rexvol
The Minister of Defense
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2006
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Q. More and more players seem to be committing earlier and earlier. Does football need an early signing period, as there is with basketball?
A. Absolutely. I was on the fence for a long time but no longer. There are just too many early commitments.
I looked into this last summer. Commitments to BCS schools by June 1 of 2007 compared to June 1 of 2002 were up 500 percent. It's amazing how this has happened.
Here's the problem: When do you have an early signing period? I know there is talk about one potentially sometime in December. I think that's a start, but how much does that really help out these prospects, their families and the schools? You are just eight to 10 weeks away from National Signing Day.
To me, the best time to have an additional signing period would be the last Wednesday in July or the first Wednesday in August, right before two-a-days start at both the high school and college level. But for this to happen, the recruiting calendar would have to be changed. There would have to be a set time in the summer where prospects would have the opportunity to make some official visits. Remember, recruiting is still about relationships, and you have to give every young man and every staff a chance to forge those relationships.
Let's face it, the entire process is happening at light speed right now. Teams are evaluating earlier and getting their scholarship offers out earlier. More and more prospects are becoming proactive and making unofficial visits. They go to games, travel to campuses during the spring and summer and attend summer football camps. In other words, they are doing their due diligence earlier and coming up with their decisions earlier. But not every prospect has the means to make trips in the spring or summer, and that is why I think you need to change up the recruiting calendar and allow a period in June or July where prospects could make official visits. They all have to have the same opportunity.
Still, what happens if there is a signing period in late July or early August (or even in October), then there is a coaching change? All those kids who signed early would be stuck with that school. Is that fair for all parties involved? This is one of the potential issues you would have. But there are some smart people in college football and they should be able to figure this out. Then again, college football still doesn't have a playoff, so all bets are off.
A. Absolutely. I was on the fence for a long time but no longer. There are just too many early commitments.
I looked into this last summer. Commitments to BCS schools by June 1 of 2007 compared to June 1 of 2002 were up 500 percent. It's amazing how this has happened.
Here's the problem: When do you have an early signing period? I know there is talk about one potentially sometime in December. I think that's a start, but how much does that really help out these prospects, their families and the schools? You are just eight to 10 weeks away from National Signing Day.
To me, the best time to have an additional signing period would be the last Wednesday in July or the first Wednesday in August, right before two-a-days start at both the high school and college level. But for this to happen, the recruiting calendar would have to be changed. There would have to be a set time in the summer where prospects would have the opportunity to make some official visits. Remember, recruiting is still about relationships, and you have to give every young man and every staff a chance to forge those relationships.
Let's face it, the entire process is happening at light speed right now. Teams are evaluating earlier and getting their scholarship offers out earlier. More and more prospects are becoming proactive and making unofficial visits. They go to games, travel to campuses during the spring and summer and attend summer football camps. In other words, they are doing their due diligence earlier and coming up with their decisions earlier. But not every prospect has the means to make trips in the spring or summer, and that is why I think you need to change up the recruiting calendar and allow a period in June or July where prospects could make official visits. They all have to have the same opportunity.
Still, what happens if there is a signing period in late July or early August (or even in October), then there is a coaching change? All those kids who signed early would be stuck with that school. Is that fair for all parties involved? This is one of the potential issues you would have. But there are some smart people in college football and they should be able to figure this out. Then again, college football still doesn't have a playoff, so all bets are off.
