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Spurrier-Kiffin exchange highlight of SEC's week
CommentsDESTIN, Fla. — Lane Kiffin made it through his first SEC spring meetings without committing an NCAA violation or getting reprimanded by the conference office — although Tennessee’s first-year coach was called out by Steve Spurrier, the SEC’s original King of Zing.
Commissioner Mike Slive’s response to an offseason of verbal warfare among his coaches — a re-training session on sportsmanship — dominated the headlines and blogs.
But in between all the talk about who said what to whom, the SEC banked another record-setting year in revenues — a $132.5 million bonanza that will look like chump change next year when the TV dollars from the new deals with CBS and ESPN start pouring into the league’s Birmingham offices.
And though there was not much in the way of groundbreaking legislation, it was an interesting week at the Sandestin Hilton. Put a chirping Spurrier and a red-faced Kiffin in the same elevator, and how could it not be?
One man’s scorecard from a week on the Emerald Coast:
NICE MOVES
— Football signing class cap
For years a number of SEC schools have oversigned in football, going well over the NCAA’s limit of 25 new scholarship players a year. The purpose was two-fold: to keep other programs from signing the prospects, and to account for recruits not expected to qualify.
But when Mississippi took it to the extreme by signing a 37-player class in February, the SEC decided to step in. Coaches wanted to cap it at 30 players, but the presidents put it at 28, matching the Big Ten’s policy.
USC recruiting coordinator Shane Beamer applauded the move.
“I don’t see a lot of benefits when you go over 30. When you do that, a lot of times you’re pushing problems back another year,” Beamer said. “I’ve heard a lot of guys say, ‘If they’re not good enough to be in your top 25, then you’d be better off signing someone else the next year.’”
— Strengthening the basketball schedules
Slive does not want a repeat of last season, when the SEC placed just three schools in the NCAA Tournament and did not have a team seeded higher than No. 8. Slive urged his coaches to beef up their nonconference schedules or risk being left out again.
“I made it clear it’s a body of work,” said Slive, who chaired the NCAA’s selection committee last season. “November and December games are not exhibitions.”
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?
— Secret vote on coaches’ poll
This was not an agenda item in Destin, but with half of the league’s coaches voting in the USA Today coaches poll, it bears mentioning: Making the final regular-season vote private is a bad idea.
With millions of dollars and the national championship participants riding on their votes, coaches should be as transparent as possible — which is what Spurrier believes. Instead, coaches will have the opportunity to vote their buddies’ teams higher or undermine a rival without the public knowing.
ON THE BACKBURNER
— Football playoff system
Don’t waste your breath: The BCS in November locked up another four-year cycle through 2014.
— Early football signing period
Most coaches do not like a December date because they would have to recruit more intensely during the season when they are trying to win games.
BEST MOMENT
— The Elevator Exchange
No, Spurrier’s tone was not mean or vindictive. But when he turned, pointed to Kiffin and said, “I didn’t accuse you of cheating,” he reminded the 34-year-old rookie coach where he stood in the SEC pecking order.
BEST QUOTE
— Asked about his 2010 recruiting class, this time Kiffin was mindful not to talk about specific prospects: “Obviously, that would be another violation. I’m trying to go one week without that.”
BEST EXIT
— Does the NCAA have a China office?
Kentucky coach John Calipari was last spotted at the SEC meetings Wednesday evening, hours before news broke that the NCAA is investigating Calipari’s former Memphis program over allegations that a stand-in took the SAT for Tigers star Derrick Rose.
Like Lou Holtz, Calipari has a history of leaving one step ahead of the NCAA posse.
NEXT UP
— Bowling for dollars
Slive and SEC officials will meet this week with their existing bowl partners, as well as other bowls courting the conference, to line up its next four-year bowl agreements to coincide with the BCS cycle. The SEC wants to maintain nine guaranteed bowl slots, and likely will be looking for bigger payouts.
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
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