Presidents say no to out-of-state limit increase (Audio)

Interview with GCCC President Dr. Herbert Swender

Wichita, KS (westernkansasnews.com)-After weeks of speculation, 10 college presidents from the Jayhawk Conference voted not to increase the out-of-state limit on football scholarships from 20 to 30. 

The vote was close on Thursday, 10-8 in favor of staying the course. 

Also on the table was a proposal that would have eliminated the out-of-state limit altogether. That also got shot down. 

“Putting limitations on scholarships hurts Kansas football players,” Garden City Head Coach Jeff Sims said. “It forces us to to play the kids that aren’t ready yet just to fill a roster spot.”

During Jayhawk Conference Media day on July 29, coaches voiced their concerns over the proposal. One of those was Northwest High School’s Steve Martin, who was adamant that the law would hurt Kansas players by not giving them the opportunity to compete for spots. 

Jason Brown, former offensive coordinator at Garden City and now the new Head Coach at Independence said he understood Martin’s point-of-view, but said that at the same time, he has to be able to get the best talent to make sure he and his guys eat. That was a reference to keeping their jobs. 

“This is a cutthroat business we are in,” Brown explained. 

One of the men voting on Thursday was Garden City Community College President Dr. Herbert Swender. 

“I just don’t understand the reason behind voting against a proposal to remove limitations,” Swender said. “It’s an archaic rule. But we’ll keep trying and see what happens.” 

So for now, the proposal is dead. But expect the fight from schools like Garden City and Dodge City to keep going.