The NCAA has decided on Thursday to revoke their recent ban on college football programs holding satellite camps away from their respective campuses.
According to ESPN’s Brett McMurphy, “The NCAA Board of Directors rescinds ban on satellite camps.” The NCAA had agreed to temporarily ban these controversial recruiting camps not even two months ago.
NCAA Board of Directors rescinds ban on satellite camps, source tells @ESPN
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) April 28, 2016
Since the age of the College Football Playoff, the Power 5 conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) have been able to co-exist with little to no animosity in these first few years. While the Big 12 still needs to expand to 12 teams to host a much-needed conference championship game, the debate over the ethics of satellite camps has created a rift in the Power 5.
Warm weather conferences like the ACC and SEC do not care for northern institutions to host these satellite camps well below the Mason-Dixon Line, essentially poaching other Power 5 schools’ primary recruiting bases.
In recent years, the bulk of NCAA FBS talent comes from five states (Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas). California, Florida,and Texas have always had great prospects because of the sheer number of people who live in those three states. Alabama and Georgia have become pipelines for premier ACC/SEC talent in the Southeastern United States.
The two biggest advocates for having satellite camps are the Big 10 and the Pac-12 schools. Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh and Washington State Cougars head coach Mike Leach have been the biggest supporters of having the NCAA’s decision overturned.
While Leach just wants to hold camps in Northern California to build his Power 5 roster, Harbaugh wants to bring Michigan football camps virtually anywhere in the Southeastern United States. For the Big 10 and the Pac-12, this overturned decision is a great win for those conferences. As for the ACC and the SEC, it’s just something they are just going to have to get accept — for now.
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