Are you for or against:

[Indndawg]

last nite Matt and Dick Cross were talking...............recruiting and decommits.

Cross had a point/idea that would require early signing (say b/4 their sr year begins).
1) If you make a commit then change your mind to another FBS school, then you lose a yr of eligibility
2) If players x commits and its contacted by another FBS school, that school goes on probation for 1 yr.

on paper, it sounds pretty good and might make players quit committing and then getting that better offer from a better program

 

[121Josey]

Kailo bump.

 

[gravedigger]

Way too many things change. See penn state

 

[DerHntr]

It would suck on signing day because of all of "the hat" press conferences. Kids would definitely wait much longer to commit.

Also wouldn't this create a major problem for the SEC with the 25 rule? If a guy waited until too late in the day on signing day to choose his hat then he may not have a spot. This is an issue now of course but could be way worse if a significantly larger number of players pushed their decisions back.

 

[thf24]

I don't know if you can get that technical about it without issues arising such as what gravedigger mentioned, but I would like to see the term "verbal commitment" mean at least something. I'd also like it to offer some protection against the big boys swooping in and cherry-picking the little guys' hard-won recruits in the final weeks before signing day, especially diamonds-in-the-rough that the Bamas and LSUs only notice and get interested in after they blow up.

 

[shotgunDawg]

last nite Matt and Dick Cross were talking...............recruiting and decommits.

Cross had a point/idea that would require early signing (say b/4 their sr year begins).
1) If you make a commit then change your mind to another FBS school, then you lose a yr of eligibility

The problem with this rule is if a coach leaves or circumstances, such as probation, depth chart, etc... happens then the kid would have no recourse. Under this rule, kids just wouldn't commit till very late in the process to protect themselves and thus create major problems with coaching staffs not knowing who was coming until it may be too late.

2) If players x commits and its contacted by another FBS school, that school goes on probation for 1 yr.

The problem with this rule is opposite of the problem with the first rule. Just as a prospects circumstances can change so can a school's (i.e. Nick Griffin getting injured). Coaches have to have the flexibility to fill out their roster the best they can. Players get hurt, are declared academically ineligible, never develop, etc... As much as we think they do, coaches don't have crystal balls that tell them what their circumstance will be a year from now or even a month from now. As Jerry Jones has once stated,"“The idea of putting together and handling the nuances of a team that can win a Super Bowl is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he says. “It’s the hardest thing to get and keep your hands around.

“It’s like holding Jell-O. About the time you think you’re holding on to it, it starts coming out someplace else."
You simply cannot handcuff coaches and programs by not allowing them adjust.

The best thing the NCAA can do to cut down on the cheating and de-commitments is the allow an early signing period for high school players that would be held at the same time as JUCO players sign. By doing this, coaches would not have to baby sit players during the "dead period", at all-star games, and during the time of the year when alumni have nothing better to do but get involved, would use more game weekends as official visits, and would ultimately know which players they have locked up earlier and thus have the ability to more efficiently fill out their classes in January and February. Also, if you have a player that is committed but doesn't sign in the early period, it would give you a greater indication of where you stand with that prospect. Most coaching changes were made by the time the JUCO players signed, so that shouldn't be to big of a deal.

 

[Indndawg]

last nite Matt and Dick Cross were talking...............recruiting and decommits.

Cross had a point/idea that would require early signing (say b/4 their sr year begins).
1) If you make a commit then change your mind to another FBS school, then you lose a yr of eligibility

The problem with this rule is if a coach leaves or circumstances, such as probation, depth chart, etc... happens then the kid would have no recourse. Under this rule, kids just wouldn't commit till very late in the process to protect themselves and thus create major problems with coaching staffs not knowing who was coming until it may be too late.

2) If players x commits and its contacted by another FBS school, that school goes on probation for 1 yr.

The problem with this rule is opposite of the problem with the first rule. Just as a prospects circumstances can change so can a school's (i.e. Nick Griffin getting injured). Coaches have to have the flexibility to fill out their roster the best they can. Players get hurt, are declared academically ineligible, never develop, etc... As much as we think they do, coaches don't have crystal balls that tell them what their circumstance will be a year from now or even a month from now. As Jerry Jones has once stated,"“The idea of putting together and handling the nuances of a team that can win a Super Bowl is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he says. “It’s the hardest thing to get and keep your hands around.

“It’s like holding Jell-O. About the time you think you’re holding on to it, it starts coming out someplace else."
You simply cannot handcuff coaches and programs by not allowing them adjust.

The best thing the NCAA can do to cut down on the cheating and de-commitments is the allow an early signing period for high school players that would be held at the same time as JUCO players sign. By doing this, coaches would not have to baby sit players during the "dead period", at all-star games, and during the time of the year when alumni have nothing better to do but get involved, would use more game weekends as official visits, and would ultimately know which players they have locked up earlier and thus have the ability to more efficiently fill out their classes in January and February. Also, if you have a player that is committed but doesn't sign in the early period, it would give you a greater indication of where you stand with that prospect. Most coaching changes were made by the time the JUCO players signed, so that shouldn't be to big of a deal.

Indn's comment: The NCAA would have to set up parameters in scenario 1 and coaches and programs would have to get explicit NCAA permission to contact a potential decommit

 

[TheBigDA]

Just have a one day early signing period on August 1st of a recruits senior year. Allow three official visits in July or 5 in January, either/or but a recruit can't do both. Let those that want to get it out of the way do so. If they do sign, they get one paid game weekend visit. The divas will always try to get theirs and ride it until the last hat drops.

