The Weekender: Death to the Turnover Chain, SEC School Hit with 18 Level I Recruiting Violations, and the NCAA Wants Transfer Portal Windows

By George Eisner on July 24, 2022 at 2:35 pm
The Miami Hurricane's 2019 Turnover Chain
Jasen Vinlove | USA TODAY Sports
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Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.

RIP to the Turnover Chain (2017-2022)

This past week, arguably the worst in-game tradition across collegiate athletics finally died a merciful death thanks to yet another regime change at The U.

Good riddance to the turnover chain, which did nothing to help the Hurricanes recapture their previous prestige and only led to a handful of self-serving clout-chaser moments while spawning cheap reproductions throughout the landscape of college football.

Miami should have thrown their loss of possession necklace in the trash before the end of 2021's opening game against Alabama. Even with the 'Canes already down 27-0 late in the first half, the turnover chain debuted last season after a fumble recovery... only to get put back in its box when replay review determined the Crimson Tide regained their own loose ball.

The U still had enough audacity to again bring out the chain despite their first half shutout at the hands of the Crimson Tide evolving into a 41-10 blowout only a quarter later.

Miami probably felt compelled to respond in such fashion given the imitation chain Alabama flaunted earlier in the contest.

Affectionately known around Tuscaloosa as the "Ball Out Belt," the Tide's replica WWE title actually pre-dates the turnover chain by at least two years. However, it garners far less national scrutiny given Alabama has actual championships to point out on its mantle.

Whether SEC or ACC, anything that brings Paul Finebaum this much happiness is objectively awful.

As any football program worth its weight in salt illustrates, the correct way to celebrate individual on-field accomplishments is with a season-long blossom of helmet stickers shared among an entire team.

Down with any school's sideline trophy — but if exceptions exist for every rule, let the Beavers at Oregon State keep their turnover chainsaw.

Tennessee Under Fire for Recruiting Scandal

The latest SEC school to enter the NCAA's crosshairs somewhat surprisingly is not one of the participants in the conference's offseason war of words over NIL etiquette.

A Friday afternoon news dump revealed that former Tennessee Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt is under investigation for a dozen and a half Level I recruiting violations.

Among the juicy allegations in Rocky Top include:

  • A total of 32 instances across an unknown number of recruits/players accepting cash or gifts from the University of Tennessee.
     
  • Casey Pruitt — wife of the former Volunteers coach as well as a previous employee in the NCAA compliance office — provided over $15,000 in car and rent payments to an unnamed player over nearly four years. Allegedly, she also orchestrated a meeting between a real estate agent and the player's family.
     
  • Assistant coach Brian Niedermeyer and recruiting director Bethany Gunn arranged over $250 of "impermissible meals from McDonald's." Dan Patrick reported early last year that Tennessee staff were feeding cash to recruits quite literally through Mickey D's bagmen.

The NCAA Wants Windows on the Transfer Portal

On Wednesday, the Division I Board of Directors announced some key recommendations relayed from the DI Council Transformation Committee relative to restructuring the transfer portal.

In addition to changes that would positively affect the ability for schools to monetarily support student-athletes through academic and insurance-related pursuits, transfer eligibility and timelines would also see significant re-organization.

Finally, the Council endorsed a concept that would eliminate the blanket rule prohibiting transferring more than once. The concept would also implement transfer portal "entry windows," or periods of time in which student-athletes must provide their school with written notification of transfer to be eligible to compete immediately the following academic year.

For winter and spring sports, students could provide written notification of transfer the day after NCAA championship selections in that sport for 60 calendar days. In fall sports, two separate windows would provide a total of 60 calendar days. The first window would be 45 days beginning the day following championship selection and the second would be from May 1 to May 15. Reasonable accommodations will be made for participants in the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision championship games. — Michelle Brutlag Hosick, NCAA Media Center

A vote on these changes will occur next month, presumably before the start of the college football season on August 27th.

ICYMI

Big Ten Media Days to Take Place July 26th-27th

This Tuesday and Wednesday, Big Ten Football Media Days will commence from Lucas Oil Stadium. Ohio State's Ryan Day, C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Ronnie Hickman will attend the press conferences and sessions with reporters.

Braxton Miller's CHARG1NG Football Camp at the WHAC

Last weekend, Braxton Miller brought his signature football camp to Ohio State's campus for the first time in its five-year history. The Buckeye quarterback legend also welcomed a host of prominent alumni back to Columbus with him — including Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Jerome Baker, and several other noteworthy names.

Notes on a “Y'all Life”

Thought Paul Finebaum's dancing was bad? Listen to the ear-shattering mess that the SEC endorsed as "the song of football season" and read a full breakdown from Johnny Ginter on precisely what makes the conference's latest anthem so terrible.

What's Next

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