D1 Football & Basketball Coaches Are Now BANNED From Attending Pretty Much Any Game Their Own Team Isn't Playing In

Well, goodness. That seems... almost illegal. Can the NCAA do that? I suppose they're still technically in charge of things. They're still the governing body that sets the rules and regulations for college athletics. If the NCAA says Kyle Wittingham isn't allowed to make the 8-mile trip to Ypsilanti on a Tuesday night to watch Eastern Michigan host Central Michigan during a blizzard in front of 14 people and a raccoon, then Kyle Wittingham won't be spending his Tuesday nights Ypsilanti. No matter how badly he wants to see the grey turf and cinderblock wall in person. 

Icon Sportswire. Getty Images.

I'd be lying if I said that when I first saw this rule, my mind didn't immediately go to Connor Stallions filming opposing sidelines to steal their signals. But the rule isn't about that. At least not in its entirety. It's mostly to prevent coaches from "tampering" with a player on another team before they've officially entered the portal. 

NCAA – The respective oversight committees supported the rule change as a means of reducing in-person recruiting of potential transfers, with the hope of deterring coaches or team staff members from engaging in “tampering” behavior before a student-athlete has been entered into the Transfer Portal during their respective sport’s notification-of-transfer window.

I guess it's a good rule? But is in-person before or after games really where tampering happens? Is Lane Kiffin sending assistant coaches to pull players aside between the locker room and the team bus? Are coaches sitting in the front row behind the bench, shouting offers at backup quarterbacks? Are they sign-languaging "I <3 u" from the stands to players as they run off field?< p>

I always thought coaches just called the players, or slid into their DM's. But who am I kidding? Of course college football teams are doing that. College football teams will do anything for a marginally better outside linebacker. And making in-person contact does prevent a paper trail. If there's one time and place you know for certain you can find a player, it's at his own game. 

So well done, NCAA. You've put an end to tampering once and for all (lol). More importantly, you've successfully reminded the college football world that you do still wield some authority. Nowadays, you've gotta take any chance you get to remind people you still do… something.