DMN: College Football Moves Toward Early Signing Period
Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:25 amBy BEN SHPIGEL / The Dallas Morning News
Hebron defensive end Phillip Jones owns two or three Texas Tech hats and couldn't wait to buy "more shirts and stuff" when he visited Lubbock last weekend.
Jones, who orally committed to Tech in early August, has a bunch of friends there awaiting his arrival next summer, and he's keeping his fingers crossed that one of his favorite bands, Korn or Slipknot, will drop by campus.
The only thing preventing Jones from becoming a full-fledged Red Raider is the signing of his national letter of intent, which to his dismay must wait until Feb. 2, national signing day.
"It's like, I'm ready, let's do this, man," Jones said. "Coaches still call all the time, and I try to tell them that nothing's going to change my decision."
There's a way to end the phone calls and the pressure piled on by media, coaches, boosters and Internet recruiting services. It's called an early signing period – long an option for high school basketball players – and is something that's been discussed for several years. It has gained more support among coaches each year, and Grant Teaff, executive director American Football Coaches Association, indicated it could be in place within a few years.
"We're probably closer to it now than at any time in the last 10 years, but we're not there yet," Teaff said. "It used to be maybe 80-20 [against], but now it's 60-40 or 55-45."
Supporters say an early signing period would streamline recruiting efforts so coaches could focus on other positions and not worry about a recruit taking four other official visits. Colleges can save money by reducing the number of official visits. Perhaps most important, players could enjoy their senior seasons without dealing with the distractions that are part-and-parcel of recruiting.
"Let's face it, there are very few that change in January," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops during the Big 12 football coaches teleconference Aug. 30.
Those who favor the current system fear the gap between college football's haves and have-nots would increase, that Bowl Championship Series schools would lock up their recruiting classes early and concentrate on pursuing juniors and walk-ons, leaving the mid-majors to fight for leftovers. It also punishes recruiters hoping to change a recruit's mind at the 11th hour.
"You can't outwork schools with more resources, it just can't be done," Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said. "This is a thinly disguised attempt for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer."
The AFCA will meet in January, and if coaches were to recommend an early signing period, it would be in place for the class of 2007. Teaff said the period would almost certainly be in mid-December to parallel the signing date for junior college players. A mid-December signing period would disrupt fewer high school programs than it would in late July or early August.
But several area high school coaches said they favor a period before fall practice begins.
"Having it any later," DeSoto coach Dave Meadows said, "would make it worse because recruiting pressure would intensify just when we don't need it to. You can't take the stress out of making a decision, but our kids shouldn't have to decide when they should be thinking about their high school season, not college."
In the past decade, colleges have begun offering scholarships earlier in order to stay ahead of the competition. That speeds up the recruiting process, placing more of an emphasis on junior seasons and summer camps that have the feel of a tryout.
Players projected to shine on the Division I-A level usually have several offers by the time spring practice ends. Of SportsDay's area Top 100 recruits, 44 have already committed. As of today, Texas A&M has landed 15 commitments, Oklahoma 14, Texas Tech 12 and Texas nine. Virginia leads the nation with 24.
Who knows how many will change their minds before Feb. 2. Only two of the 26 players on the area Top 100 from September 2003 who had orally committed wound up signing somewhere else. But other things can change, too. If a coach resigns or is fired, can a recruit reconsider if he has already signed his letter of intent?
In a perfect world, recruits base their decisions on several factors – academics, location, atmosphere – and not just the coach. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way.
"Usually, coaching changes are made in November, so a new staff's already in place by the time a youngster commits," Teaff said. "This wouldn't be a problem if we have an early period in December, but it's a deterrent to having a signing period earlier. You'd have to have an escape route then."
Another problem lurks if a school, trying to hedge its bets, offers scholarships to four players at the same position when it needs only two. That system rewards the prospect who is afraid that his offer might not be available if he doesn't commit immediately and penalizes the recruit who wants to take his five official visits before deciding.
Carter defensive tackle Vincent Williams orally committed to Texas A&M in April in order to avoid that.
"You're wasting colleges' time if you know where you want to go and don't commit there," Williams said. "Your decision's taking away from someone else's. Who am I to do that? I'd rather help someone go to college than prevent them."
