Big Ten Coaches Go South For Camps
HARPER WOODS, Mich. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio want to know what the big deal is.
The two Big Ten Conference coaches wondered aloud Thursday why a decision by Franklin to be a guest coach at summer camps in the heart of SEC country at Georgia State and Stetson this month has generated so much media attention. Franklin is a former coach at Vanderbilt, a member of the Southeastern Conference.
Notre Dame has also made the decision to send its coaches to camps in the South.
"You look around, programs have been doing this for years," said Franklin, who along with Dantonio participated in the Sound Mind Sound Body Football Academy in suburban Detroit. "We did it this year and it got a lot of attention. I don't know why. I'm going to do anything I can within the rules."
Said Dantonio: "Coaches have been doing this for a long time and it didn't get any (media) attention."
NCAA rules limit programs from running high school camps more than 50 miles from their campuses. Coaches are allowed to work at camps farther away as long as they don't run the events. The SEC prohibits its coaches from working at camps beyond 50 miles from campus.
SEC coaches have reportedly complained to Commissioner Mike Slive about the visits from Penn State and Notre Dame.
Dantonio was also asked what he thought about proposed NCAA changes that would give the five biggest conferences more autonomy to make decisions themselves.
"My wife told me that if you're not qualified to speak on it, don't," he answered.
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