Tommy Tuberville is quoted by Gator Country complaining about the ‘Saban Rule’.

Tuberville says the rule was made by the NCAA, and the NCAA didn’t consult the coaches. But wait a minute. Tuberville and the SEC coaches not named Les Miles, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer were the driving forces behind the rule. The SEC proposed the rule to the NCAA.

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But Tuberville is spinning a different tale now:

“I guess it’s just a matter of opinion, but when they go through all this [making rules that limit contact] they never really want to talk to us about it, the guys that are responsible for 120 kids on campus,” he said. “They tie our hands a little more each year. They tie your hands on how much you can evaluate a player. They want us to bring in great athletes who are great students with great character but for some reason every year they give you fewer opportunities to evaluate that. Sooner or later somebody else has to take responsibility for actions with a lot of these kids other than the coaches because when you limit what we can do, like anything else you’re going to be less successful at it.”

So, add one more coach to the list against the recruiting rule change. The rule hurts coaches because their jobs depend on recruiting. You just can’t win with bad players.

But Tuberville goes further. He’s against how the NCAA makes its rules.

One point of contention with Tuberville is that some of the folks that make the rules aren’t from Division I schools. In fact, some of the rules makers are from schools that don’t even field a football team.

“They’re on the committees and they’re making decisions that they really don’t know anything about,” he said. …
“In college football there are probably about 60 teams that should be making decisions on how they do things because they make the majority of the money for the schools and the conferences but there’s a lot of other people who make the decisions,” said Tuberville.

Tuberville sounds more like Nick Saban every day.

UPDATE:Thanks to a reader who sent me this link to a great Tuberville quote. It shows just how much double talk Tuberville spews.

“They’re getting ready for finals, and I’m not going to mess with them this time of year. This is a time they need to be focusing on academics, because a lot of them have a lot of work to do.

“It’s not necessary for me to talk to them. I get enough time to spend with them.”

Tuberville was talking about webcams in that quote; however, he said he spent enough time with recruits on May 4. On June 3, Gator Country quoted Tuberville saying coaches need more time examining recruits, or evaluating them.

He was for it, before he was against it. Really nice flip flop! It would make a politician happy.

29 thoughts on “FLIP FLOP: Tuby doesn’t like ‘Saban Rule’”

  1. He may sound like him but Thank God he doesn’t look like him.

    Clemson is waiting.

  2. Yeah he cant win like him either, who’s got the ring?! Bama is working on number 13!

  3. Not a flip flop.. He wanted the rule to ALLOW bumps by everyone… He wants more LEGAL contact…

  4. There was something very reveling about Shane’s comment. You find the way Tubberville looks appeasing, you say?

  5. 13 Rings? Bama is not Notre Dame or Yale. Outside of the border states bama is recognized as the Southern Redneck Champions. bama is looked at nationally like Charles from Reeltown is looked at on the FineScum show.
    Keep the jokes coming, I love it!

    Clemson is waiting.

  6. ROFLMAO!!!

    Bama is not Notre Dame or Yale said the jealously inferior second rate Alabama fan! Only in Opelika are we viewed as you described, thought not surprisingly enough.

    http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/Top_Programs_2007.htm

    http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/Top_200_2007.htm

    http://www.armchairgm.com/The_Best_College_Football_Program_Ever

    I take it 12 National titles (NCAA record), 25 (21 SEC) conference titles (NCAA Record), 32 Bowl victories (NCAA record), 55 bowl appearances (NCAA record), 28-ten win seasons (NCAA record), 4th on the all-time AP title poll, 6th on the all-time win/loss record, and last but not least, we’re the only SEC team to hold a winning record against EVERY SEC school.

    Now, tell me how Tech is looked at on an all-time national scale, especially from those who don’t even know who you guys are, and trust me when I say that’s 3/4s of America!

  7. By the way were are all the Auburn jackasses who were applauding the “Saban” rule before CTT changed his mind.
    (Quick guys, time to reinvent some truth!)

    It is amazing all the things you hear from CTF and CTT when Phil Marshall isnt around to “craft” their words isnt it?

    Its okay though the hayseed Fuhrer will get it fixed by an explanation that will nothing short of astoundingly biased.

  8. The BUMP rule needed to be fixed… Some coaches pushed the envelope… Tuberville NEVER said he is against the SABAN RULE, but he did say we need more time with recruits… He also has a problem with how rules are made. The rules need to be changed to allow ALL coaches (not just cheating coaches) to visit with high school players and recruits.. I doubt the BAMA fans will see the difference, but there is a huge difference…

  9. and from the obsessed crimson trailer park, the infatuation with CTT continues.

    You’re like paparazzi around celebs: following every move, hanging on every word, wishing you were him. All the while, he continues to play you like a fiddle. chumps.

