As Ben noted Tuesday evening, the NCAA “clarified” its policies pertaining to the transfer of current Penn State football players out of that program to another, and it is still essentially what it was the day the sanctions were announced: a roster shopping spree for all 123 other FBS football programs.
USC can still have the Nittany Lions’ star running back, despite the “limitations” thanks to its own sanctions. Derek Dooley and his Tennessee coaching staff will still be free to have communication with current Nittany Lions.
And, obviously, those two programs are far from the only ones viewing PSU’s roster as a blue-light special in college football’s version of Christmas in summer camp.
Here’s a very cursory look at what programs have publicly stated as far as their interest in current Nittany Lions players, while being fully armed with the realization that the interest in the Penn State roster goes much deeper than is being acknowledged...
-- “If somebody was interested in coming to the University of Alabama, we would certainly entertain it.”
That’s Tide head coach Nick Saban, speaking on whether he would be open to overtures from current Penn State players.
The recruiting machine that is Saban, though, had some sage advice for the teenagers/young adults who may be looking to make a life-altering decision.
“The first thing I would say to a player is, this is not just about football. You’re there to get an education. I think you should think about your future in terms of your ability to be successful personally, academically and athletically.”
Of course, Saban and/or his staff has already been in contact with at least three PSU players, so the mileage on that quote may very when it comes to a roster’s need.
-- “Auburn coaches spent part of the day Monday looking at film of current Penn State players and commitments and will probably continue that Tuesday.”
That quote comes from a national recruiting analyst by way of al.com.
The good news for Penn State as it relates to AU’s interest in its players?
“While no final decisions have been reached, I’m not expecting Auburn to actively pursue any current Penn State players or commits at the moment. They may continue to evaluate this fall and look at any potential January transfers.”
-- Art Briles and his Baylor coaching staff are “heavily connected to Penn State.” After taking on three FBS transfers in less than a year, Briles is not shy in acknowledging he’s ready to add a fourth or a fifth or whatever number it takes.
“If people reach out to us, that says they’re willing to move on. If they do that, then we’re willing to talk,” said Briles. “If a guy can play, we’re going to look at him without question.”
Briles confirmed that one unnamed Penn State player has already approached the program regarding a transfer.
-- “When the dust settles, I think there will be several players that entertain the thought of going somewhere else. So I think that any program that didn’t do homework prior to this decision coming out … was behind on that one.”
That’s Kansas head coach Charlie Weis, who’s shown in his first year with the Jayhawks that he’s far from averse to looking to transfers for immediate help.
-- From ESPNLosAngeles.com:
The first-year Bruins coach added that “I’ve talked to all the coaches about guys they might be familiar with and there are some positions we might look at a little more closely than others.”
-- First-year Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez confirmed that his coaching staff has talked to “a couple guys, because we know ’em.”
He also stated that any movement, one way or the other, will be swift.
“I don’t know if any of them will come, or if it’ll work out with them. The turnaround’s going to be pretty quick. The timing’s not good for any of them.”