Jim Harbaugh: Possible satellite camp ban 'another dumb rule'
The NCAA is set to vote on possibly banning satelllite camps in a week and, unsurprisingly, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is against the idea.
Harbaugh, who was on WTKA 1050 in Ann Arbor Thursday morning, called a potential passage of the rule "another dumb rule. The NCAA Division I Council is set to vote on the proposal April 6.
The camps, in terms of allies, we’re doing camps again, very collegial gestures working together in a spirit of coaching football again with South Florida, with Baylor this year, with Iowa State,” Harbaugh said on WTKA. “We do have allies and we’ll continue that effort.
“Don’t see that would change, but there’s a lot of rules that have been made that aren’t the best rules. You can’t say that you could put that past rule makers to make another dumb rule.”
The rule proposal to ban satellite camps was pitched to the NCAA rules committee by the SEC and ACC. Not-so-coincidentally, Harbaugh has had satellite camps in the areas that would be considered the two conferences' territories. The camps are typically hosted by other schools and visiting coaches are considered "guests."
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The Michigan coach has said other coaches are invited to his camps. And some SEC coaches joked about attending Michigan's Florida spring break practices, though they were prevented from actually doing so by NCAA rules.
The SEC dropped its ban on satellite camps last spring. A nationwide rule prohibiting the camps would obviously mean the conference wouldn't have to take independent measures. Though it stands to reason that the SEC would allow its teams to have satellite camps if other conferences are allowing it. Sure, some SEC coaches may be currently against the camps, but they're not going to lose a recruiting edge whether it's real or merely perceived.
Baylor coach Art Briles spoke at Harbaugh's coaching clinic earlier in March. As a return favor, Michigan's staff will be at a Baylor camp in June. The next day, Michigan and Iowa State will be guests at a camp in Addison, Texas.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!