PAC-12 NOTEBOOK: COACHES THINK LEGALIZATION OF SPORTS BETTING COULD BE A RISKY GAMBLE
Wed., July 25, 2018, 5:09 p.m.
By Theo Lawson/ Spokane Spokesman-Review
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – It was a safe bet that the subject of sports gambling, and how it might bleed into college athletics in the very near future, would be a popular talking point Wednesday at Pac-12 Football Media Day in Hollywood.
Sports betting has become a pervasive topic since the Supreme Court ruled in May that individual states now have the freedom to regulate gambling. Legalize it or don’t legalize it – that decision is now in the hands of the state and three have already chosen to do the former: Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada.
So what’s the direct impact on college football and the Pac-12? With the legalization of sports gambling, college coaches could be encouraged – or even required – to provide weekly player availability reports, or in more simpler terms, injury reports.
Which could make things fuzzy in an era where many coaches prefer to keep such intel concealed – A) for the protection of their players and B) To ensure no advantage is given away during game-planning or preparation.
“I’m not going to reveal injuries, even if I’m qualified to, until I’m forced,” said Washington State coach Mike Leach. “And they might force me. I doubt it. But they might, and if they do, then I’ll try to figure out a way around it.”
Stanford coach David Shaw, who spent nine years as a position coach in the NFL, held steadfast to his belief that injury reports don’t belong in the college game, insisting medical information of young adults shouldn’t be made available to the public.
“I would not be comfortable with that,” Shaw said. “…There is a stark difference between working with professionals and working with college kids. I do not feel right giving out medical information of a 19-year-old. I think it’s wrong in any way, shape or form. If there’s something the young man and his family wants to release, that’s up to him. It’s his health. But as far as institutionally talking about a young person’s health, we have HIPAA laws that prohibit that. I think it’s wrong, it’s unnecessary, and I think it would be catering towards the gambling and the betting, which we can’t, in my opinion, do that.”
Shortly after the Supreme Court’s May ruling, the Big Ten Conference suggested that the NCAA consider the implementation of injury reports – and many of the league’s coaches supported the proposal earlier this week at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. They believe such a thing could improve the sport’s integrity and transparency.
But there’s a stark difference in how the idea is being perceived out west.
“We’ve had some initial discussions (with other conferences),” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said. “It’s a complex issue, but we don’t default to injury reporting, as the NFL does it, as making sense for college … We’re committed to doing everything we can to protect the integrity of the competition.”
Added Cal’s Justin Wilcox: “I’m in favor of what we’re doing right now until we have a better model, but it is changing, no doubt.”
And first-year Arizona State coach Herm Edwards: “If we’re trying to protect the players on one side of it, if he doesn’t play, that’s one thing. But what if he does? Look at it that way. Because me being an opponent, when I play corner, I looked on that list. I was in there Tuesday looking at the list. Falcons, who we got? Oh, really? And that’s what you do.”
Availability reports are only part of the conundrum that the legalization of sports gambling could cause. Some coaches believe it would harm the purity of college football and introduce malevolent characters to their amateur athletes.
Shaw chimed in on that Wednesday: “It’s those unscrupulous individuals that want to influence the games, influence the people involved in the games. That’s where you get worried. That’s where you worry about the integrity of our game when it comes to those individuals that don’t care about the student-athletes, don’t care about the game. They only care about the monetary end and how they can improve their stance that’s where you worry.”
Nonetheless, it’s a multilayered issue that should continue to unfold as other states choose to authorize sports betting. But the overwhelming consensus from Pac-12 coaches? It’s simply not worth the gamble.
Rule changes
Kick returns and redshirts. NCAA rule changes involving both topics were discussed at length during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Beginning in 2018, players are allowed to “fair catch” kick returns inside the 25-yard line and the ball will be moved up to the 25-yard line, like it would be for a touchback received in the end zone.
“I think there is a huge push from guys like me and a lot of coaches around America that don’t want to see the end of the kickoff,” said Stanford’s Shaw, who’s had a few of the best returners in the country during his time on The Farm – Ty Montgomery, Christian McCaffrey and Chris Owusu to name a few. “I love kickoff and kickoff return. I really do.”
The NCAA also passed legislation this offseason that allows redshirting players to appear in up to four games without forfeiting their eligibility. Pac-12 coaches gave the modification a thumbs-up.
“To me, it’s comforting. It really is,” UW’s Petersen said. “It’s like we can do what’s right for the kids. We’re not going to get ourselves into a situation where like your Game, whatever it is, 8, and we’re like, holy smokes, we need to play this guy.”
