A growing number of coaches want to do away with signing day altogether

[BleedGopher]

per FootballScoop:

Bo Pelini and Rich Rod have voiced a call to change for signing day recently, and now you can officially add Paul Johnson to the growing number of coaches in favor of getting rid of national signing day altogether.

As recruiting announcements have gotten sillier and sillier over the past decade, I personally believe that it’s a proposal that makes a lot of sense on a number of different levels.

Johnson explained his stance to the Atlanta Journal Constitution recently.

“Personally, with what Bo Pelini came out with, that’s what I’ve been talking about for years. That’s the way I would do it. You don’t even have a signing date. Once they commit, you give them a scholarship and they sign.”

“You get 25 signees per year, and 85 spots overall. I think they have to be in their senior year of high school (to be able to sign), or maybe complete their junior year.”

The best part of the proposal though, at least in my eyes, is twofold; it clears the muddy water for the kids as to whether they actually have an offer or not, and also for the coaching staffs on whether a guy is actually committed.

“It would cut all the (crap) out of it. All those people who think they have offers would find out that they really don’t have offers. You know, if somebody walked in your school and said ‘You have an offer,’ the kid could say ‘OK, where is it? I’m ready to sign it.’ This would stop all this foolishness. “

http://footballscoop.com/news/growing-number-coaches-want-away-signing-day-altogether/

Go Gophers!!

 

[HopHead]

I had this same exact thought when to Mike and Mike discuss Petrino and the scholarship offer he pulled at the last second. If a coach really wants to offer a kid, the player should be able to accept and sign at any point in the process. It makes total sense to me. And that's probably why it will never happen.

 

[Dr.Don]

So, an 18 year old couldn't change his mind?

 

[upnorthkid]

So, an 18 year old couldn't change his mind?

That would kind of be the point yes. Offers would mean more when once you sign it's over and done. Then no one can back out on either party. It'd make everyone's lives easier

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

So, an 18 year old couldn't change his mind?

There are pros and cons. On the one hand, an inexperienced 18 year old loses his chance to change his mind. On the other hand, that same 18 year old doesn't get duped into thinking he has a scholarship coming before getting left out in the cold.

 

[die hard gopher]

There are pros and cons. On the one hand, an inexperienced 18 year old loses his chance to change his mind. On the other hand, that same 18 year old doesn't get duped into thinking he has a scholarship coming before getting left out in the cold.

Those are both pros.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I would love to see this happen. The whole concept of signing day is out dated. If the school wants to offer a kid and he wants to commit (as long as he is a senior in high school) he should be able to. No more stupid games in regards to offers and verbal commitments.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

A commitment should mean something. Once you commit to a school, that's that. Of course, this is America and you're free to change your mind, but there have to be consequences. If you commit to a school, then choose to decommit, the shunned coach is free to send over a couple of goons to break your thumbs. Fair for all parties.

 

[corcoran1]

I would love to see this happen. The whole concept of signing day is out dated. If the school wants to offer a kid and he wants to commit (as long as he is a senior in high school) he should be able to. No more stupid games in regards to offers and verbal commitments.

I think this is a negative for us. A lot of kids we find and sign late might have signed with smaller schools when they did not get an offer from a big school early. The kids who want to take all of the trips like Willie Sykes would not be able to sign early, but it turned out okay for him anyway.
If they okay official visits in the summer, it might be neutral otherwise it is bad news.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I think this is a negative for us. A lot of kids we find and sign late might have signed with smaller schools when they did not get an offer from a big school early. The kids who want to take all of the trips like Willie Sykes would not be able to sign early, but it turned out okay for him anyway.
If they okay official visits in the summer, it might be neutral otherwise it is bad news.

Coaches will have to rethink how they do things and while it is true that some guys that we get in on late could choose to go somewhere else, but I still think the positives would far outweigh the negatives. In a lot of cases we are the only power 5 offer for a lot of those guys we get in on late. If those players have aspirations of playing at a big school they will avoid signing anyway and will still be available late.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I will go along with this proposal, with one addition:

If a player commits, and there is a coaching change at that school before the deadline, (former NSD) he has the right to de-commit and accept an offer from another school without penalty.

I think in most cases, schools would "save" a couple of scholarships for kids who were on the fence, or just to give themselves some flexibility.

On the other hand, I could also see some schools really putting the "hard sell" on kids - "commit now, or you might not get another offer." "This is our last available scholarship; take it or lose it."

 

[MNVCGUY]

I will go along with this proposal, with one addition:

If a player commits, and there is a coaching change at that school before the deadline, (former NSD) he has the right to de-commit and accept an offer from another school without penalty.

