Early Signing Period for Football?

[KT2000]

I'd really like to see college football have the early signing period like basketball does. What's your opinion on this?

Personally, I think it would help eliminate much of the circus currently prevalent in today's recruiting landscape with the press conferences and hat tricks on TV. It would be of tremendous value to both players and universities in my opinion. Players who don't want to be effected by the process during their season can go ahead and sign on the dotted line if they so choose. It would obviously help those who plan to enroll early.

I think a perfect time for that in football would be around August 1st.

[TXFOOSBALL]

I think coaches should take the Les Miles approach and say that once they commit they are not allowed to take anymore visits to any other schools. This year was the worst for decommits...especially ND AAAARGH!!!

After this crazy recruiting year coaches will start coming up with new strategies like this to prevent the shock of a decommit.

[jtk1519]

Early commitments opens up some new, ugly doors. Early commitment means the recruiting process will start earlier. Take Franochio. He's already offered scholarships to two high school sophomores (class of 2009) and he's not the only one. It's already starting to turn into college basketball where coaches start evaluating players in middle school.

I think the NCAA needs to step in an say that you cannot recruit any player unless he has already completed his junior season. Say that coaches can only recruit a player for one year before they sign a LOI or the scholarship offer is revoked. Something... anything. It's starting to get out of hand.

[t-long20]

Early commitments opens up some new, ugly doors. Early commitment means the recruiting process will start earlier. Take Franochio. He's already offered scholarships to two high school sophomores (class of 2009) and he's not the only one. It's already starting to turn into college basketball where coaches start evaluating players in middle school.

I think the NCAA needs to step in an say that you cannot recruit any player unless he has already completed his junior season. Say that coaches can only recruit a player for one year before they sign a LOI or the scholarship offer is revoked. Something... anything. It's starting to get out of hand.

they had a report about scouts trying to recruit players by way of text messaging since sometimes your not allowed to call the athlete

[AZTiger]

Early commitments opens up some new, ugly doors. Early commitment means the recruiting process will start earlier. Take Franochio. He's already offered scholarships to two high school sophomores (class of 2009) and he's not the only one. It's already starting to turn into college basketball where coaches start evaluating players in middle school.

I think the NCAA needs to step in an say that you cannot recruit any player unless he has already completed his junior season. Say that coaches can only recruit a player for one year before they sign a LOI or the scholarship offer is revoked. Something... anything. It's starting to get out of hand.

I have no problem with, I think you're just upset it might work against Mack. Don't worry, he'd still find a way.

Recruiting is an f'ing joke. Following it closely this year reminded me why I have never followed it before.

[slorch]

I miss the old days of the signing day madness...

I don't like the power schools playing games with the recruits. If I was a big time player, I'd jack with them just for fun... and I would take all of my visits regardless of what Miles or mack said. The bottom line is...they need you more than you need them.

I don't like the idea of early commits. I don't even like the verbal commits in the Junior year...but whadya do?

[jtk1519]

I have no problem with, I think you're just upset it might work against Mack. Don't worry, he'd still find a way.

Recruiting is an f'ing joke. Following it closely this year reminded me why I have never followed it before.

How could it work against Mack? Mack started early recruiting in this state. Out of this last class that signed 25, he had 16 committed before the month of March was up. Mack is the reason this is all happening.

[svhorns]

Mack owns recruiting...

[KattTx]

I don't think an early signing period will cure much. I think it has more potential to make things worse, in that coaches time tables will be sped up and they will start hitting on the freshmen and junior high kids. Only way to make a difference is to disallow any and all contact with sophs and younger. After the soph year is complete is more than soon enough for these kids to have to start dealing with sometimes very adult problems and issues.

Kids are easily manipulated and they don't always have parents who aren't as easily manipulated, if they have interested parties on their side at all. It's not ethical for coaches and recruiters to be allowed access to the younger players.

[AZTiger]

Mack owns recruiting...

Ron Zook owns recruiting...how the hell he's getting guys at Illinois, I don't know

[slorch]

Ron Zook owns recruiting...how the hell he's getting guys at Illinois, I don't know

Big Orange's Sport's and Imports?

[jtk1519]

Ron Zook owns recruiting...how the hell he's getting guys at Illinois, I don't know

The same way Butch Davis is. Zook is telling kids they can play right away and they are. People blab about facilities and fans and tradition and all that crap, but there is simply no stronger selling point now days than early playing time.

[KT2000]

Butch Davis also has Chapel Hill working for him. Chapel Hill is the nicest college town I've been in. It doesn't hurt that the university is also one of the top public institutions in the country. It's similar to UT (Austin) in my opinion.

[drgnbkr]

Butch Davis also has Chapel Hill working for him. Chapel Hill is the nicest college town I've been in. It doesn't hurt that the university is also one of the top public institutions in the country. It's similar to UT (Austin) in my opinion.

UNC is one of the prettiest campi anywhere...

[jtk1519]

Kenan Stadium is widely regarded as the most beautiful stadium in college football and Chapel Hill is a very easy sell.

[t-long20]

The same way Butch Davis is. Zook is telling kids they can play right away and they are. People blab about facilities and fans and tradition and all that crap, but there is simply no stronger selling point now days than early playing time.

i never thought about that...thats a good recruiting strategy

[jtk1519]

It's the strategy most new coaches coming into a "rebuilding" program use. Illinois is not a crap program. This isn't Rutgers or Buffalo we're talking about. Zook can point to 4 national title banners and to multiple Big Televen titles including a championship and Sugar Bowl berth in 2001. He can then say that since the program has fallen on tough teams, we need you (the recruit) to come in and help us win NOW. To the nation's top recruits who often view college as the minor leagues for the NFL, that is music to their ears.

Davis can do much the same, but aside from a better campus in a better location (with much hotter women), Butch can also flash his national championship ring and say "Hey, I know how to get you one of these". He can also point to almost any NFL roster and point out at least one of his former players. Those are the best recruiting weapons a college coach can have no days.

[WestPlano006]

I dont care what they do to recruit. The top players know that they belong in the best programs, they can believe what they want when coaches sweet talk them. I don't think we need to spoon feed these athletes through the recruitment process, they are 18.

Coaches are also using less redshirts and getting their new talent experience right away.