Unfortunately this is pretty standard across NCAA programs. Not a lot of information is made available about players leaving the program or decommits. A lot of this is due to NCAA regulations.

Exactly. The coaches can't comment on things, so we are left to guess. It's the same at every school, though at some schools there is a more active press trying to dig things out. There are a host of problems that keep us guessing:
1. We don't really know who is on scholarship (Ted's list is only a "best guess")
a. sometimes we hear that a walkon was awarded a scholarship, but we don't know if it is permanent, or temporary
b. if someone loses a scholarship, we may not hear about it
2. We don't know who is leaving - sometimes we do hear, especially when a player transfers, but if a player is leaving the program because of injuries, we often don't find out until his name vanishes from the roster, and they only redo the roster a few times a year
3. We don't always have accurate information on verbals - sometimes a player flips, and the coaches know he has flipped, but we don't
4. We don't know who has qualified, and who may not qualify, and usually we don't find out until fall camp arrives, and some don't enroll
5. We don't know about such things as grayshirts and preferred walkons. Occasionally we get news of a "verbal" that turns out to be one of these. Recent examples were Nic Barber, Josh Kristoff, and last year Chalmer Frueauf.

The only thing we really know is that we don't know. Yes, it can be frustrating, but it can be entertaining, too. Even when you think you have a full class, you can log in, and suddenly find another pleasant surprise.

"Everything in life is tentative until it actually takes place."

--Anonymous

Very interesting. If schools are offering partial scholarships, tracking the 85 will be impossible for those outside the program.

I am no expert either, but I am pretty sure that there is no such thing as a partial scholarship in MAC football or any other big time programs. Just think of the games OSU could play if they gave half a need based and half as athletic scholarship. They could have 150 guys on the team.

Right, if someone was to be getting 60% to NIU, it would have to be non-football. All football scholarships are 100%, so NIU must be recruiting him as a walk-on and perhaps can offer a variety of other forms of aide to account for 60%.