  10. freaking genius, maybe you should reflect upon your very own life before judging others because Wire Road incests, such as yourself, ARE LIKE UA BLOG PAPARAZZI!

    And take a serious look at your town as well. Where most “college towns” evolve around their university, you guys evolve around your fatherly institute.

    Grrrrrreat to be an API Tiger!

  11. As I said previously on this subject, what the coaches of high profile schools liked about the old system was that they could get a rock star reception at the high schools when they visited, and it was a great recruiting advantage. I still say their access to teachers, hs coaches, and guidance counselors is completely unchanged. They simply have to visit with them offsite, which Saban and Tubs can both do. If either of them say otherwise, they are both full of BS.

    The complaint that a lot of other coaches had about Saban was that he was continually violating the bump rule while visiting the high schools. Cap says that’s sour grapes, but I have a hard time believing that if it’s being repeated by a lot of different coaches. (And it is being repeated by other coaches, Saban admits that himself. He just denies that he’s done anything wrong.”

  12. Oh Aubums, Aubums, Aubums. Y’all will never learn accept the facts or the truth. Always pointing out imaginary illegal actions because you can’t accept the fact that the team that has always lured more national relevance than you is doing so once again. You had your brief time in the spotlight, and now Alabama has taken it back. Just get over it. Aubum will always be the bride’s maid and never the bride.

    If Saban had truly done anything illegal worth mentioning the NCAA would be knocking at his door, instead of the Aubums with their imaginary accusations. This is another reason y’all play into the dumb stereotype that is vibrantly shining on the faces of all Aubums and I guess that’s courtesy of breezing through school without doing hardly any work at all.

  13. BamaFaninNYC,

    You missed the point. Yes, throw all the links and stats at me and the other AUBURN fans all you like. My point was even though you have 7 or 8 legitimate championships bama is viewed outside of the Southeast (not including Florida) as a National Southern Redneck Champion. What does Poly-Tech have? Well we will always live in the shadow of our little step-brother and will never be looked at as N.S.R.C. Your team my friend holds that distintion. I hope we never achieved that staus.

    Clemson is waiting.

  14. infatuation with auburn and tubby? you aubs are the ones on an alabama site. do you not have one of your own. you seem to be the ones infatuated.

  15. I thought you had a great post Julio, I might not have agreed with all of it, but you made some valid points. Well done.

    I have always maintained that the “Saban” rule hurts the #2 schools than it does the schools with the name University of _____________. But I was pefectly happy to sit back and watch the show as some people gloated in schadenfreude because they thought it would slow Saban down. Now that Tuberville has come forward with his dislike, I wonder if the Auburn faithful will start to see that it is his next excuse for any future recruiting short falls.

  16. If all you count are AP/UPI titles, then Alabama has 7…and nobody won a national championship prior to 1934.

    The College Football Data Warehouse recognizes Alabama as having 11. The University recognizes 12. The NCAA recognizes 17.

    Auburn has 1 – or .5 if you calculate it by the standards that most of their fan base wants to apply to Alabama…the 1957 title was split with Ohio State – who won the Rose bowl. Auburn did not play in a bowl that year…again, by the standard that some Auburn fans want to hold Alabama to, titles only count if you won your bowl game. With that standard, Auburn has no National titles.

    Some Auburn fans would quickly point out that there were not a lot of bowl games in 1958, however there were quite a few – Auburn was just ineligible due to probation. By that standard, Auburn is ineligible for a national title…yet they claim it.

    The reality is, a solid argument can be made for Alabama having 12 (or more) titles, and as few as 9 (though no fewer). The only reason to make an argument for the latter, is if you are a fan of an also-ran or never-was team who is trying to make yourself feel better. Ultimately you make yourself look foolish and your little brother syndrome becomes a glaring eyesore for the world to see.

    At any rate, Alabama will win another AP title before Auburn does.

    End of Line…

  17. Cheating coaches, N.S.R.C., paparzzi..Boy some of you barners are really showing your obsession and intelligence here.

    BTW, West Virgina is waiting….Oh sorry, Aubarn moved that game til later in the year in hopes of being able to win it !!!!

  18. If Alabama is the Southern Redneck Champion then what does that API err AU the championless southern redneck trailer park kings. You guys amaze me. The NCAA recognizes all of Alabama’s championship and a few more somewhere around 18 they just claim 12, one of which I will agree should be replaced with one of the more deserving teams like 66 or 77. TT is like a politician he says whatever he thinks at the time will show him in the best light the truth be damned. He was one of the leaders in getting the Saban rule, now he claims he doesn’t like it. Maybe it is because he sees a chance to shift the blame when a recruit or player does something illegal. He may be right about that because coaches will make mistakes due to this rule but he should have thought about that before helping get the Saban rule enacted in the first place. If all of this was because of the bump rule well why not enact a stiffer bump rule instead of restricting the HC to campus during the important evaluation period. Saban had one illegal accidental bump and it was self reported as well as reported by every media outlet in South Florida. I am sure he is out recruiting so much more then most coaches there is a bigger chance of him bumping into someone then a HC that is just sending his assistants out to recruit for him that is just common sense. If the rest of the Head Coaches got out of their offices and started working as hard maybe they would get a rule named after them when they pull in the Number 1 recruiting class.

