Say what you want about our Shapiro probation, but the real consequences is that we now run a "cleaner" recruiting program and you can't win in college football this way. From Luke Campbell to Shapiro, we cheated and incentivized kids to come here. Now, everyone else is doing it except for us. It's not every kid that gets paid, but it's enough losses once in a while to make the difference. Then once you have the momentum (Alabama, LSU, Clemson, OSU), you really don't need to do it as much.
I remember Patrick Johnson (Peterson) as being the clear obvious first example and he even later admitted it. Worst part is that it's not even illegal, a job for mom here, a job for uncle there, are easy ways to filter money to a player and can never be questioned by the NCAA (unlike the recent basketball probes - some people still cheat in the old ways of course).
Yes, we will still recruit decent players and will win a bunch of games, but until you see that subtle change where the top local kids are staying because we changed our game, we will remain in this lower tier.
I remember Patrick Johnson (Peterson) as being the clear obvious first example and he even later admitted it. Worst part is that it's not even illegal, a job for mom here, a job for uncle there, are easy ways to filter money to a player and can never be questioned by the NCAA (unlike the recent basketball probes - some people still cheat in the old ways of course).
Yes, we will still recruit decent players and will win a bunch of games, but until you see that subtle change where the top local kids are staying because we changed our game, we will remain in this lower tier.
