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Just wanted to let you all know that there were some conflicting reports on Clyde kicker Jerry Phillips. Rivals has him as a BG commit and Ohio High has him as a greyshirt commit to Toledo.

I verified he is a greyshirt commit to Bowling Green. Committed on December 8th while on his official visit. He is planning on not paying his own way this fall and waiting until his scholarship starts in January of 2009 to enroll and will then be a true freshman in the fall of 2009.

rf:

Can you elaborate on this a bit? Why would he not enroll this fall - because he'd have to pay his own way? Did he not get an offer from BG? I wish I understood some of the subtlies of recruiting much better than I do.

He was offered as a greyshirt from BG, meaning he won't go on scholarship until January of 2009 and will count against the 2009 recruiting class instead of this one.

Phillips doesn't want to pay his own way first semester, plus he is not expected to have a chance to play until fall of 2009 because of the current kickers at BG for this fall.

rocketfootball wrote:He was offered as a greyshirt from BG, meaning he won't go on scholarship until January of 2009 and will count against the 2009 recruiting class instead of this one.

Phillips doesn't want to pay his own way first semester, plus he is not expected to have a chance to play until fall of 2009 because of the current kickers at BG for this fall.

Correct me if I'm wrong, rf, but as a greyshirt if he were to enroll for fall of 2008 classes, he still would not actually be part of the team would he?

It was my understanding that, as a greyshirt, guys attend school (on their dime), but are not part of the team. By not being part of the team they don't start their eligibility clock, and they can still be redshirted the following season if need be.

I think that is a good description of the process hammb.

Greyshirt is a mythical term, much like NCAA Football National Champion, whereas redshirt is an official designation outlined by the NCAA.

It's really up to the kid and the coaching staff. He could pay his own way in the fall and not participate in football. However, the NCAA changed their rules last year for a few different things and since he would be in school this fall it would count as one of his 5 years to play 4.

If he waits until January of 2009 he has 5 years to play 4 starting with the fall of 2009.

Sounds like waiting is probably his best option if he knows he isn't going to play this fall anyway.

rocketfootball wrote:It's really up to the kid and the coaching staff. He could pay his own way in the fall and not participate in football. However, the NCAA changed their rules last year for a few different things and since he would be in school this fall it would count as one of his 5 years to play 4.

If he waits until January of 2009 he has 5 years to play 4 starting with the fall of 2009.

Sounds like waiting is probably his best option if he knows he isn't going to play this fall anyway.

If I'm not mistaken, Boekman (OSU QB) was a "grayshirt"...it was the first time I'd ever heard the term...thought it had to do with OSU's colors for awhile... Then I realized that this was a way "around" the recruiting battles when you have a limited number of Scholarships available and/or a kid is willing to pay his own way, assuming that he'll get the "full ride" next year.

rocketfootball wrote:It's really up to the kid and the coaching staff. He could pay his own way in the fall and not participate in football. However, the NCAA changed their rules last year for a few different things and since he would be in school this fall it would count as one of his 5 years to play 4.

If he waits until January of 2009 he has 5 years to play 4 starting with the fall of 2009.

Sounds like waiting is probably his best option if he knows he isn't going to play this fall anyway.

Gotchya. I didn't realize the NCAA had changed that rule. I was thinking specifically of Boeckman who grayshirted at OSU, and then redshirted the following year. He'll essentially be a 6th year senior next year, but he didn't participate in football that first year. Obviously they must be grandfathering in guys like him.

'61 you're pretty much right. It's a way to get around the recruiting rules when you don't have enough scholarships to land everyone you want to in a given year. The one dubious thing with the whole grayshirt (not sure any coach has EVER done it) is that there is no obligation whatsoever for the school to actually give that scholarship to the player the following year (unless that is a change to the rules as well). A grayshirt has always been a handshake type agreement between a coach & player. The one place I'd think that you could see this come up would be a coaching change. Heck, take our own example. This kicker is going to grayshirt. Brandon is in his last year. If he is not extended and they get a new coach, the new guy would not really be under any obligation to give the kid a scholarship. I have to believe almost anyone would give the kids the scholarship, at the very least to help your reputation in recruiting, but technically they don't have to.

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Gotchya. I didn't realize the NCAA had changed that rule. I was thinking specifically of Boeckman who grayshirted at OSU, and then redshirted the following year. He'll essentially be a 6th year senior next year, but he didn't participate in football that first year. Obviously they must be grandfathering in guys like him.

'61 you're pretty much right. It's a way to get around the recruiting rules when you don't have enough scholarships to land everyone you want to in a given year. The one dubious thing with the whole grayshirt (not sure any coach has EVER done it) is that there is no obligation whatsoever for the school to actually give that scholarship to the player the following year (unless that is a change to the rules as well). A grayshirt has always been a handshake type agreement between a coach & player. The one place I'd think that you could see this come up would be a coaching change. Heck, take our own example. This kicker is going to grayshirt. Brandon is in his last year. If he is not extended and they get a new coach, the new guy would not really be under any obligation to give the kid a scholarship. I have to believe almost anyone would give the kids the scholarship, at the very least to help your reputation in recruiting, but technically they don't have to.[/quote]

Hambb, I agree with your analysis of this...the SCHOOL evidently has NO obligation to give the kid that scholarship, other than a moral one...and how many programs operate under THAT concept? 8)

A few years ago the NCAA admitted a brownshirt, but he pulled a muscle while goosestepping and never saw the field.

The other drawback to a greyshirt is the player has no obligation to sign with the team. If they see a greenier pasture at the end of the year they can go to it, and not have to sit out a year.

Met Jerry Phillips in December. Great kid and a very nice family. He will be an asset to this team for a number of years.

This thread would have been much more interesting if the kicker's name was actually "Clyde Kicker." I was disappointed when I opened the thread.

Does a greyshirt count towards a player's five years of eligibility, or does it's unofficial nature make it kind of like not existing in the NCAA's eyes?

I hear Phillips has a very strong leg and can punt or kick field goals/kickoff.

Most schools have a greyshirt sign something, but it is less binding than a LOI and to be honest a LOI isn't totally binding.

On a personal note, I have always had it out for kickers from Clyde. My Kenston Bombers lost to Clyde in the state championship like 10 years ago and the score was..... 3-0!