Top recruit passes on Saban, Tide

Days before AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims resume their competition for the starting job, another top passing recruit made a college decision.

And for the second time in as many weeks, a big name opted against the Crimson Tide.

Hueytown’s Jameis Winston committed to Florida State instead of Alabama on Wednesday afternoon. Ranked among the top three at his position nationally by the top three recruiting

services, Winston joined Gunner Kiel as a top quarterback who chose another destination after identifying Alabama as a finalist. Kiel, the consensus top passer for the Class of 2012 from Columbus, Ind., committed to Indiana on July 27.

Winston’s announcement came with considerably more fanfare than Kiel’s quiet commitment.

A live ESPNU audience witnessed Winston reach for the Seminole cap.

He said Florida State just felt “more comfortable,” in the end.

A sheepish Winston was then asked by the television anchor how the locals would react to his decision.

“Uh, Alabama fans are probably going to hate me,” Winston said after a pause and a nervous tug on his cap. “But, my job is not to please the fans and the people in general. I’m just focused on leading my high school team to a state championship.”

Then there’s the issue of Winston’s baseball future.

He’s considered a potential first or second round prospect for next spring’s Major League Baseball draft so there’s a chance Winston won’t appear on any college campus a year from now.

Winston, just like the other high school senior recruits, is not bound to college decisions until the signing period opens in February.

The recruiting services list Alabama with 14 commitments for the Class of 2012, but without a quarterback. Of the top 15 quarterbacks in the Scout.com rankings, 12 have committed. Each of the top three remaining list Alabama among the schools in consideration including Anthony Alford.

The Petal, Miss., product is ranked second behind Winston on the dual-threat quarterback rankings on Rivals.com, and the fourth overall quarterback by 247sports.com.

A year ago, Alabama’s only quarterback signee Phillip Ely was ranked 20th at his position by Rivals and 41st by Scout.com. He enrolled in January and sits behind McCarron and Sims on the unofficial depth chart.

Alabama Crimson Tide Zone | Ethics Commission rules no violation ...

There was no debate by the commission before it voted 4-0 to approve the advisory opinion drafted by the agency's legal counsel, Hugh Evans III.

Before casting her vote, commission vice chair Josephine Venable of Tallassee said she did not view the passes as "a thing of value."

The opinion had been sought by the University of Alabama System and the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, although it will also cover other NCAA Division I schools in the state.

Michael Spearing, counsel for UA, said after the meeting that the university was pleased the issue was settled.

"We're grateful the commission gave us some clarification on that," he said. "It's obviously an important issue for the university."

Spearing said the issue was redflagged as university attorneys began examining the impact of the new ethics law.

James Sumner, director of the Ethics Commission, said earlier the new ethics law, approved during a December 2010 special legislative session, did not specifically address the issues raised by UA.

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