Henderson Reportedly Wants Out of Letter of Intent

Seantrel Henderson, who was regarded as the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2010, reportedly wants out of his letter of intent to USC after the Trojans were penalized earlier this month by the NCAA. One problem: USC doesn't want to release the manchild offensive lineman.

Larry Brown Sports reports that Trojan coaches made a second trip to Minneapolis this week to put pressure on the former Cretin-Derham Hall standout to honor his letter of intent. The trip comes a week after coach Lane Kiffin, recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron, offensive line coach James Cregg and assistant Monte Kiffin flew to Minneapolis following Henderson's failure to show for orientation at USC.

It's unclear what promises USC's staff had made to Henderson during the recruiting process, but if Kiffin's recruitment of running back Bryce Brown a year earlier is any indication, Henderson probably has reason to question the Trojans' sales pitch.

Brown was regarded as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2009 when Kiffin and Co. were coaching at Tennessee and they eventually secured the player after a long courtship. Now we know why.

David Climer of the Tennessean writes that although Kiffin knew Brown wasn't talented enough to unseat senior Montario Hardesty as the No. 1 tailback without risking player rebellion, he inserted Brown as the No. 2 tailback entering fall drills, a spot that should have gone to Tauren Poole.

With Kiffin and a guarantee of playing time gone, Brown sat out drills this past spring and his standing with the Volunteers remains in question.

As for Henderson, much of his recruitment was chronicled by St. Paul-based freelance photographer Vincent Muzik. A video posted to Muzik's YouTube account (below) shows the player's visit last fall to Ohio State.

Former Buckeye Cris Carter is shown chatting with Henderson before Ohio State's game against USC. Carter's son was a member of the Buckeyes at the time, and Carter puts on the sales pitch by telling the player that he will have a chance to play immediately and the school will develop him "off the field."

If Ohio State president Gordon Gee's fawning over Henderson isn't embarrassing enough, coach Jim Tressel allowing himself to be videotaped recruiting Henderson is questionable at best.

Nonethless, don't be surprised to see Henderson bound for Columbus if he is freed from his letter of intent to USC.

Comments

[Vmuzikman]

Seantrel has the upper hand on this. I hope he knows that.

Vince Muzik

[TV Revenue Equity in the SEC]

The young man in question can do whatever he wants, he can enroll in any school that accepts him, just like any other free American.

These ridiculous "letters of intent" serve one purpose only, and that is between the schools themselves, so that when one school has a recruit "signed" to a letter stating he "intends" to go there, other schools will back off and not try to lure or "poach" that recruit into attending their school instead.

But short of this stupid game that is meant to keep one school from "poaching" the recruits of another school, those recruits themselves may change their mind anytime they like, and change their minds more than once, and attend any school that admits them.

I'm sick of these bullshit artist college coaches who think they can bluff the recruit and the whole world too, into thinking a stupid "letter of intent" legally binds a recruit to attend that school... it does not, this is America, you're free to attend any school that accepts you.

Now, does the NCAA have any kind of rule that says a recruit who has signed a letter of intent with one school is ineligible to participate in interscholastic sports at another school?

In truth I don't know the answer, but I strongly doubt it, and note that it's USC making these threats to the young man in question, and not the NCAA... and if the NCAA did have such a rule, then why would USC be all nervous and threatening about this, they'd then have the rule and the NCAA on their side, and have the kid backed into a hopeless corner, right?

Screw Lane Kiffin and screw USC, who do they think they are anyway.

[Tristan]

Search engines are your friend TV Revenue. Here- I'll even help out:

Type: National Letter of Intent guidelines in your computer's featured search box. Then press "enter".

Quick question though: why would it matter to a hater from the SEC to question the psyche of someone they don't know or the character of a culture they inherently despise? i'm as much vexed by this dichotomy of disposition as I am curious, is all.