In the aftermath of a new rule that would limit the ability of assistants designated as head coaches-in-waiting to recruit, Texas was not shy about expressing their feelings that they are being “singled out” by the NCAA.
They are not alone, of course, as Maryland is in the same predicament with James Franklin as Texas is with Will Muschamp. Both coaches, who are the top recruiters on their respective staffs, would be hindered by the new bylaw, which would limit their ability to contact and have interaction with recruits as their head coaches.
As such, the two schools are teaming together in an effort to get the NCAA to either reverse the decision or grandfather the two coaches into the rule since they both were designated as the coach-in-waiting before the new legislation was even proposed.
“We are partnering with Texas to approach the NCAA about being grandfathered into the rule, since our contract was signed a year ago,” Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow told the Baltimore Sun. “I believe our position has merit. Other than that, I do not think it professional to comment while the schools communicate with the NCAA.”
The paper went on to write that "[t]he NCAA said in an e-mail that schools can seek a waiver or request an override to the rule. It would take 30 member schools to trigger an override review by an NCAA legislative body.”
Hopefully, common sense will prevail and both Franklin and Muschamp are grandfathered in. Then again, it is the NCAA we are talking about here, so all bets are off on that front.