Emma: Harbaugh's Recruiting Practices A Byproduct Of Flawed System
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) Don't be surprised that Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh pulled a scholarship offer from another kid, this one just a week before National Signing Day.
Really, it's far too common all around college football. Harbaugh's far from the first to do this and surely won't be the last.
Last week, Michigan pulled the scholarship of Erik Swenson, a tackle prospect from Downers Grove South in Chicago's suburbs. On Monday night, a defensive end prospect named Rashad Weaver was informed by Harbaugh his scholarship may not be honored.
"After being committed for about seven months and receiving little to no contact from the (Michigan) staff, I was informed by Coach Harbaugh that there is a 50-50 chance that he would or would not have room for me on (National Signing Day)," Weaver said in a statement. "So, I was basically a Plan B."
There's no need to get all upset about this -- not if you really love college football. Coaches are nothing more than used-car salesmen, sitting in living rooms and promising playing time, uniforms, facilities and even meetings with boosters for some -- let's not kid ourselves. They do this to win football games, then get more money and/or leave to a better job.
Like many coaches -- a lot, frankly -- Harbaugh has been known to yank scholarship offers from verbal commits before their commitment becomes official. Most notably, Harbaugh pulled the offer of Kain Colter, who would end up at Northwestern.
Pat Fitzgerald, now 10 seasons deep as Northwestern's coach, hasn't done this once and is outspoken against such a policy. There aren't many like Fitzgerald in college football. There are many like Harbaugh.
I used to cover college football and the dirt of recruiting. Most of it's what you imagine happens. Because of this, I can't even blame Harbaugh for his actions. Doing so would be ignorant to the true colors of college football.
The NCAA has created a rat race, hauling in loads of money through their "student-athlete" experience. No matter how much the NCAA denies it, college football at most schools is nothing more than a minor league for the NFL, doing whatever it takes to cash in along the way.
Last year, Ohio State landed Mike Weber, a top running back recruit. The day after Weber signed his letter of intent, his top recruiter and the team's running backs coach, Stan Drayton, joined John Fox's new staff with the Bears. You better believe Urban Meyer had a part in that deception.
In a perfect college football world, scholarships are honored, coaches never leave and players work hard for their degree. But that concept went out the door years ago. Athletes can't be blamed for seeking ways around the flawed NCAA model, nor should they want to hold off NFL aspirations by playing for free. One tackle to the knee and that NFL future is gone -- hello, Marcus Lattimore.
Coaches aren't immune to the rat race, either. They're judged by wins and losses, not graduation rates or integrity, and often tossed aside for not producing. It's an unforgiving business.
In the past two weeks alone, Harbaugh has offered to sleep on the floor of a recruit and climbed a tree at another recruit's house. Why? Because he wants them to push through three or four years of football in maize and blue. If he finds someone better, he won't be back for another slumber party.
Harbaugh's simply trying to make room for a better player. He's not a snake, just a product of this system. The solution around kids having their scholarship offers pulled is conducting an early signing day. It won't pass, because coaches won't support it. They want to keep operating with the power to crush the hopes of any kids.
Until the NCAA puts in policies to prevent this or stops looking out for itself and creating a system beneficial to its participants, this will happen time and time again.
Welcome to the reality of recruiting. Don't hate Harbaugh -- hate the rat race.
Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.
