With the graduate transfer market seemingly reshaping college football over the last decade, programs are constantly trying to woo disgruntled veterans away from their current school. And if they're successful, that influx of talent that can pay dividends immediately.
Players typically announce their intentions before the lines of communication are opened with potential landing spots, but it appears Oregon State isn’t waiting around for that to happen.
On Friday morning, Hawai’i head coach Nick Rolovich called out the Beavers on Twitter for actively trying to recruit his players — and tagged the NCAA, Pac-12 compliance and Oregon State compliance in the tweet.
My apologies for our players not being able to attend your Spring game. Ours was the same day, bad timing. Quick question, in the 203 years of coaching, none of you realized you couldnt actively recruit another schools players? Sent to campus? #leakydam #sloppybeavers pic.twitter.com/2djcmgFbLH
— Nick Rolovich (@NickRolovich) May 4, 2018
As you can see, the Beavers’ staff wasn’t too subtle, sending letters to players by way of the university’s office of admissions and center for student services.
It’s clear new Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith has a lot of work to do if he’s going to turn around a program that’s won just seven games in the last three seasons. Being publicly shamed by another coach for poaching players from a team that’s finished 95th, 86th, 108th and 122nd in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings over the last four years probably isn’t going to get that done.
The Beavers open the 2018 season at Ohio State on Sept. 1.
