Titan Players Hoping for a Quick Decision : Fullerton: The longer the football program remains in limbo, the more it hurts the athletes’ chances of securing a scholarship elsewhere.

A sentimental feeling washed over Tim Drevno Sunday when he saw a player digging a clump of grass and dirt out of his facemask during the Super Bowl.

“I thought, man, am I going to be able to do that again?” said Drevno, a junior offensive lineman at Cal State Fullerton. “I have so many memories of things here, like practice, and hearing (Coach Gene) Murphy’s words before a game. Am I going to hear that again? Am I going to hear that from another coach?”

He might not, because the longer the Titan football program remains in limbo, the shorter the list of options for current players becomes if the sport is dropped.

If school President Milton A. Gordon decides to retain the sport, Drevno will happily return for his senior season. But if Gordon accepts an athletics council recommendation to drop it because of state funding problems, Drevno and his teammates might have a difficult time transferring to other schools and securing scholarships.

The period for signing national letters of intent begins Wednesday, and high school and community college players already have begun giving oral commitments to four-year schools, which can sign a maximum of 25 new players to scholarships a year.

Under NCAA rules, Fullerton players must get permission from their athletic director (Ed Carroll) before another school can even contact them, and that won’t be given until the program is officially dropped.

So as the decision-making process continues, and players commit to other programs, the number of available scholarships around the country decreases. A school interested in a Titan player might not have any scholarships left by the time he becomes available.

This is a critical time for players such as Drevno, juniors who have already used their redshirt years and must complete their eligibility next fall. The NCAA allows student-athletes five consecutive years to play four seasons.

“Every day counts, no question,” said a Fullerton assistant coach who asked not to be identified. “Every day he (Gordon) delays, it hurts the student-athletes.”

Compounding the problem is that most schools already have begun spring semesters or quarters, and deadlines for late registration are approaching. For instance, one school that freshman quarterback Terry Payne is interested in has a Tuesday deadline for registration.

“Athletes are kind of being strangled right now because they don’t know what to do,” Payne said. “If something doesn’t happen soon, other schools are going to take other players.”

To participate in spring drills, student-athletes must carry a full academic course load and be in good academic standing. And to have a legitimate shot of playing in the fall, players say they must attend spring practice this semester.

“It’s the most important thing because you have to learn the offense,” Drevno said. “If you enter school in the fall, you have three weeks to learn the system. That’s the toughest thing to do.

“It also helps you feel better academically when you can come in during the spring and get situated. You can concentrate more on school than football, and you don’t have to worry about playing games. Games bring stress.”

So do quick decisions, which is what a lot of Titan players will face if the program is dropped. The entire recruiting process, which lasts months for high school and community college players, will be squeezed into a few days.

Some players might have to take the first offer for fear they can’t wait for another. Others, such as standout freshman offensive lineman John Cotti and junior linebacker Lorenzo Hailey, are likely to receive many offers but will have little time to decide between them.

Another problem: According to Rick Evrard, NCAA director of legislative services, all applicable recruiting rules apply to victims of dropped programs. The two-day period from this Monday at 8 a.m. to Wednesday (signing day) at 8 a.m. is a “dead” recruiting period, meaning prospects can’t visit campuses and coaches can’t visit recruits at homes, on campus or off campus.

Only telephone calls and writing to prospects are allowed during the dead period. So if Fullerton drops football Monday, for example, players might have to select another college by phone. They wouldn’t be allowed to take recruiting trips until Wednesday, and they would be scurrying to organize them.

The NCAA allows a student-athlete a total of 10 recruiting trips. Most players take five in high school, and some have taken five more in community college. Those players would be prohibited from making any additional trips.

An NCAA rule stating players must sit out a year if they transfer to another four-year school, and a Big West Conference rule stating players transferring from one conference school to another must sit out a year and lose a season of eligibility, are waived for players from programs that are dropped.

“If we’re going to have football, let’s go, and if we’re not, we need to get on with our lives,” Drevno said. “We need to know if we’re going to be able to play somewhere. It’s hard to be patient, but I guess you just have to.”