Updated FEB 06, 2015 8:52p ET It’s no coincidence that the Chicago Bears announced Thursday they had hired Ohio State assistant Stan Drayton as running backs coach. Thursday was the day after National Signing Day, when young players sign what are essentially non-negotiable contracts with a school. In this particular case, Drayton had been recruiting running back Mike Weber up until Wednesday morning. Chances are, the Bears had been recruiting Drayton for weeks, but Signing Day loomed. Drayton had a commitment to Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer and Ohio State. His job was to get Weber to commit to the Big Ten powerhouse. Weber, who’s from Detroit, had previously committed and then de-committed from Michigan when it became clear Brady Hoke and his staff would be fired. Weber sweated his Ohio State decision up to the final hour before announcing he’d picked OSU — and then signing — on Wednesday. Players are recruited by coaches. They commit to coaches; to head coaches who are CEOs and to position coaches those players and their families believe will make them better people and better players. Then those players sign with schools and are held to those contracts. But those coaches can tear up their contracts, depending on the wording, just about whenever. If this sounds like a one-way street, it is. …
Continue Reading: Rules, not Buckeyes’ Meyer, to blame in latest recruiting saga