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

Another problem is that some players would grow 4 inches and gain 60 pounds and might want to play another position. Also, what if some kid blows out his knee or gets a 4 on his ACT, or gets 10 to life for throwing his girlfriend out a window halfway through his senior year--does the school have to offer him any way? And if they could withdraw the offer (based on injury or incarceration) who would be left uncommitted to replace them?

The main reason it won't work is that the schools the NCAA sucks up to (Bama, ND, USC, etc) like the late signing because they get longer to figure out who they want to offer/steal.

 

[Indndawg]

The main reason it won't work is that the schools the NCAA sucks up to (Bama, ND, USC, etc) like the late signing because they get longer to figure out who they want to offer/steal.
this

 

[RockstarFromMars]

Not sure which idea is dumber. How is a 17-18 year old expected to commit and stick with a school when grown men leave at the drop of a hat for a bigger check?

 

[Irondawg]

Here's how I think it needs to work

Early signing day on December 1. That gives kids time to take visits during the season and gives coaches a chance to get Sr film on anyone and if someone gets injured evaluate it. It also gives coaches a better idea of where kids stand with their grades.

Kids can get our of their LOI under the following circumstances:

1) School is put on probation that includes a bowl ban of more than 1 year -otherwise it shouldn't really matter.
2) Head coach leaves the school he signed with

I'd like to see an even earlier sign date - maybe Oct 1 or something but i think the above is a much more realistic place to start. Waiting until Feb just doesn't make a ton of sense to me and is causing more problems that its solving.

 

[shotgunDawg]

Early signing day on December 1. That gives kids time to take visits during the season and gives coaches a chance to get Sr film on anyone and if someone gets injured evaluate it. It also gives coaches a better idea of where kids stand with their grades.

Kids can get our of their LOI under the following circumstances:

1) School is put on probation that includes a bowl ban of more than 1 year -otherwise it shouldn't really matter.
2) Head coach leaves the school he signed with

I'd like to see an even earlier sign date - maybe Oct 1 or something but i think the above is a much more realistic place to start. Waiting until Feb just doesn't make a ton of sense to me and is causing more problems that its solving.

I agree with you completely Irondawg. As my post so un-eloquently illustrates, I feel the exact same way. Moving the early signing period to Dec. 1st or Juco signing date would be the best place to start and solve many of the issues.

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

I only agree with early signing but only after they have qualifying scores and no earlier than midway through senior year.

The rest is garbage. No one will commit early and most will wait till signing day or just before to sign. What if you have 7 - 10 players undecided going into the week of NSD? And then you lose most of them? What's your backup plan? Can't offer more and leave them hanging when you sign your targets. Where will they go then? It would be a mad scramble in the week before NSD.

 

[RockstarFromMars]

I'm not sure what exactly is broken with the recruiting process that we're trying to fix. Sounds like people are just upset that kids and coaches change their minds.

 

[Irondawg]

I'm not sure what exactly is broken with the recruiting process that we're trying to fix. Sounds like people are just upset that kids and coaches change their minds.

This isn't just a reaction to losing Kalio. It protects both players and schools. Kids are getting dropped by the bigger programs much more often now and are left scrambling to find a home. An early signing period would let you know if the school was really interested in you. For schools, it's the same way. A lot of kids are committing after summer camps to "reserve" a spot. They aren't really committed but don't want to lose their biggest offer so they take it and ride it out and see what happens. An early signing period would let schools know how interested the kid really is in their program. The problem now is it becomes a mad scramble and honestly it's getting worse every year b/c there is so much pressure on coaches and kids. I don't think an undecided kid really wants his phone blowing up with calls from the site admins from Scout/Rivals/247 from 5-6 schools plus the coaches calling them all the time. It has to be insane for the kids these days.

 

[Todd4State]

That seems pretty stiff to me

Probation? Losing eligibility for de-committing? Yikes.

I'm against the losing eligibility because college is at some point supposed to be about getting an education on some level. And taking away a players college eligibility hurts that player's chance of getting a degree.

Probation for contacting a player is BAD idea. What's to stop some recruit from saying that the school's rival contacted them? Even if it's proven to not be true, that school could be drug through the mud for a long time. And then the other rival could do the same thing. Of course, I'm used to having Bracky as a compliance director, and he would probably give us the death penalty.

NSD should be the third week in December after the high school season is over. That gives players a chance to see teams, visit schools, and by having it during Christmas break, it can reduce peer pressure. I think these internet website owners like Gene and Yancy need to be policed a little bit better. I think there should be a rule that players can only be contacted twice a year by those guys. And one of those times is when/if a player actually commits to a school. A player should not be contacted during the high school football season unless that player commits to said school. I think that would greatly decrease the drama and I think it might reduce the degree of prima donnaism that's out there sometimes.

I think these select 7 on 7 teams should be outlawed. No one watches that crap. All it is is an avenue for bagmen to take advantage of kids. High school teams can have 7 on 7 teams if they so choose.

I would also like to see these players and teams rewarded for recruiting players that are good students. Legitimately good students. As it is now, if you walk-on a team, you have to pay your way through college and you can't get academic financial aid even if you are a 4.0 student with a 36 on the ACT. I think they should allow teams to have up to three players per class on academic financial aid, and any player that falls in that category is subject to review from the NCAA. If a team tries to do something shady, and tries to get a player that doesn't deserve financial aid a spot, then the player is ineligible and the team loses a athletic scholarship spot in the next class. Basically, this would increase classes from 25 to 28, but it would also hopefully encourage players to do well in school. And it would hopefully encourage schools to recruit players that are good students.

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

Every word of that made perfect sense. Wish I had thought of it first. good work.