This thread should be titled simply:
Oversigning, are you ok with it?
My answer is no. It puts a program at risk of doing things unethical wrt to the team's interest vs the SA's. It becomes unethical if promises, implied or stated, are broken.
Coaches are forced to use creative ways to manage the roster down to the 85 limit.
Here's a few quotes from a Wiki article on oversigning:
"In a December 2010 feature on oversigning, ESPN's Outside the Lines profiled former University of Miami defensive lineman Stephen Wesley, who was told - in July 2010, just weeks before his senior season was to begin - that his scholarship would not be renewed.[5]Miami and then-head coach Randy Shannon did not give an explanation for Wesley's dismissal from the team, but many believed (as Outside the Lines noted) Wesley was cut from the team to make room for Seantrel Henderson, who announced he would attend Miami just weeks before Wesley's dismissal.[6]"
For all of Mark Richt's faults, he has it right on this issue:
"Georgia head coach Mark Richt has condemned the process, saying "I don't want to oversign, then tell one of the kids we've already got, 'You've got no value to us' and toss him aside. I'm not going to do that."[2]
Nick Saben... not so much:
On April 15, 2008, Saban was asked by reporter Ian Rapoport how he was going to handle the numbers and when does he you start to worry about it? Saban replied "I'm not worried about them. It'll all work out. I mean, the whole thing has a solution to every issue. You don't put yourself in a position where you don't know what's coming." Rapoport respond, "So you're not going to tell us?" to which Saban replied "We know how it has to be managed, and it will be managed. It's none of your business. Aiight? And don't give me this stuff about the fans' need to know, because they don't need to know. Don't even ask. Aiight?"[26]
You guys should read the complete article, lots of good examples of what we do not want to be associated with.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversigning
So how do coaches "manage" an oversigned roster?
1. Cut underperforming players already on roster outright with little or no explanation
2. Greyshirt newly signed players: tell them they need to forgo the fall season/semester and enroll a semester later and count towards next year's class.
3. Medical scholarships: tell underperforming players they are too injured to continue on the team then tell the press it's the medical staff's decision.
4. Strongly encourage underperforming players to transfer. Tell an SA they won't play because they're not good enough, they should transfer.
#1-3 are entirely unethical, #4 is iffy. If a coach refuses to oversign he won't have to go there, period. Btw, #4 is done all the time at some places even before a roster is over the limit in order to accrue more schollies to give out in the current cycle. The reason I don't like it is because you are giving up on a kid that you've told "come to GT for the 40 yr plan" and to his parents who you've told "we'll take good care of your boy, make him a man, etc."
I have no problem telling kids exactly where they stand, just don't tell them they have no hope here, move along. I know we haven't been in the position to have to do any of the above, yet, however, we are currently 3 spots over the limit. If coach knows of 3 players who have already indicated they are transferring, fine. That seems odd to me, though. Why go through grueling workouts for a team you've already decided to leave?
