ricky Seale and Tim Zier answer questions from 619 Sports and the assembled media in Escondido:
Seale finished his prep career with 6,694 yards, averaging 7.9 yards per carry. He will compete for playing time in the Cardinal backfield with another San Diego prep phenom, the former section rushing leader (and state player of the year) Tyler Gaffney.
Zier, meanwhile, is excited to begin a baseball career under Tony Gwynn at San Diego State, but admitted that “football is always in the back of my mind.” Zier teamed with Seale to form a lethal combination the past two years in the Cougars’ backfield.
Historically San Diego County has developed some the best running backs to ever play the game of football, with a list that includes Heisman Trophy winners: Marcus Allen, Rashaan Salaam, Ricky Williams and Reggie Bush. NFL great, Terrell Davis, one of five 2,000 yard rushers at the professional level, could also trace his roots back to the area. Even with the area’s rich history at the position, San Diego’s running back class of 2010 is arguably the most talented group ever to be coming out of any single location, let alone San Diego County.
Currently on Rivals, Dillon Baxter (6’0 205lbs), is ranked as the top overall all-purpose back in the nation and the only one with a five star rating at his respective position. As a Mission Bay Bucaneer, he led his team to a perfect season by playing both running back and quarterback. On the season, Dillon rushed for nearly 3,000 yards, scored 50 TDs rushing, 25 TDs through the air and had an impressive average of 11.4 YPC. He went over 300 yards in three different occasions and his lowest rushing mark of the year was 100 yards. As expected, Dillon was recently announced as the National Player of the Year. Dillon will be playing close to home with a commitment to USC.
Close on Dillion’s heels on the Rivals all-purpose back rankings is Brennan Clay (6’0 200lbs), who is currently holding the number two spot. During his junior year at Scripps Ranch, Brennan was a dual threat running back, surpassing 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving. He is a home run threat every time he touches the ball and is an explosive return man. Brennan recently signed with the University of Oklahoma.
Now look at Ricky Seale (5’10 190lbs), a big play back coming out of Escondido High School whose production over the last few years surely speaks for itself. His breakaway speed paired with superior vision has enabled him to amass 2,400 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in each of the past two season. Towards the end of his senior year he became the leading rusher in CIF-San Diego Section history and first ever in the section to go over 6,000 total rushing yards. He was highly recruited within the PAC-10, and ultimately signed with Stanford.
Then, there is Damien Williams (6’0 200lbs), a newcomer to the list of star running backs leaving San Diego County this year. Everyone always knew that he had talent, but grades and changing schools prevented him from demonstrating his talent early on. During his senior year at Mira Mesa he established himself as a top-tier back by rushing for nearly 2,300 yards, 24 TDs, 9.9 YPC and closing out the season strong with a string of eight consecutive 200 yard performances. Damien is now signed with the Arizona State Sundevils.
Don’t forget about Tony Jefferson (6’1 205lbs), from Eastlake High School, he has rushed for 5 yards shy of 2,000 with a 8.95 YPC and 25 TDs on the season. The scary thing is Tony was being recruited as a Safety and not a running back, so that speaks volumes about his potential to play on both sides of the ball. After being recruited and showing high interest in playing for Michigan, Oklahoma or USC, Tony decided on Oklahoma.
These young players have history on their side; San Diego County has produced more Heisman winners than any other place in the country. Is there something in the water? Maybe it’s a little too early to be speaking about the Heisman, but each one of these players has a chance to be something special, so make sure you keep an eye out for them in the next few seasons.
