Saban may have violated NCAA recruiting rules

According to reports, University of Alabama coach Nick Saban may have violated NCAA rules when he talked to recruits during last week’s trip to South Florida.

However, Saban almost certainly isn’t the only coach overstepping the rule, and any violation would likely be considered “secondary," without significant penalty.

College coaches are permitted to evaluate high school players on their campuses between April 15 and May 31, but “no contact may occur in this evaluation."

According to NCAA bylaws, “contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete and their parents or guardians and an institutional staff member during which any dialogue occurs in excess of exchange of a greeting."

Miami Krop linebacker Etienne Sabino told the Miami Herald that Saban talked with him about defensive schemes and told him he’s “the big physical type of linebacker" the Crimson Tide needs.

The Herald also reported that Saban talked with Miami Northwestern linemen Marcus Fortson and Brandon Washington, who are both expected to sign with the Miami Hurricanes.

Washington, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound guard, said Saban asked him if “my heart was in Miami." Washington, who had made a verbal commitment but wants to visit other campuses, answered no.

Washington later told canesport.com, a recruiting Web site, that Saban “was talking to me about different things, about coming to the summer camps, to come on an unofficial visit, see how things are in Alabama. He said I’m a great player."

Fortson, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound nose tackle, said he spoke to Saban for “a few minutes" and that Saban told him Alabama “is a great place to get a degree."

Alabama officals had no comment on the matter.