SEC could expand ‘serious misconduct’ transfer ban
When the SEC holds its annual spring meetings this week, the league may expand on a rule instituted last year.
The league’s presidents passed a rule banning transfers with “serious misconduct” issues last May. Now, according to multiple reports, the transfer rules may become stricter.
The current rule bans student-athletes who were disciplined at a previous institution for “sexual assault, domestic violence or other forms of sexual violence” from transferring to an SEC school. This week, the SEC could redefine “serious misconduct” to include “dating violence or stalking and conduct that raises serious concerns about the safety of others,” according to the Athens Banner-Herald. The definition would reportedly also expand to include barring any transfer who “has been convicted, pled guilty or pled no contest to a felony involving serious misconduct.”
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Additionally, according to CBS Sports, SEC schools would be expected to complete an “appropriate inquiry” into any potential transfer before giving out a scholarship offer. From CBS Sports:
The proposal also calls for all SEC schools to conduct an “appropriate inquiry” into a transfer’s background prior to offering the athlete a scholarship. SEC schools would be required to ask transfers if they have pending criminal charges, and convictions or guilty/no-contest pleas related to sexual violence, possession of a firearm, dating violence, stalking and any felonies. Transfers would also be asked if they have tried to inflict serious harm against someone, been disciplined for any reason at a previous college, and whether he or she was subject to a pending disciplinary proceeding at the old college that could have resulted in suspension, expulsion or probation.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told CBS the expanded rule is not expected to include incoming freshmen.
“I think our universities are capable of handling those decisions independent right now of a conference rule,” Sankey said of incidents involving incoming freshmen. It was a good topic of conversation, but at the moment the focus is on transfers.”
Sankey also told CBS that a waiver process is involved in the updated rule if a school believes it is appropriate to add a player whose circumstance could be considered “serious misconduct.”
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The rule – as instituted in 2015 – was proposed by Georgia after the July 2014 dismissal of defensive lineman Jonathan Taylor. Taylor was kicked off the team by then-UGA coach Mark Richt following a domestic violence arrest.
Despite pending charges from the alleged incident in Georgia, Taylor landed at Alabama in January 2015 as a transfer following a stint at a junior college. Two months later, in March 2015, Alabama dismissed Taylor following another domestic violence arrest. Taylor’s accuser recanted her statements soon after Taylor’s dismissal and the domestic violence charge was later dropped when Taylor accepted a criminal mischief charge via a plea deal.
Taylor is now on the football roster at Southeastern Louisiana.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
