Butch Davis' team will lose 12 scholarship seniors after it completes the 2008 season by playing West Virginia in the Meineke Bowl on Dec. 27. But Davis and his staff already have 24 commitments for next season and are still recruiting. What gives?

Yes, Butch is probably going to run players who are not up to standard, bringing back memories of Nick Saban, who went ballistic in April when asked about his fuzzy math. But all is forgotten in Alabama after a 12-1 regular season.

In the case of Davis, he would appear to be on course to set a new standard for over-recruiting, even with tricks like gray shirting or medical hardships. The Tar Heel coach's tactics have caught the attention of rival North Carolina State and its recruiting coordinator, Jerry Petercuskie.

"We're not in the market of oversigning, unless there's a case where there are some borderline students who may not make it," he said. "And in that case, there's a plan for them."

This gets to the heart of the matter. Recruiting is about building trust. If you can't be trusted to honor a commitment, your reputation takes a hit.