Virginia looses athletic stars due to rules questions

The Cavalier Daily CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (U-WIRE) -- This month two major events in Virginia sports -- the loss of high school basketball and football star Ron Curry and the NCAA-instigated examination of former recruit Melvin Whitaker's living and meal arrangements -- have forced men's basketball recruiting practices into the limelight. Ron Curry's decision to attend North Carolina, despite a verbal commitment to Virginia, disappointed many Cavalier fans. Curry said while there were several reasons he chose UNC, one of the factors was the situation at Virginia, where head basketball coach Jeff Jones had just resigned and athletic department officials announced an investigation into recruiting violations. "They do have those problems, so there they are," Curry said at the March 24 press conference when he announced his intention to attend North Carolina. With these two issues on the table, NCAA policies as well as Virginia actions have come under scrutiny. "The recruiting process leaves a lot to be desired," Mike Smith, Curry's football coach at Hampton High School, said at the conference. While Curry had his own reasons for not attending Virginia, those on the others idea of the recruiting process point to other reasons that make recruiting difficult -- specifically, NCAA interference in schools' programs. In an attempt to make recruitment fair for everyone, the NCAA continues to pass stricter rules to control the process. But some coaches and sports officials say these rules may only complicate recruitment and not help coaches or athletes as they are intended. "The NCAA has in many areas tried to micromanage and it's been a mistake," Brick Oettinger, a recruiting expert for NCAA Sports Journal said. "But if they don't have rules to deal with every nitpicky situation, people would be violating them." The NCAA creates rules for individual sports and divisions and monitors adherence to them beginning with high school recruitment. These rules are designed to protect the athletes, but as they grow more rigid, coaches are finding that the rules are not always beneficial to the system. "They should simplify," Danny Wilmer, assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator, said, citing a move from five official student visits to a school to three as an example of a change that could help. With all the complicated regulations, NCAA and university officials always watch for violations. Although not a frequent rule violator, the university has spent time under NCAA scrutiny. Most notably, in 1992 the university instigated an extensive self-investigation into 40 interest-free loans the Virginia Student Aid Foundation paid to student athletes, most in small amounts, beginning in 1987. This year, after prompting from NCAA officials, the university released a statement March 16 confirming an investigation into the housing arrangements and meals for former basketball recruit Melvin Whitaker. Despite these cases of negative publicity, Oettinger highlighted the university's positive reputation. The university is "top of the line, no question. And well deserved," Oettingers aid. "UVA doesn't have to violate. I find it surprising that there's even an investigation." Although Oettinger said the university maintains a well-run program, the NCAA defines how the university and other schools' top level sports programs handle athletic recruiting. But several sports officials point to simple changes that could benefit the recruiting process, specifically in paring down recruitment regulations. Football coaches who now go on the road for one-week recruiting trips cannot share the work load with another coach. They cannot return back to school to "tag" and send another coach out for the remainder of the week. NCAA passed this move to cut down on costs, but in reality the cost of recruiting increased only eight percent over the last five to six years, Wilmer said. Without tagging, football coaches need to fly rather than drive to schools to complete their one-day visit to each school. Wilmer also criticized the NCAA for the negative atmosphere it creates around many athletic decisions. He pointed to the regulation requiring the entire football department to be tested in NCAA policies each spring, even though he has coached for 27 years. "Everything is so suspect and under guarded conditions," he said. "It seems like you're being investigated. "It's kind of funny that now I have to be tested every year," Oettinger noted the NCAA does not always make quick or consistent decisions on individual cases that reach the association. "It's a hassle when they waffle and string you along and don't make decisions," he said. "The NCAA is notorious for doing this." Oettinger pointed to cases of recruits with questionable SAT scores where the NCAA dragged out their decisions on whether they would accept the athlete's eligibility. Some officials feel the NCAA's rules reflect a lack of familiarity with the schools they regulate. "The people who make the rules are out of touch," Wilmer said. "I don't know where some ideas come from." Because the NCAA covers three divisions and 902 schools, the policymakers may not have enough contact with Division I schools to know what is best. There are not enough committee members from Division I schools, Wilmer said. Yet another effect of NCAA over-regulation is reduced contact between coaches and prospective athletes. In the past, recruiters were able to telephone potential athletes as early as the ninth grade. Now, the first face to face contact a coach is allowed is on July 1 after a student-athlete's junior year, restricting the ability to advise students about future recruitment. Wilmer also said the quality of recruitment has declined because of less face to face contact. Smith said the strict rule prohibiting more than a single one-day visit to schools may not be good for the coaches or athletes. "Coaches should be allowed to travel to see [high school athletes] perform and observe them," Smith said. "It would be more beneficial to everyone." While these rules may be flawed, it is difficult to draw the line between necessary and extraneous policies. "Setting down rules and guidelines are good," Oettinger said. "It gives all an even chance. But there are cases where the NCAA isn't good." With football and men's basketball as the nation's most visible sports, rules begin with academic qualifications. In men's basketball, athletes are not allowed to officially visit schools until they have qualified academically on a sliding scale of GPA and SAT or ACT scores. The NCAA intended this rule to help prevent recruitment of substandard students, but even the academic standards can have negative side effects. A policy loophole allows athletes to sign before they have reached the academic marks. Some feel the NCAA rules should offer more effective guidelines about private interests in the recruiting process. "The outside forces should be limited to just recruiting forces," Smith said.