Nick Saban, head Coach of the University of Alabama Football program has gone on record, publicly stating he is not in favor of the limitations set on coaches making spring visits to recruit football players.  

The measure is quietly being called the "Saban Rule" in reference to Nick Sabans well documented spring recruiting sojourns.  Below is a quote attributed to Nick Saban taken from an excerpt from 'Bama Beat by Gentry Estes.

"I think it's ridiculous that we're doing what we're doing," Saban said this morning. "Basically, when you break it down, a head coach can go out in December, which is about two weeks if you're going to a bowl game. After all the dead periods in January, you get to go out for about two or three weeks and then its Signing Day. When you're talking about developing relationships and knowing players and meeting guidance counselors and talking to principals and all those kind of things, I think we're put ourselves at a tremendous disadvantage in terms of evaluation."

In Sabans defense he is at a disadvantage with other schools.  Nick is a very methodic recruiter and checks every aspect of a players life prior to tendering scholarship offers.  "I use checklists. That is the only way to ensure you get the quality of players you are looking for."

 Below is a checklist to ensure no stone is left unturned.

• Automobile Preferences: Make, Model, Color, Accessories, Manual or Automatic
• Job Preferences :  Current Jobs Still avaialble for scholarship players
  • Director of Turf Management (Waters Astro-turf 3 times per week)
  • Academic tudor project - Allows real students to work with underperforming scholarship athletes to keep thier eligibility
  • Used Car Saleman: Booster Auto Sales
• Police Record:  Any Criminal Activities
• Legal Review:  Check with School Lawyers to see if we can bail him out when it happens again
• Marketing Review: Check with Marketing team to see if we can "Spin" his criminal record.  (i.e. Sells Crack coacaine becomes "Is involved wth children in the community")
• Police Coordination: Will the local PD call me first when it happens again
• Home Life:  Do his parents need a new home or Auto, free of charge
• Coaches Influence: Do I need to give his coach a job to have him convince the recruit to go to my school. 
• Educational Interests: Is he looking for a specific course study or can we get him enrolled in our usual 'football' courses
• Educational Aspirations: Is he looking for a real degree (Probably a disqualifier)
• High School Grades:  Is he scholarship eligable or do I have to enroll him in a summer program called "Scholarship U" to get his GPA froma 1.8 to a 3.5 in 4 weeks.

Nick is correct when he says it puts you at a disadvantage.  Coordinating all of these activities is not easy. Its time consuming and you have to get input from many sources.  In the competitive world of College Athletics recruiting, If you have to go to three Boosters to find the right automobile it takes time. What if another school has a booster with that exact auto, you lose your competitve advantage.

Other considerations are I am a new coach at a school and I do not know if we have relations with the local police department or if we have classes 'just for football players'. 

I need to make committments to these kids.  My word is my bond and if I tell a football player he won't have to go to class then dammit I mean it.  I want to know that he will not have to go to class. 

Again it takes time to develop these essential tools and by eliminating spring recruiting, coaches are under a a great deal of pressure to make decisions.

There are others who differ in thier opinion of the rules change.  Some say that if all the coaches follow the rules there is no advantage or disadvantage.  Lastly if you recruit student athletes you may find it requires less coordination.

(Now before anyone gets thier panties in a bunch, this is all tongue in cheek and I am not accusing Bama of anything like this.  Take this as a light read)