NCAA members vacate satellite camp ban

IOWA CITY — The NCAA Division I board of directors vacated a rule preventing football coaches from holding or working at satellite camps and clinics away from their school.

Earlier this month, an immediate ban was adopted by members of the Division I Council. An ensuing wave of criticism from both power-league and mid-major coaches caused the board of directors to halt the rule. Board members did direct the council to evaluate the major conference recruiting environment.

Among the primary criticisms came from smaller conference schools, which often had coaches participate at major-college camps. Athletes were exposed to several coaching staffs for the cost of attending one, and smaller schools were introduced to recruits who were unlikely to be recruited by major programs. Recruiting itself was banned at camps, but interactive introductions helped facilitate the process.

'The board of directors is interested in a holistic review of the football recruiting environment, and camps are a piece of that puzzle,' said board of directors chair Harris Pastides, president of the University of South Carolina, in a news release. 'We share the Council's interest in improving the camp environment, and we support the Council's efforts to create a model that emphasizes the scholastic environment as an appropriate place for recruiting future student-athletes.'

The issue became a battleground based on geography. Northern schools like Michigan and Penn State participated in Southern camps in states like Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Southeastern Conference schools were barred from attending camps outside a 50-mile radius from their campus. The SEC planned to loosen its camp rules if the NCAA enacted a ban.

With the football recruiting model now under review, the future of satellite camps will join a lengthy list of likely rules changes. The board wants initial recommendations for improving football recruiting by Sept. 1.

'It's clear that the membership has differing views on this subject, and the Council appreciates the Board's insights into this important issue,' said Division I Council chair Jim Phillips, athletics director at Northwestern, in a statement. 'This review will provide an opportunity to identify the most effective ways prospective student-athletes can have their academic and athletic credentials evaluated by schools across the country.'

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