Transfer Rules Are Dumb

Well the actual transfer rules are not dumb, but when you consider coaches they are dumb. Why do 18-22 yr old kids have to stay at a school, when the coach is allowed to leave freely? Why can they not follow coaches when they leave or go to the school they want? If Maryland fires the Fridge his players should get to go where they want without having to sit out a year. If the players have to sit out a year so should the coaches that leave mid contract. All the players at UCONN had a coach not take a flight back with them at UCONN and they have to stay while he gets to go through the motions in a BCS game and then not fly back with the team?

This whole Randy Edsall story really frustrated me. He bailed on UCONN to go to Maryland to replace a good man in Friedgen and both teams players were stuck. Before Edsall left UCONN and didn't take the flight back and didn't tell his team he was leaving, he made Jordan Todman tell his team that he was leaving for the NFL Draft. Are you kidding me? If that isn't being hypocritical and trying to be a bully, I don't know what is. The guy is nuts.

So it is no wonder that Edsall had 23 players send transfer requests. You read that right 23 players. Including their quarterback O'Brien. However, in order to let him out of his scholarship, Edsall said he can't go to the ACC, he can't go to anyone on the schedule, and he can't go to Vanderbilt. Ok, I get the first two, but why Vanderbilt? Because Vanderbilt is where the man that recruited O'Brien went to become the head coach. Danny O'Brien should be able to go play for that man without sitting out any time. O'Brien will be able to play right away though at Wisconsin though so I guess that is something.

Another Maryland transfer Max Garcia has to sit out a season. Garcia will transfer to Florida and have 2 years of eligibility remaining after he transfers. Look I hate the Gators, cannot stand them, but this isn't right. Garcia did not see Edsall as a man of integrity and it is difficult to fathom how anyone could after what he did at UCONN and how 23 players are leaving. It stinks to see him choose Florida, but it is his decision and he is a young kid. He should not have to sit out when the circumstances clearly changed since he got to College Park.

I have no problem with an assistant coach leaving to become a head coach somewhere, but if a head coach leaves he should have to wait until the end of his contract or sit out a year before he leaves. Maybe that will stop some of these insane 9 year extensions from being signed. The transfer rules need serious tweaking in the NCAA. It would certainly be easier though if schools and coaches had more integrity and loyalty.

-Noland