Column by Teddy Greenstein
Chicago Tribune
May 14, 2008

As far as breakthrough ideas go, it ranks somewhere between electricity and the
kicking tee.

In February, Ron Zook pondered the best response to the NCAA's so-called "Saban
Rule," which prevents head coaches from evaluating recruits on the road in the
spring.

So when an official at Zook's old high school in Loudonville, Ohio, called and
asked him to return to conduct a clinic, the Illinois coach wondered if this
could be his ticket to campuses.

After Illinois' compliance office approved the trip, Zook scheduled more
clinics. He spoke before 40-50 high school coaches at Mt. Carmel last month, and
he will be in Cincinnati on Saturday for his sixth and final clinic.

"It's one-stop shopping," Zook said Wednesday during a break in Big Ten meetings
in Chicago. "You're getting a chance to talk to coaches so they feel more
comfortable about picking up the phone and calling you.

"I don't know if it's being crafty or not, but in college football, recruiting
is the lifeblood, so we have to do everything we can to get to know the young
men and the coaches."

Southeastern Conference coaches sponsored the new rule in response to Alabama
coach Nick Saban.

Several coaches told the Tribune in February that Saban was the most blatant
violator of the old "bump" role, which prohibited coaches from having extensive
conversations with recruits whom they bump into while at high schools in the
spring.

No surprise, perhaps, that Saban already has found a way around the rule.

He has pioneered the use of the Webcam, saying he speaks to "four or five"
recruits a day from his office via the Web. The NCAA permits those
conversations--at least for now.

"Whenever a rule gets passed, coaches find a way around it," CSTV recruiting
analyst Tom Lemming said. "The same coaches that love recruiting always want
that edge."

Don't try putting Wisconsin's Bret Bielema in that camp. Bielema--along with
Zook, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio and
Minnesota's Tim Brewste--opposes the "Saban" rule. He believes it hinders
coaches' ability to evaluate a prospect's character.

And recruiting via Webcams is no solution for Bielema, who craves face-to-face
contact.

"I got raised by a mom and dad to think a certain way," he said. "I've never
deviated from that or tried to find a shortcut. And I'm not saying necessarily
that coaches are; they're just being intuitive."

Other league coaches have used the extra time to bond with players and alums.

Fitzgerald met with everyone on his roster. He took particular pleasure in
chatting with receiver Eric Peterman about his blog on NUsports.com, saying it
gave the third-year coach a "different perspective" on his program.

New Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez schmoozed with alumni groups in Chicago, New
York, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Diego. Every visit ended with a rendition of
"Hail to the Victors."

"I learned [the words] very quickly," he said.

On another subject, Rodriguez reached for the fire hose rather than fanning the
flames of his school's rivalry with Notre Dame.

He reacted neutrally to what Irish coach Charlie Weis said during a speech last
month: "We'll listen to Michigan have all their excuses as they come running in
and saying how they have a new coaching staff and there's changes. To hell with
Michigan!"

"It will rile up our fans," Rodriguez said, "but I'm not too concerned about it.
Nowadays when you speak publicly, everyone can YouTube it or whatever."

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