Echoed Leach: “It approaches five years of eligibility, which I’ve always thought would make things very simple, would be a smart way to do things. It would eliminate a portion of the rule book.”
Fresh meat
Five schools in the conference introduced new head coaches this season. Excluding Chip Kelly, an old pro at the annual media gathering, all made their Media Day debuts Wednesday in Hollywood.
Kelly, the former Oregon maestro, is taking over for Jim Mora at UCLA. Ex-Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin replaces Rich Rodriguez at Arizona. Jonathan Smith, most recently the offensive coordinator at Washington, enters year No. 1 at Oregon State. Mario Cristobal was elevated at Oregon and Herm Edwards left his NFL analyst booth to takes the reins at Arizona State.
“Football is cyclical,” Cristobal said. “Sometimes conferences run into that when you have a good number of coaches that are new in the conference. I look at the level and their pedigree and where they’ve been and what they’ve done. You’re looking at competitive guys that know how to bring it and want to establish championship programs.”
Tate clarifies
For the record, Khalil Tate didn’t handpick Sumlin as Arizona’s next coach.
In a Bleacher Report article published Tuesday, author Matt Hayes detailed the events that led to Sumlin’s hire at Arizona and the tweet that may have persuaded the school’s administration not to bring in Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo and his triple option to Tucson.
Tate assured he didn’t have nearly as much influence on the hire as the article insinuated, and it perhaps painted an inaccurate picture of the school’s coaching search.
“It did, but it sounds kind of funny, it sounds kind of fishy,” Tate said. “Like I made the decision.”
Tate was asked if the Bleacher Report story went too far.
“I think it took nicks and knacks of what I or our AD or our president said and tried to put together a story, instead of using all of it,” the QB said.
Petersen provides Bryant update
An injured knee will preclude talented Washington tight end Hunter Bryant from opening the season and it’s unclear if, and when, the Huskies will get their Freshman All-American back.
“He’s not going to be ready at the start of the season,” Petersen said Wednesday. “May end up being his redshirt year, especially with the four games that we can play. But he will not be ready at the start of the season.”
Bryant was the Huskies’ third-leading receiver last fall, with 22 catches for 331 yards and one touchdown.
PAC-12 NOTEBOOK: COACHES THINK LEGALIZATION OF SPORTS BETTING COULD BE A RISKY GAMBLE
Wed., July 25, 2018, 5:09 p.m.
By Theo Lawson/ Spokane Spokesman-Review
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – It was a safe bet that the subject of sports gambling, and how it might bleed into college athletics in the very near future, would be a popular talking point Wednesday at Pac-12 Football Media Day in Hollywood.
Sports betting has become a pervasive topic since the Supreme Court ruled in May that individual states now have the freedom to regulate gambling. Legalize it or don’t legalize it – that decision is now in the hands of the state and three have already chosen to do the former: Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada.
So what’s the direct impact on college football and the Pac-12? With the legalization of sports gambling, college coaches could be encouraged – or even required – to provide weekly player availability reports, or in more simpler terms, injury reports.
Which could make things fuzzy in an era where many coaches prefer to keep such intel concealed – A) for the protection of their players and B) To ensure no advantage is given away during game-planning or preparation.
“I’m not going to reveal injuries, even if I’m qualified to, until I’m forced,” said Washington State coach Mike Leach. “And they might force me. I doubt it. But they might, and if they do, then I’ll try to figure out a way around it.”
Stanford coach David Shaw, who spent nine years as a position coach in the NFL, held steadfast to his belief that injury reports don’t belong in the college game, insisting medical information of young adults shouldn’t be made available to the public.
“I would not be comfortable with that,” Shaw said. “…There is a stark difference between working with professionals and working with college kids. I do not feel right giving out medical information of a 19-year-old. I think it’s wrong in any way, shape or form. If there’s something the young man and his family wants to release, that’s up to him. It’s his health. But as far as institutionally talking about a young person’s health, we have HIPAA laws that prohibit that. I think it’s wrong, it’s unnecessary, and I think it would be catering towards the gambling and the betting, which we can’t, in my opinion, do that.”
Shortly after the Supreme Court’s May ruling, the Big Ten Conference suggested that the NCAA consider the implementation of injury reports – and many of the league’s coaches supported the proposal earlier this week at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. They believe such a thing could improve the sport’s integrity and transparency.
But there’s a stark difference in how the idea is being perceived out west.