  19. Boy Cpt Jim, you are actually proud that Saban got a rule named after him that was enacted because he was repeatedly violating the bump rule? I wonder if you said the same thing about the “Neuheisel Rule” when they had to pass a rule to prohibit coaches from visiting recuits at their house and talking to them while they both had a cell phone to their ear, also “avoiding” the no contact rule. As Bear once proudly proclaimed, “We follow the letter and the spirit of the rules”. You think Saban is following the letter and “spirit” of the rules if they have to pass a further restriction on an existing rule named in his “honor”?

  20. ./auburn/kidhc/output post:

    Keep it down home, cuz. That should be easy with a sociology degree and a wall made of yellawood paid for by Colonial money…Did Lowder ever settle up with his almost son-in-law Tator Tot or is he still holding a grudge?

    Auburn…the point of insertion if the earth is ever given an enema.

    End of Line…

  21. That last post made a lot of sense, mastercontrol. I know you get so excited you nearly wet yourself when you spit out those fun little Auburn barb phrases like “sociology” and “Lowder”, but it might be good idea to actually place them together in a coherent sentence. You sound like Mongo from Blazing Saddles.

  22. ./auburnposter/output post:

    It is not the responsibility of the MCP to check the intelligence level of Auburn readers. If you cannot understand the post, it is simply because you are stupid. You continue to expound upon your own idiocy without realizing that people are laughing at you – not with you.

    Auburn is: making a derogatory statement about The University of Alabama and trailer parks, while failing to realize (and it is a FACT) that Auburn has the highest concentration of “mobile homes” per-capita in North America. Tuscaloosa has had an ordinance prohibiting the set up of mobile homes within the city limits for many years.

    End of Line…

  23. Cap-

    Do you think that Tubby has flip flopped or that he is simply saying that he would like the Rules Committee to have more interaction with HC’s for feedback. May have missed it, but I did not see where he said he DID or DID NOT like the rules change in what you posted. Like I said, could have missed it because I honestly just skimmed through….

  24. Here’s the flip flop. He voted FOR the Saban Rule, and now he is complaining about it and blaming the NCAA for its passage.

    That takes balls. How can anyone say with a straight face the NCAA should ask them when they CAUSED the ‘Saban Rule’. It was the SEC who proposed it in the first place. If he didn’t take his time making the rule or considering his vote, it is his fault…not the NCAA.

    He has either changed his mind, or is being disingenuous. I’ll vote flip flop because it is the most likely he thought the rule was good, then realized it hurts his efforts to evaluate character, etc.

    Nothing wrong with a flip flop on an issue—but there is something wrong with the way he explained why he doesn’t like the restrictions.

  25. And I wanted to clarify the flip-flop thing.

    When you vote for something (the Saban Rule), and then complain about it—that qualifies. His argument against the Saban Rule is the same argument made by Nick Saban and Pete Carroll and Les Miles and Phil Fulmer.

    And I think the abrupt reversal is a good thing. I don’t have a problem when people admit a mistake. I just wish he’d have been a bit more honest about it. The NCAA didn’t force this on the coaches—the COACHES were the ones who proposed the rules.

  26. Cap, I’ll be the first to admit that Tubs sounds like he’s flip-flopping on this, which he has done plenty of times. He proudly proclaims that he is a salesman, and I haven’t met a good salesman yet whose story doesn’t change depending on the audience.

    I do think if you read the article you’ll see he’s talking more about the no contact rule than the Saban rule. Those are two separate issues. In fact, I even put in my post last week during our debate that if you want to abolish the no contact rule, that’s a different issue. Frankly, I wouldn’t have a problem with that within reasonable limitations. The Saban rule dealt with coaches visiting schools to evaluate by watching practice and visting teachers. Contact was not allowed during these visits, but several coaches were complaining that Saban was repeatedly contacting recruits during these visits and pushing it off on the “bump rule”. That’s different. They pushed the Saban rule because the school visitation option was being abused. The Saban rule did not change the amount of “legal” contact with recruits in the slightest. Limiting actual contact with recruits is whats Tubs was talking about in that article, not the Saban rule.

  27. MASTERCONTROLPROGRAM,
    I’ve never heard that the NCAA recognizes 17 national championships for UA. Where did you get that information? I’m not doubting, just interested.

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