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Transfer restrictions vary among college football programs. For many, players are restricted from joining a conference or in-state rival.
For Georgia, players will not be granted their release if they intend to transfer to Miami. At least, that’s new head coach Kirby Smart’s stance according to reserve running back A.J. Turman.
Turman, a Winter Park, Florida native who intends to join a program closer to home, told DawgNation on Monday that when he notified Smart of his decision to transfer several months ago and the coach would not grant his release to home-state schools.
Turman told the website that after he filed an appeal with the NCAA and met again with Smart he received an email informing him that he was allowed to transfer to any school in Florida other than Miami and Florida.
Now I understand Florida being off limits since its an SEC East rival. But Miami? Why on Earth would Smart prevent Georgia players from transferring to Miami? Oh, that’s right, because the coach he’s replacing, Mark Richt, is now at Miami.
“I wanted to set the precedent for the future that kids would not be able to go to Miami right away,” Smart said. “It’s very important that we understand that, and that’s pretty much standard operating procedure when a coach leaves one place, that a kid can’t go there with the coach. That’s important to me that people understand that.”
Smart has since received criticism from the likes of ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, who called the situation a “disgrace” and Sporting News’ Troy Machir who called the coach “stubborn.” Both sentiments are accurate.
Smart preventing a player from transferring to an SEC school is nothing different from what any other coach in the conference would do. But preventing a Richt-recruited player with limited remaining eligibility from ending his college career in a better situation — a team who isn’t on Georgia’s schedule — is ridiculous.
Earlier this week, I wrote that Nick Chubb and Sony Michel would get the majority of carries in Georgia’s “platoon” rushing attack. Turman, however, would likely not see any playing time.
So because of the stubborness of a head coach who he never committed to, the redshirt junior will not be allowed to spend his final two years at a program with the coach he did. For all we know, Turman revealed the information because he thought Smart prevented him from going to any in-state school and never even had Miami in mind.
Being that UCF is just minutes away from Winter Park, that’s probably Turman’s first choice considering his intention is to “play closer to home.” Even still, his admission of Smart not granting transfers to Miami just proves that the first-year coach is either stubborn or afraid.
It’s possible that fears a potential exodus of former Richt players from Athens to Coral Gables. What’s funny is that Richt never had this problem during his 14-year tenure being that he allowed players to transfer without any restrictions.
Richt was always considered a “players’ coach” at Georgia and it seems Smart will be more of a micro-manager which does validate his fear of players wanting to leave for Miami after the sudden culture change. Even still, if an athlete decides that another program is a better fit to end their college career a new coach shouldn’t be permitted to prevent such a decision.
But Smart’s not the only party at fault in this scenario. The NCAA allows coaches to put restrictions on transfer players. Players are forced to sit out a year and have limited options of where they can play after their first stint goes sour.
Can you imagine if a normal college student decided to transfer and was prevented from attending their choice school despite being admitted? It’s not like Chubb, Michel or any other starter is transferring rather a player who just wants to move closer to home.
The rule itself is ridiculous in every way. An athlete should be allowed to attend any university that accepts them regardless of whether its a conference or in-state rival. Having said that, Smart preventing his players from transferring to their former coach is even more ludicrous than fear of competition.
Smart’s actions are childish and should be a preview of his first head coaching tenure. Admitting that the coach you replaced is a threat to your program isn’t the best way to build optimism. No one knows what Smart’s potential is as a head coach but his prevention of players to Miami shouldn’t be a cause for excitement.
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