Nav, I think the general rule (I cannot link or quote) is that if a school is recruiting a kid prior to a coach switching schools, that's fine. The problem is if A&M had not been recruiting a kid, but suddenly landed the kid once Chavis switched programs. Had there been any kids that AU was not chasing, but landed (or even chased) once WM switched, I'm sure we would have heard a lot more about it. As it was, there was just a general groaning and moaning about him stealing kids, but if AU already had been courting them, as seems the case, then there are no grounds for anything beyond sour grapes. I'll admit, this deep insight of mine is based solely on what I've read in these forums, so I can't speak with absolutes or with any legal basis, just what I've read and the lack of any true teeth to such allegations regarding WM.
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Having read the link, and some of the related articles, it appears Chavis tried to obey the letter of the contract (last day of work being within 11 months of end of contract), but he was not even in the same area code of the intent of the contract. He appears to be playing games in submitting resignation Jan 5 and claiming last date of employment being Feb 4....and yet there are photos of him with Sumlin on Jan 1 and with recruits for A&M in January? Such photos would sink him in court, as there is no way to spin 'still working for LSU until Feb 4' when he is obviously doing work for A&M at that time. I don't have anything against A&M, but they will be on the hook for the $400k, or whatever damages are agreed to, as Chavis screwed LSU with his actions, IMO. Overall, a minor blip on the news feeds, Chavis ends up with a black eye he earned, and LSU gains an extremely minor motivation for this annual matchup.