Published July 25, 2012 - 7:20pm
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After the recent hammering of Penn State by the NCAA, can we expect SEC coaches to cherry pick any of the current players off of the Penn State roster? All current players will get a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible to play immediately at a school of their choice, if they feel inclined to leave State College.
It would be a big deal for any coach to actively pursue current PSU players, knowing team chemistry could take a hit. But you just might find that one playmaker who gives you a big advantage and fills a huge need.
So what are SEC coaches saying about pursuing current Penn State players?
Steve Spurrier: “Not actively pursuing…”
“We’re not actively recruiting any Penn State players,” he said on Tuesday afternoon.
Will Muschamp: “No…for team chemistry purposes“
“I think you’ve got to be very careful,” Muschamp said. “We’re very close to the season right now. Our players have worked really hard and I love the chemistry in our locker room right now. You can disrupt your football team very easily by bringing in somebody from the outside that’s not the right fit.”
“It’s all based on the situation and the type of young man that you’re talking about,” Muschamp said. “But I really like our football team and the chemistry in our locker room at this point, and I don’t want to do anything to disrupt that.”
Mark Richt: “We’re interested“
“Some colleges are going to be interested in some of their players, and we’re one of those schools. It’s pretty well-documented that we’re under our 85[-scholarship] limit. We’ll try to get in touch with some of these young men and see if they’re interested. We do have some space available and if somebody fits a need and they’re excited about coming we would look into that possibility,” he said at the Cobb Galleria Centre. “There may not be anybody. But we’re at least going to explore. … I don’t want people to think we’re trying to load up a bunch of them. It could be zero, it could be one or two.”
Nick Saban: “If the right fit…”
“If somebody was interested in coming to the University of Alabama, we would certainly entertain it.”
Gene Chizik: “No comment but pursuing”
“…Auburn coaches spent part of the day Monday looking at film of current Penn State players and commitments and will probably continue that Tuesday,” said Auburn Undercover recruiting analyst Bryan Matthews. “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.”
Derek Dooley: “Hell Yes”
“We’ve analyzed (Penn State’s) roster,” said Dooley, who was the featured speaker at the Downtown Rotary Club. “We’ve had some communication with some of the players.”
Hugh Freeze: “Hell Yes”
“…in the case of Ole Miss, another part of the total rebuild first-year coach Hugh Freeze has undertaken. Freeze confirmed in a text message Monday that Ole Miss is “looking at some” of the current Penn State players, though he’ll know more about the situation only after he returns to Ole Miss.”
What recruits could the SEC go after who are currently committed to PSU?
QB Christian Hackenberg: Arguably the nation’s No.1 QB has expressed interest in South Carolina and Florida, among others, throughout his recruitment. It is conceivable that Hackenberg decommits in the future and has a chance to head to the SEC.
TE Adam Breneman: Breneman has said he is sticking with Penn State, but will he when the rubber meets the road? All SEC schools love this kid at TE. We’ll see what happens with this one.
OG Brendan Mahon: Holds offers from South Carolina and Florida. He has affirmed his commitment to Penn State, but it could be too much when SEC calls come calling.
DE Garrett Sickels: All major SEC schools have sent an offer his way, and he’s said that he’s still committed to PSU. SEC schools will not stop recruiting this young man.
