KNOXVILLE -- The NCAA's decision to ban satellite camps was the right one, Tennessee head coach Butch Jones believes.
On Friday the NCAA's Division I Council approved a proposal from the SEC and ACC that requires FBS schools to hold camps for high school players "at their school's facilities or at facilities regularly used for practice or competition."
The decision came in the wake of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh essentially touring the South last year with the camps and lining up more in Florida and Alabama this summer.
Other Big Ten Conference coaches were getting in on the act, while SEC commissioner Greg Sankey was among the most vocal opponents of the camps.
The Big 12 and Pac-12 also voted for the proposal, while the MAC, Conference USA and the American all voted with the Big Ten to keep them.
Jones said Tennessee was prepared to have satellite camps of their own had the NCAA not banned them.
"We were prepared if it did go through," he said after Saturday's practice. "We had locations set up to be able to do that, but I still think at the end of the day you need to get players to campus.
"I've not been a proponent of satellite camps. Ironically we've spoken to many schools that have done the satellite camps, and quietly their assistant coaches were tried and wore out and didn't approve of them.
"I thought the right decision was made there. For us, our camps are very important, but getting a young man to campus and him having experience in Knoxville, that's most important."
Running back Alvin Kamara had a different take on the ruling.
"I don't really see why they banned it," he said. "I think it's just exposure (for prospects). It's a good thing, rather than a bad thing.
"I don't know, some coaches I guess just don't want people coming down in their territory and stuff."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.