Hebron defensive end Phillip Jones owns two or three Texas Tech hats and couldn't wait to buy "more shirts and stuff" when he visited Lubbock last weekend.
Jones, who orally committed to Tech in early August, has a bunch of friends there awaiting his arrival next summer, and he's keeping his fingers crossed that one of his favorite bands, Korn or Slipknot, will drop by campus.
The only thing preventing Jones from becoming a full-fledged Red Raider is the signing of his national letter of intent, which to his dismay must wait until Feb. 2, national signing day.
"It's like, I'm ready, let's do this, man," Jones said. "Coaches still call all the time, and I try to tell them that nothing's going to change my decision."
There's a way to end the phone calls and the pressure piled on by media, coaches, boosters and Internet recruiting services. It's called an early signing period – long an option for high school basketball players – and is something that's been discussed for several years. It has gained more support among coaches each year, and Grant Teaff, executive director American Football Coaches Association, indicated it could be in place within a few years.
"We're probably closer to it now than at any time in the last 10 years, but we're not there yet," Teaff said. "It used to be maybe 80-20 [against], but now it's 60-40 or 55-45."
Supporters say an early signing period would streamline recruiting efforts so coaches could focus on other positions and not worry about a recruit taking four other official visits. Colleges can save money by reducing the number of official visits. Perhaps most important, players could enjoy their senior seasons without dealing with the distractions that are part-and-parcel of recruiting.
"Let's face it, there are very few that change in January," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops during the Big 12 football coaches teleconference Aug. 30.
Those who favor the current system fear the gap between college football's haves and have-nots would increase, that Bowl Championship Series schools would lock up their recruiting classes early and concentrate on pursuing juniors and walk-ons, leaving the mid-majors to fight for leftovers. It also punishes recruiters hoping to change a recruit's mind at the 11th hour.
"You can't outwork schools with more resources, it just can't be done," Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said. "This is a thinly disguised attempt for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer."
The AFCA will meet in January, and if coaches were to recommend an early signing period, it would be in place for the class of 2007. Teaff said the period would almost certainly be in mid-December to parallel the signing date for junior college players. A mid-December signing period would disrupt fewer high school programs than it would in late July or early August.
But several area high school coaches said they favor a period before fall practice begins.
"Having it any later," DeSoto coach Dave Meadows said, "would make it worse because recruiting pressure would intensify just when we don't need it to. You can't take the stress out of making a decision, but our kids shouldn't have to decide when they should be thinking about their high school season, not college."
In the past decade, colleges have begun offering scholarships earlier in order to stay ahead of the competition. That speeds up the recruiting process, placing more of an emphasis on junior seasons and summer camps that have the feel of a tryout.
Players projected to shine on the Division I-A level usually have several offers by the time spring practice ends. Of SportsDay's area Top 100 recruits, 44 have already committed. As of today, Texas A&M has landed 15 commitments, Oklahoma 14, Texas Tech 12 and Texas nine. Virginia leads the nation with 24.
Who knows how many will change their minds before Feb. 2. Only two of the 26 players on the area Top 100 from September 2003 who had orally committed wound up signing somewhere else. But other things can change, too. If a coach resigns or is fired, can a recruit reconsider if he has already signed his letter of intent?
In a perfect world, recruits base their decisions on several factors – academics, location, atmosphere – and not just the coach. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way.
"Usually, coaching changes are made in November, so a new staff's already in place by the time a youngster commits," Teaff said. "This wouldn't be a problem if we have an early period in December, but it's a deterrent to having a signing period earlier. You'd have to have an escape route then."
Another problem lurks if a school, trying to hedge its bets, offers scholarships to four players at the same position when it needs only two. That system rewards the prospect who is afraid that his offer might not be available if he doesn't commit immediately and penalizes the recruit who wants to take his five official visits before deciding.
Carter defensive tackle Vincent Williams orally committed to Texas A&M in April in order to avoid that.
"You're wasting colleges' time if you know where you want to go and don't commit there," Williams said. "Your decision's taking away from someone else's. Who am I to do that? I'd rather help someone go to college than prevent them."