re: Why do we oversign?

quote:

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Personally, I don't see what's wrong with it.

There are guys each year that "take" a free scholarship, but don't "give" any football production back for a variety of different reasons.

You came here to play football, but you let a girl take you away from class time, or you don't study the playbook, or you don't get in the weight room, or you don't watch your weight, etc...which means you don't progress, which means you don't get on the field, which means you are going taking up a roster spot, and somehow Miles is the snake for telling you that you no longer merit a free education.

Underachieving students lose TOPS scholarships each year, and their parents have to deal with it, but take away a schollie from an athlete who under-performs, and ESPN calls you a liar & a cold-hearted jerk.

Over-signing is insurance from the other slacker-letes who don't live up to their "promise".

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totally agree.

For the same reasons that airlines overbook. They want to leave the gate with a full plane.

Here's how and why it works:

85 is the number you start with.
-17; every school schould graduate 17 Seniors every year in a perfect world.

17 x 5 signing classes = 85.

68 is now how many returning players you have.
-3 or -4 kids transfer for more playing time or to be closer to home. These guys are usually way down on the depth chart.
-1 kid that quits football all together
-1 or -2 kids that the coaches cut for "lack of effort" or disciplinary reasons
-1 or -2 kids that have career ending injuries

So now you're down to 60 or 62, and you've signed 28, but can only enroll 25 of the 28 signees.

In most years, 3 of those 28 won't qualify anyways.

You may need 1 or 2 more kids to move along, but that isn't as tough as it seems.

In truth, coaches sign 28 with the hopes that 25 qualify. Of that 25, they hope to find 17 good ones.