By now, most of the college football world knows who April Justin and her son, Landon Collins are. Collins is a highly touted five star recruit who publicly broadcasted his decision to play for Alabama over LSU. The decision became controversial when Collins’ mom expressed sheer disappointment on national television, followed by several interviews expressing her distaste for Nick Saban and Alabama.
chicagonow.com
Well, not much has changed. Collins’ angry mom is now accusing Nick Saban of offering Landon’s girlfriend, Victoria a job at Alabama. The information stems from an interview conducted by Brook de Lench of MomsTeam.com.
“According to April, Victoria had allegedly been offered a job to work in head coach Nick Saban’s office.”
Interestingly enough this doesn’t exactly constitute a violation of NCAA rules. The NCAA did pass a bylaw in 2010 that prohibits such activity in college basketball recruiting, but not football.
From AL.com:
“In men’s basketball, during a two-year period before a prospective student-athlete’s anticipated enrollment and a two-year period after the student-athlete’s actual enrollment, an institution shall not employ an individual associated with the prospective student-athlete in any athletics department non-coaching staff position.”
Furthermore, Justin goes on to bash Saban some more:
“Alabama wants to redshirt – or greyshirt – him and they want him playing nickleback instead of safety. He is the top safety in the country and he will never play a game his freshman year…Coach Les Miles is offering to play him as safety during his freshman year.”
“His (Nick Saban’s) goals don’t meet the criteria of the family; they meet the criteria of Alabama,” Justin added.
Justin even told ESPN Magazine she didn’t approve of Saban’s recruiting tactics, stating that, “I think he stereotyped me,” when Saban visited their Louisiana home last summer. What the?! Why is she causing such a fuss? Get over the fact your son wants to play for Saban and not Miles and stop crying about it. The more she continues to whine, the more she’ll continue to be a thorn in Saban’s side which will certainly effect Landon Collins’ to some degree. The best thing she can do is just accept his decision and move forward as a family.
So, technically no wrongdoing just quite yet, but stay tuned for any additional developments, as I’m sure Bama folks will have to address this at some point. Expect nothing to change otherwise. Landon Collins will still be signing that Letter of Intent on National Signing Day come Wednesday.
Click here to watch Landon Collins’ live announcement on ESPN, followed by his mom’ s reaction…priceless really.
Raju Kansagra
Never seen anything like this in recruiting. Saban and staff better hope they followed the letter of the law to the T in Landon’s recruitment, or mom’s gonna bring the whole thing down on their head! lol
Saban better be careful alright…I can just hear them now:
Saban: “April, you have to settle down about this stuff”
April: “But Nick, Les Miles offered us that 5 bedroom house and a benz, and all you can do is get us a shotty apartment and a Mazda 6? Of course I’m upset with you.”
Saban: “I know I know, we’ll figure it out, but just stay quiet or you’ll get us both in trouble!”
Landon Collins: “Guys, am I still grounded for choosing Bama over LSU?”