Harbaugh puts 'incompetent' NCAA on blast for satellite camp ban
You knew it was only a matter of time.
One of the most outspoken coaches in college football was back at it again Tuesday, as Jim Harbaugh responded to the NCAA's controversial decision to ban satellite camps.
"The incompetence of the NCAA has reared its ugly head yet again," the Michigan coach told Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated.
Related: NCAA bans satellite camps
It was the propensity for Harbaugh to seemingly find loopholes in the NCAA's recruiting rules that made satellite camps such a hot topic to begin with. Harbaugh's most recent ploy saw him move Michigan's spring camp to Florida.
Several coaches threw up their arms, with the belief that Harbaugh was trying to catch the attention of top recruits at the expense of his own players' spring break.
But plenty of coaches have sided with Harbaugh on the matter, leaving Harbaugh to ponder how such a significant decision could be made so quickly.
He called the ruling a "knee-jerk" reaction, "like somebody was shaving in the morning, cut themselves when they were shaving and said, 'Let's just ban satellite camps.'
"I mean, what's it based on? A survey? There wasn't a lot of discussion or study. What are the facts? What are the perils and merits of making that decision? It just seemed lacking in that regard."
Harbaugh added that the ruling is a severe detriment to high school players who used the camps to acquire exposure and potentially lock up scholarships.
"This is going to affect thousands and thousands of people," he said.
"During the NCAA basketball tournament we discuss the term 'student-athlete' ad nauseam in promoting our governing institution and our member institutions. Then, when we have an opportunity to truly promote the 'student-athlete' with a concept shared by educators and football men from all backgrounds, our leadership goes into hiding.
"I suggest we drop the term 'student-athlete' for consistency."
Harbaugh also lambasted Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, who said satellite camps put pressure on coaches to travel the country even more than they already do, taking away time he'd prefer to spend with his family.
"You've got a guy sitting in a big house, making $5 million a year, saying he does not want to sacrifice his time," said Harbaugh. "That is not a kindred spirit to me. What most of these coaches are saying is they don't want to work harder."
The second-year Wolverines boss called out the two conferences that most heavily pushed the ban. Both the ACC and SEC, which already prohibited their own coaches from travelling to satellite camps, were heavily in favor of taking away the camps.
"It seems to be outrage by the SEC and ACC," Harbaugh said. "They power-brokered that out ... the image that comes to my mind is guys in a back room smoking cigars, doing what they perceive is best for them. It certainly isn't the best thing for the youngsters. It's not the best thing for the student-athletes."