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NCAA bans use of satellite camps

Connor O'Gara

By Connor O'Gara

Published:

The NCAA finally ruled against Jim Harbaugh’s revolutionary ways.

Satellite camps will no longer be allowed, the NCAA announced on Friday. The ban will be enforced immediately.

The new NCAA rule states the following:

“The Council approved a proposal applicable to the Football Bowl Subdivision that would require those schools to conduct camps and clinics at their school’s facilities or at facilities regularly used for practice or competition. Additionally, FBS coaches and noncoaching staff members with responsibilities specific to football may be employed only at their school’s camps or clinics. This rule change is effective immediately.”

Harbaugh and Urban Meyer both scheduled satellite camps in SEC country this summer. Harbaugh had planned on making stops at Baylor, Iowa State, South Florida while Meyer planned on taking the Buckeyes to Georgia, but those will be in violation of the NCAA’s new rule.

Harbaugh was considered the co-founder of the idea, which began during his first full offseason at Michigan in 2015. Schools like Northwestern Ohio State and Penn State followed suit.

Pat Fitzgerald shared his frustrations with the new rule:

The new rule doesn’t, however, mean that off-campus spring practices are illegal. For now, the rule only applies to camps and clinics.

Still, it’s definitely a blow for the B1G, which benefitted from the fact that a southern recruit could get exposure to the program without springing for a plane ticket. The SEC and ACC, on the other hand, won’t have to worry about B1G schools hosting camps on their territory.

Now, Harbaugh and the rest of the cold-weather schools will have to get creative. Again.

Connor O'Gara

Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.