Count Mark Richt among the group of college football coaches against satellite camps. The current Miami Hurricanes head coach believes they are an example of “illegal recruiting.”
Richt spoke to program boosters in a Q&A on Monday, and the topic of satellite camps came up. The NCAA recently overturned a ban on satellite camps pending a review on the overall recruiting process by the DI council. Richt wishes the ban remained in place.
“The job is tough enough as it is,” Richt said via the Palm Beach Post. “It is quite a grind for the coaches. I do want them to see their children. I want them to be fathers and husbands. Sometimes the more you add, the more you wear out your people. I don’t think they’re necessary to get the job done.
“To me it’s illegal recruiting off-campus, quite frankly, at a time that’s supposed to be a non-contact period. You’re just creating contacts off-campus during a time you’re not supposed to be.”
Richt, who formerly coached at Georgia, is operating from a powerful position. Miami is a desirable school because of its history and location. Other programs, such as Michigan in the Big Ten, are in colder climates that may not be as appealing to recruits as their southern counterparts. Richt feels if you can’t get those recruits to come visit your school on their own, they’re probably not that interested in playing for you. He also called it “illegal recruiting” because the satellite camps gives a way for coaches to interact with recruits at a time when they’re not supposed to.
Jim Harbaugh would tell you otherwise and undoubtedly feels any way to be present in the minds of recruits is a good thing.
