In a radio interview on Thursday, Division III Belhaven University head coach Hal Mumme told an ESPN radio affiliate in Alabama that he contacted the NCAA about the satellite camp that LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron allegedly helped to cancel.
“I think the NCAA needs to come in and look at that,” Mumme said, according to a transcription from NBCSports.com. “I don’t see how a public figure at an SEC school can basically extort people into not using their facilities for the public good.”
Belhaven’s aborted satellite camp in Baton Rouge drew attention this week after three separate locations pulled out following the addition of Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman to the guest list.
Political pressure from Orgeron and the Tigers supposedly resulted in the cancellation of the camp, Mumme told Sports Illustrated.
According to SI’s Pete Thamel, Mumme was “unhappy” with Orgeron about the development, which reportedly carried a sunk cost of $5,000 for the private Christian liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi.
Mumme’s relationship with the high school school at Saint Thomas Aquinas in Hammond had resulted in originally securing the use of that school’s stadium, but it pulled out for undisclosed reasons on Tuesday.
The supposed political pressure left Baton Rouge Madison Prep head coach Mike Roach frustrated.
“I guess we let the optics of college football influence the ultimate goal, educating young men and exposing them to a better life,” Roach told Sports Illustrated. “The optics of college football has gotten in the way of what the mission of this thing is all about. I don't have any allegiance to anyone. I have an allegiance to these kids in my community.”
Orgeron has also been vocal in the past about his priorities, as was former head coach Les Miles.
“Protecting the state of Louisiana is always going to be my job as the coach of LSU,” Oregeron told SI in May.
The Tigers head coach offered that quote after multiple out-of-state schools, including Texas, were disinvited from a camp at Southeastern Louisiana.
And, last year, Miles did the same when he admitted to pulling a similar power move in disallowing in-state schools from partnering with out-of-state schools for camps.
“Miles said he also wants other in-state schools at his camps as long as they do not participate in camps with out-of-state schools, which is what Tulane will be doing with LSU’s SEC West rival Texas A&M,” wrote USA Today High School Sports.
As the NBCSports.com article noted, the NCAA is unlikely to take action against the Tigers.
However, Rivals.com recruiting director Mike Ferrell noted that the alleged decision by Orgeron was “not a good look” for LSU and believes that Herman can use it to his advantage on the recruiting trail:
The latest cancellation, a camp that was to be held at Div. III Belhaven University, frankly just gives Tom Herman more fuel in recruiting than if the camp actually went off as scheduled. Now Herman, who was LSU’s first choice to replace Les Miles before Texas took him away, can point out to every big-time Louisiana prospect that LSU is afraid of the Longhorns when it comes to recruiting. Far-fetched? Perhaps, but recruiting is all about spin, momentum and notoriety and Orgeron has given Herman all three by overreacting.
To take it a step further — in recruiting, perception is reality, and perception here, at least outside of LSU circles, seems to favor Texas.