The SEC used lax interpretation of ambiguous NCAA rules to build a dynasty that stretched seven seasons. Despite Florida State winning the 2014 BCS title game, the SEC is widely regarded as the most cut-throat league in the country, for reasons pertaining to things on and off the field.
James Franklin used to belong to that fraternity, before he pulled up his anchor and headed off to Happy Valley. Franklin, like Urban Meyer before him, pledged recruiting would be his No. 1 priority as head coach. He's made it clear he plans to own Pennsylvania and the northeast.
But it appears he also has a unique way of scouting talent in SEC hotbeds. NCAA rules state coaches can't run camps more than 50 miles from their campuses, but they do allow "guest coaching" at camps run by other programs. As such, Franklin and his staff will be coaching at camps in Georgia and Florida — two SEC hotbeds — this summer.
Naturally, the SEC coaches are furious, because SEC rules ban even "satellite camps" 50 miles from respective campuses.
"It continues to be more of an issue," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said.
[...]
"I wish it was a national rule," [Ole Miss coach Hugh] Freeze said. "I don't particularly want another school in a BCS conference coming into our state and running a camp. So we would like to see our rule be a national rule. I'd love to see it be the same."
[...]
"I think [the SEC's rule is] a rule that makes sense," [Mississippi State coach Dan] Mullen said. "If you're going to have a football camp ... I don't know how Penn State relates to Georgia State football camp, but for us, I think our league [rule] will make sense."
I take back everything negative I've ever said or written about James Franklin. If he is riling up people like Mark Stoops and Dan Mullen and making the SEC cry foul, then by golly, he's alright in my book.
