re: How do some teams sign 26 players, when the regs say it is a hard cap of 25?

With our 22 signees, we now sit at 81 scholarship players.... which is our limit for this year.

81 because of the self-imposed sanctions.

We can sign up to 3 more according to the rules but —

For every additional player we sign, we’ll have to lose one to remain at 81.

I’m not sure everyone understands that. “Coach O failed to fill his 25 spots”.

Yes, technically we have 3 more we can sign but we’ll have to have some attrition in order to have room for them.

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So bama signed 25 last year and 27 this year?

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29 the year before that!

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They did have players test positive

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In June...

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o Maybe a signee will be on an academic scholarship instead of an athletic scholarship. In this case he wouldn't count against the 25 unless he played in a game his first year.

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in many cases this is the answer.

Whether you call that person a PWO or just an academic scholarship recipient doesn't matter.

Their roster is deep enough where they can get a academically warranted player who is also a 4 or 5* to sit for a year, practice in full, participate in full, but not step on the field and not use a 25 spot.

On the recruiting trail they are NOT being promised early playing time. They are being promised to have their way paid (academic scholarship), and chance to establish themselves and compete best on best for a starting role in year 2, and a ring or two along the way.

Tyson is likely a good example of this.

We didn't publicise who was out. We just did a better job than everybody else in keeping our guys focused and not running around doing stupid shite at parties. Are you really surprised that saban was more organized and did a better job controlling his players than shrimp boat captain?