Michigan still hasn’t released its roster for the upcoming 2017 season. That has made NJ.com writer Ryan Dunleavy a bit upset as the Rutgers beat writer published an article talking about it.
#Michigan winter & spring sports & every other #b1g FB team have 2017 roster. So why is Harbaugh different? https://t.co/azvJ9BI9P6 #goblue
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) August 12, 2017
Here the reason for Dunleavy’s madness:
At Rutgers — and at most Big Ten schools — rosters are updated during spring practice and again in the summer.
In an effort to rank the 15 best New Jersey players in the Big Ten in 2017, NJ Advance Media contacted a Michigan official asking for an updated roster. Michigan is believed to have eight New Jerseyans on its roster, though nobody knows for sure.
Actually, that’s a lie. The school’s NCAA compliance department does. Or it at least it must.
That’s how eligibility, APR and other statistics are tracked.
“We have not posted a 2017 season roster and won’t until the first game week at the end of this month,” the official replied.
Because Michigan is a public university, it is subject to the Freedom Of Information Act. NJ Advance Media submitted a request for a roster on Aug. 3.
FOIA is a tool used to weed out corruption in government, but here is a request for the hometown of a third-string linebacker.
A reply was received Friday:
“Due to the large number of requests currently being processed by this office, it will not be possible to respond to your request within the five-day period accorded by the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. However, under Section 5 (2) (d) of the Act, the University is permitted to extend the deadline for not more than 10 business days beyond the initial due date. The University will respond to your request on or before August 25, 2017.”
How convenient that Aug. 25 essentially is the start of the first game week.To anyone whose reply is, ‘There is no a rule against not publishing a roster,’ you are correct. There only is an unwritten code of decades of accepted practice and no legitimate reason not to provide one.