“We’ve had some initial discussions (with other conferences),” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said. “It’s a complex issue, but we don’t default to injury reporting, as the NFL does it, as making sense for college … We’re committed to doing everything we can to protect the integrity of the competition.”
Added Cal’s Justin Wilcox: “I’m in favor of what we’re doing right now until we have a better model, but it is changing, no doubt.”
And first-year Arizona State coach Herm Edwards: “If we’re trying to protect the players on one side of it, if he doesn’t play, that’s one thing. But what if he does? Look at it that way. Because me being an opponent, when I play corner, I looked on that list. I was in there Tuesday looking at the list. Falcons, who we got? Oh, really? And that’s what you do.”
Availability reports are only part of the conundrum that the legalization of sports gambling could cause. Some coaches believe it would harm the purity of college football and introduce malevolent characters to their amateur athletes.
Shaw chimed in on that Wednesday: “It’s those unscrupulous individuals that want to influence the games, influence the people involved in the games. That’s where you get worried. That’s where you worry about the integrity of our game when it comes to those individuals that don’t care about the student-athletes, don’t care about the game. They only care about the monetary end and how they can improve their stance that’s where you worry.”
Nonetheless, it’s a multilayered issue that should continue to unfold as other states choose to authorize sports betting. But the overwhelming consensus from Pac-12 coaches? It’s simply not worth the gamble.
Rule changes
Kick returns and redshirts. NCAA rule changes involving both topics were discussed at length during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Beginning in 2018, players are allowed to “fair catch” kick returns inside the 25-yard line and the ball will be moved up to the 25-yard line, like it would be for a touchback received in the end zone.
“I think there is a huge push from guys like me and a lot of coaches around America that don’t want to see the end of the kickoff,” said Stanford’s Shaw, who’s had a few of the best returners in the country during his time on The Farm – Ty Montgomery, Christian McCaffrey and Chris Owusu to name a few. “I love kickoff and kickoff return. I really do.”
The NCAA also passed legislation this offseason that allows redshirting players to appear in up to four games without forfeiting their eligibility. Pac-12 coaches gave the modification a thumbs-up.
“To me, it’s comforting. It really is,” UW’s Petersen said. “It’s like we can do what’s right for the kids. We’re not going to get ourselves into a situation where like your Game, whatever it is, 8, and we’re like, holy smokes, we need to play this guy.”
Echoed Leach: “It approaches five years of eligibility, which I’ve always thought would make things very simple, would be a smart way to do things. It would eliminate a portion of the rule book.”
Fresh meat
Five schools in the conference introduced new head coaches this season. Excluding Chip Kelly, an old pro at the annual media gathering, all made their Media Day debuts Wednesday in Hollywood.
Kelly, the former Oregon maestro, is taking over for Jim Mora at UCLA. Ex-Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin replaces Rich Rodriguez at Arizona. Jonathan Smith, most recently the offensive coordinator at Washington, enters year No. 1 at Oregon State. Mario Cristobal was elevated at Oregon and Herm Edwards left his NFL analyst booth to takes the reins at Arizona State.
“Football is cyclical,” Cristobal said. “Sometimes conferences run into that when you have a good number of coaches that are new in the conference. I look at the level and their pedigree and where they’ve been and what they’ve done. You’re looking at competitive guys that know how to bring it and want to establish championship programs.”
Tate clarifies
For the record, Khalil Tate didn’t handpick Sumlin as Arizona’s next coach.
In a Bleacher Report article published Tuesday, author Matt Hayes detailed the events that led to Sumlin’s hire at Arizona and the tweet that may have persuaded the school’s administration not to bring in Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo and his triple option to Tucson.
Tate assured he didn’t have nearly as much influence on the hire as the article insinuated, and it perhaps painted an inaccurate picture of the school’s coaching search.
“It did, but it sounds kind of funny, it sounds kind of fishy,” Tate said. “Like I made the decision.”
Tate was asked if the Bleacher Report story went too far.
“I think it took nicks and knacks of what I or our AD or our president said and tried to put together a story, instead of using all of it,” the QB said.
Petersen provides Bryant update
An injured knee will preclude talented Washington tight end Hunter Bryant from opening the season and it’s unclear if, and when, the Huskies will get their Freshman All-American back.
“He’s not going to be ready at the start of the season,” Petersen said Wednesday. “May end up being his redshirt year, especially with the four games that we can play. But he will not be ready at the start of the season.”
Bryant was the Huskies’ third-leading receiver last fall, with 22 catches for 331 yards and one touchdown.
