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[QUOTE="Brooky03, post: 2370452"]
Teams don't fill all scholarships every year (obviously not counting schollies handed to walk-ons).  The reason to keep some open, especially when you don't expect a lot of departures, is to ensure you have spots available for high level recruits the following year.

Say you'd have to bring in a 5 player recruiting class to max out your scholarships and you only anticipate 2 players leaving after the class comes in.  That leaves you two spots available for next year's recruiting class.  Not bad, but think about the likely caliber of the worst player in the class of 5 you just brought in.  Probably a low level 4 or even a 3 star, right?  Likely going to redshirt or just not play much/at all.  Take back his scholarship and give yourself 3 for the next season instead of 2.  Is the 3rd best player in next year's class a higher caliber player than the player you passed on?  I'd say he probably is.  Of course, you have the experience argument at that point, but I'd rather have the more talented player over the more experienced player when we're only talking about a 1 year difference.

Now, our situation is a little bit unique.  I've lost track of the scholarship numbers we'll have going forward.  If I'm not mistaken, 13 is the max and the sanctions have us down to 11 right now.  If we're going to be back up to 13, or even 12, for next season, then filling the last spot wouldn't have been a bad idea (if TT didn't screw us so badly with his timing).  If we're still going to be at 11 next season, then voluntarily leaving a scholarship available when there is only one guaranteed departure (Thorpe) isn't the worst idea.
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