Kellis Robinett’s Big 12 Report: Coaches opposed to idea of freshman ineligibility

Let them play

Leaders within the Big Ten Conference want to begin a national discussion on the possibility of making freshmen ineligible to play football and men’s basketball, bringing back rules that were last enforced throughout college athletics in 1971.

Big 12 basketball coaches hope the discussion ends quickly. They are all opposed to the idea.

“It’d be awful,” Kansas coach Bill Self said Monday during his turn on the Big 12 teleconference. “There has to be so many rules that change in order to have a rule like that. I’m not saying that it would be awful for everybody. A majority of the players are not one-and-done guys. But you can’t make kids go to college for a year and not let them play. There would have to be something done there.

“I don’t like it at all. ... I can’t see it in today’s climate, how that would be good for our game and good for the overall betterment of student-athletes.”

He has a point.

Though the eligibility discussion comes from a hope to do good – forcing college athletes to sit out a year before playing weeds out one-and-done players and theoretically awards scholarships to more student-athletes that put academics first – it is an impractical idea that would further weaken the talent pool available to coaches in men’s basketball.

An argument could be made that one-and-done players help college basketball. The Big 12 has benefited from Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley and Andrew Wiggins, to name a few.

But the bigger issue appears to be how and when such a drastic eligibility rule would be put into action. Would every team have to go a year without adding a single eligible high school recruit? Would freshman scholarships count toward a team’s standard scholarship limit? Would colleges go back to having freshmen teams? And if so, who would they play?

“Can you imagine the missed class time?” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins after suggesting freshmen teams would have to fly commercially to far-away locations for conference games.

Big 12 coaches responded more favorably to questions about alternatives to freshmen ineligibility, such as implementing rules that would keep basketball players in college for at least two years before declaring for the NBA Draft or adopting the college baseball model, in which players can turn pro directly out of high school or after three years of college and no time in between.

“Any way we improve the system needs to be done consistently across the board,” TCU coach Trent Johnson said. “It should be the same in every sport.”

Any possible rule change is thought to be years away.

Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford doesn’t even seem worried about it.

“I don’t think it would ever happen,” Ford said. “That is just my opinion. I think it is something fun to talk about, but I don’t foresee it happening.”

Still, Self will criticize the idea as long as it is discussed.

“To say that no freshman could play,” Self said, “I don’t see how that’s a step in a positive direction, and best for our game and best for the well-being of student-athletes.”

Players of the week

West Virginia’s Juwan Staten was named Big 12 player of the week on Monday after leading the Mountaineers to victories over Kansas and Oklahoma State. Iowa State’s Jameel McKay took home newcomer honors.

Quote of the week

“Iowa State is one of the hardest places to play in the Big 12, right along with Kansas and Texas Tech.”

– Baylor forward Rico Gathers, showing the Red Raiders surprising respect while speaking about an upcoming game against the Cyclones.

Power rankings

1. Kansas (22-5, 11-3): Jayhawks suddenly have a race on their hands.

2. Iowa State (20-6, 10-4): Iowa State finally learned how to win on the road.

3. Oklahoma (19-8, 10-5): Guess where the Sooners would be without two losses to K-State?

4. Baylor (20-7, 8-6): Rico Gathers is a rebounding machine.

5. West Virginia (21-6, 9-5): Big week for Juwan Staten.

6. Oklahoma State (17-10, 7-8): Every step forward is followed by a step backward.

7. Texas (17-10, 7-8): Longhorns are not a lock for the NCAA Tournament.

8. Kansas State (13-15, 6-9): Wildcats need a strong finish to avoid an overall losing record.

9. TCU (16-11, 3-11): Horned Frogs should push for a CBI invitation.

10. Texas Tech (12-16, 2-13): Red Raiders barely missed out on another shocking home victory.

This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Kellis Robinett’s Big 12 Report: Coaches opposed to idea of freshman ineligibility."