Justin Taylor, a high school running back from Atlanta and an Alabama commitment since February of last year, was recently informed by the Alabama coaching staff that there will most likely not be any room for him in the 2012 Alabama signing class. Something like this is pretty common when coaching staffs are trying to “make the numbers work,” which can be translated as “we are thrilled you want to come here, but we may have found 25 guys better than you.”
In the old days, which were about two years ago, Taylor would have his scholarship, along with 28-35 other recruits. But, thanks to the NCAA/SEC addressing a minor problem and ignoring real problems, while scoring a PR point with media types, the days of signing everyone are over. As a result, Taylor is out of a scholarship for this year, unless one of the 25 players in front of him chooses to go to another school (THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!11!!1 RTR!!1111!! 218 COMBINED NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FOOTBALL AND FOOTBALL RECRUITING!!!!)
What’s interesting about Taylor’s case is that Nick Saban has promised him a spot in the 2013 class through the binding power of a sheet of paper that will have absolutely no loopholes or escape clauses no sir not a chance we would never do that. According to Taylor:
“Coach Saban is going to sign his name on a sheet of paper saying that I still have my scholarship. It was just for me. It’s to say they really still want me.”
How sweet. Just for him and they want him. In 2013, when Alabama finds 25 players they consider better than Taylor, who at that point will have been out of football for two years (missed his senior year with a knee injury), I expect his waving of the piece of paper will go something like this, with Taylor playing the part of Lionel Hutz:
Judge: The foreman will pass the verdict to the bailiff.
[Hutz hands him something]Judge: This verdict is written on a cocktail napkin. And it still says guilty. And guilty is spelled wrong.
Hutz: Eep.
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