I think in most cases, schools would "save" a couple of scholarships for kids who were on the fence, or just to give themselves some flexibility.

On the other hand, I could also see some schools really putting the "hard sell" on kids - "commit now, or you might not get another offer." "This is our last available scholarship; take it or lose it."

The story mentions an out for a change in head coaches needing to be in there, which I also agree would be needed. I would not extend the out to include assistant coaches. I also think there would need to be a clause that allows schools to withdraw signed offers if the recruit breaks the law. Maybe a mutual out as well if both the school and the player want to back out prior to some pre-determined date.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

I don't know. If you can't do it until they're seniors then does it really change anything? I mean, what you're going to see is a written "intent to offer" or some other way to get around the rules, then everyone will have to wait until the first day of senior year (or whatever arbitrary deadline) and send out the "official offer". I don't see how it changes anything. Signing day just becomes the first day of senior year. There will still be coaches who string players along and at the last second pull their offer. It will just be in a less official manner. You'll also see that official offers would be much more scarce. A lot of players would be in limbo because if 5 schools are going after the 5* stud QB, none of those schools are going to offer other QB's until the 5* signs.

The other big disadvantage for both the schools and the players is if you sign before your senior year there is so much that could happen that year. It's bad for the player because they might be stuck at a low level school (Sun Belt team, for example) because that is their only offer even though they had a breakout year and other schools would love to have them. It's bad for schools because career ending injuries, etc. that could happen the senior season (not to mention missing out on late developing players).

Also, Coach Kill has stated he does not generally officially offer kids until he's seen their senior tapes. Without those, it's a lot more of a guessng game.

The alternative would be to make any official offers either unretractable without cause (grades, fraud, legal, etc.) or unretractable within 60 (or whatever) days of signing day. That would at least leave time for a kid to find another spot.

Additionally, Coach Kill said during signing day that in Canada once a player verbally commits other schools are no longer allowed to contact them. That could be implemented in the US as well. It would protect schools somewhat while still allowing players to decommit if need be.

 

[Governor Sibley]

This would be a huge equalizer.

 

[50PoundHead]

There are pros and cons. On the one hand, an inexperienced 18 year old loses his chance to change his mind. On the other hand, that same 18 year old doesn't get duped into thinking he has a scholarship coming before getting left out in the cold.

The best way to not have to change one's mind is to postpone making a decision until you're sure.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I don't know. If you can't do it until they're seniors then does it really change anything? I mean, what you're going to see is a written "intent to offer" or some other way to get around the rules, then everyone will have to wait until the first day of senior year (or whatever arbitrary deadline) and send out the "official offer". I don't see how it changes anything. Signing day just becomes the first day of senior year. There will still be coaches who string players along and at the last second pull their offer. It will just be in a less official manner. You'll also see that official offers would be much more scarce. A lot of players would be in limbo because if 5 schools are going after the 5* stud QB, none of those schools are going to offer other QB's until the 5* signs.

The other big disadvantage for both the schools and the players is if you sign before your senior year there is so much that could happen that year. It's bad for the player because they might be stuck at a low level school (Sun Belt team, for example) because that is their only offer even though they had a breakout year and other schools would love to have them. It's bad for schools because career ending injuries, etc. that could happen the senior season (not to mention missing out on late developing players).

Also, Coach Kill has stated he does not generally officially offer kids until he's seen their senior tapes. Without those, it's a lot more of a guessng game.

The alternative would be to make any official offers either unretractable without cause (grades, fraud, legal, etc.) or unretractable within 60 (or whatever) days of signing day. That would at least leave time for a kid to find another spot.

Additionally, Coach Kill said during signing day that in Canada once a player verbally commits other schools are no longer allowed to contact them. That could be implemented in the US as well. It would protect schools somewhat while still allowing players to decommit if need be.

I agree that it is not as simple as Coach Johnson thinks. Are there consequences for releasing a kid from a LOI? Could you sign him and later release him? I think there is potential for waters to even be muddier. I think the player should be able to sign right away and there should be a deadline. However, an early signing period is probably the best answer.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

I like that some top recruits simply aren't signing LOIs anymore...the get a scholarship offer and sign it so the school is on the hook, but the kid can back out right up until they enroll in summer classes.

The system is all one sided now and favors the schools (like the money used to be)...so now maybe they can force a better situation for all kids instead of losing a year of eligibility by backing out of a LOI for any reason.

 

[mplsbadger]

I like it. Programs would still have to roll the dice with guys waiting until the last day to sign at which point it would be musical chairs. Gophers would not participate in that.

 

[GopherRock]

So no guarantees until May 1, the enrollment deadline?