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Does TOPS Give LSU an advantage in recruiting?

Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:49 pm
Posted by Spankum
Miss-sippi
Member since Jan 2007
56103 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:49 pm
I have been hearing shite here in Mississippi this week that the presence of TOPS gives LSU an advantage over many other schools in recruiting baseball players...basically, we can save our scholarships to use on really gifted players who can't qualify for TOPS while those who do qualify can play for the team without us burning a "real" baseball scholarship...

is there any truth to this?....let me know my arguements one way or another...
Posted by Paul Allen
Montauk, NY
Member since Nov 2007
75263 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:49 pm to
No
Posted by Draconian Sanctions
Markey's bar
Member since Oct 2008
84887 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:52 pm to
well with all the disadvantages we have to deal with in football it's the least they could do for us.
Posted by The Boat
Member since Oct 2008
164339 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:55 pm to
Of course it helps with baseball. If someone makes good enough grades in high school, LSU doesn't need to give them as much of a scholarship to pay for their education.
Posted by TorNation
Sulphur, LA
Member since Aug 2008
2870 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:56 pm to
It definitely does. Ex.-Arkansas and LSU both offer a player .25 of a scholarship but the player also adds in TOPS and he's at approx .75 of a scholarship to stay instate. You do the math.
Posted by whodidthat
Member since Aug 2011
5896 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 10:57 pm to
Yes. Some kids grow up being die hard fans. Most are set on attending LSU and their parents have planned for paying their college tuition. TOPS saves them money and they get to experience being a Tiger while helping to make their team stronger by getting players who wouldn't be able to attend without a scholarship. I know plenty of people that would have paid their own way if given a good shot on the team.

Honestly it's not that expensive for most players in Louisiana to attend LSU. Some players are more team oriented and willing to sacrifice a scholarship for the betterment of the team
Posted by Keys Open Doors
In hiding with Tupac & XXXTentacion
Member since Dec 2008
31928 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 11:09 pm to
I don't know the rules about recruiting in sports that don't have 1 scholarship per person.

In sports with 1 scholarship per person, like football, basketball, women's basketball, and tennis, if you go on official recruiting visits to any school and hold offers, you are not able to receive academic aid programs like TOPS. in other words, Eric Reid is a fine student. However, LSU couldn't give him TOPS and avoid having him count against the scholarship totals.

On the other hand, I don't know how it applies in sports like baseball and lacrosse, where scholarships are more like .25 or .3 per person. However, I would guess it's fairly similar.
Posted by wildtigercat93
Member since Jul 2011
112363 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 11:34 pm to
I dont think you can get TOPS and an Athletic scholarship

And player recievingTops counts as a scholarship player against the 85 player cap allowed

If anything it kind of screws walk on players because they cant be on the team as a walkon and use tops
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
67198 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 11:44 pm to
only if the athletes qualify for TOPS.

Actually LSU is less likely to give a scholy to someone who can get TOPS, making them actually MORE likely to take a scholly out of state.
Posted by tigerbait1.6
Baton Rouge
Member since Feb 2013
3822 posts
Posted on 6/28/13 at 11:49 pm to
hell no, TOPS dosent cover everything, its only like 2500 a semester, a FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP covers everything, plus if your from out of state they dont get TOPS
Posted by Riseupfromtherubble
You'll Never Walk Alone
Member since Jun 2011
38382 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 12:02 am to
Tops and similar set ups by different names certainly give lotto state schools an advantage when talking about fielding consistently good ball teams..that's really not disputable. Is it one of the main factors for success? Absolutely not.

It basically allows School A (lotto school) to offer sweeter deals to more players than school B (non lotto). You can cast a wider net and stand a better shot in recruiting with working for you and not against you

So does it give lsu an advantage over auburn, bama, ole miss, msu on a consistent basis? Yes. An advantage over uga and Florida? No
This post was edited on 6/29/13 at 12:04 am
Posted by Mr. Curious
Chocolate City
Member since Aug 2004
642 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 6:45 am to
Remember that TOPS only covers a partial% of tuition. A full scholarship covers 100% of tuition, room and board and books. Not sure that any baseball player gets a 100% scholly. So TOPS help some for the out of state guys because the 11.7 tuitions can be be split them and hopefully the in state guys qualify for TOPS.
Posted by wish i was tebow
The Golf Board
Member since Feb 2009
46121 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 8:30 am to
Tops helps a TON in baseball
Posted by Holden Caulfield
Hanging with J.D.
Member since May 2008
8308 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 9:08 am to
Its an advantage but it doesn't ensure LSU won't miss out of a top recruit enamoured with another coach or program.

But it is definitely advantageous to LSU's baseball program.
Posted by West Monroe
west Monroe, la
Member since Jan 2005
1008 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 9:16 am to
Yes. When you can get in state kids money from TOPS, it frees up baseball money for other kids. You can't do it for football or basketball, but it for sure helps in baseball.
Posted by Volvagia
Fort Worth
Member since Mar 2006
51915 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 1:42 pm to
quote:

I have been hearing shite here in Mississippi this week that the presence of TOPS gives LSU an advantage over many other schools in recruiting baseball players...basically, we can save our scholarships to use on really gifted players who can't qualify for TOPS while those who do qualify can play for the team without us burning a "real" baseball scholarship...


As I understood it, to prevent any "Alabama" loopholes in schoolly rules, a scholarship player is a scholarship player.

The source of the funds do not matter.
Posted by whodatdude
Member since Feb 2011
1377 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 3:32 pm to
There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.

While tops is a great program, the value is extremely overstated. Tops covers full tuition per semester/yr but no fees (average $5200 yr) and is available to all LA students who qualify.
Athletic scholarships(yes, there are multiple but all categorically the same) are 90 % of the student's aid and are a substantial amount.

Any other interpretation or information is bs.

As to the recruiting advantage, it's not much, considering the costs associated with attending (tuition/fees, housing, meal, books, etc). Also, many other states have similar programs for their residents.
This post was edited on 6/29/13 at 3:35 pm
Posted by Lovethutigahs
New Orleans, La
Member since Apr 2004
945 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 4:03 pm to
Don't most states have their own version of Tops? I know Georgia does.
Posted by catholictigerfan
Member since Oct 2009
56103 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 4:29 pm to
how many of these players would actually be eligible for tops?

its not a handout you still have to earn it even though many think its to easy to get.
Posted by dgnx6
Baton Rouge
Member since Feb 2006
68891 posts
Posted on 6/29/13 at 6:30 pm to
id say yes. for baseball it helps cus they inly get partial scholarships. it would also help an instate kid that wants to walk on or take a grey shirt, but those are the kids that want to be at lsu either way. so i dont see it as a clear cut advantage for football. the oos kids cant get tops.


Georgia has hope scholarship and UGA never locks down its own state.
This post was edited on 6/29/13 at 6:32 pm
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