An April 8 ban on satellite camps lasted three weeks before the NCAA overturned the ruling, allowing schools to hold camps outside of their universities. Satellite camps became the topic of conversation recently when Jim Harbaugh and his coaching staff took a “Summer Swarm” camp tour in June that saw the Wolverines staff visit camps in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Indiana, Pennsylvania and California.
The SEC as a whole took a hard stance against the use of these types of camps, and commissioner Greg Sankey reiterated that after the ban was overruled.
“While we are disappointed with the NCAA governance process result, we respect the Board of Directors’ decision and are confident SEC football programs will continue to be highly effective in their recruiting efforts,” Sankey said in a release.
Both the SEC and ACC have restrictions that prohibit their coaches from participating in camps within 50-miles of their universities, but the ACC quickly rescinded that rule to inline themselves with the new NCAA policy.
The SEC has yet to do so, but Florida Gators coach Jim McElwain isn’t going to sit back and watch. He fully plans on participating in the camps.
“We’ll follow the rules the way they are,” McElwain said during Wednesday’s SEC East coaches’ teleconference. “We’ll use it to let our guys get out to places and institute camps and do some evaluation along the way”
McElwain hasn’t finalized plans as to where his coaches will go. “We’re in the process of putting our traveling show together. Should be fun. Looking forward to it,” he said.
New Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who spoke immediately after McElwain, shed some light on how hectic the process can be, saying he’s constantly having other coaches invite him to camps on a daily basis, which makes hammering down a concrete schedule difficult.
“They’ve all gotta fall within your camp dates anyway,” McElwain said. “It’s a matter of making contacts and setting up a plan and, you know, it’s one of those deals where you’re gonna do whatever you can within the rules to help you be successful.”
“That’s what everyone’s doing. I don’t get much caught up in that kind of stuff. Just point me in a direction and we’ll do what we can.”