Is the early signing period a new dirty trick for coaches?

[brando]

What's to keep a coach from telling a kid "you are the only qb we will sign in this class".  Kid signs during early signing period. Said coach then signs another qb in Feb. First kid is locked up. Can't go anywhere else. Just seems like a chance for some dirty tricks to happen.

[Pudgepork]

It could work out like that in some instances.  A coach might mean well and then later a player falls in his lap. 

I heard it explained yesterday.   They didn't mention any programs by name but I thought it was clear that they was referring to Bama and Ohio St.   With the 1 signing day, the power broker programs would not only lock up every 5 star recruit they could get, they would try to lock in a couple of 4 stars at their needed position in case the 5 star went elsewhere at the last minute or even in a couple of instances got arrested just before signing day.    That let a few programs control what recruits went to the competition to a certain extent and also left kids hanging when they'd find out all spots were filled on signing day and other suiters had moved on.    This is supposed to give lesser programs a chance to have a fair chance for recruits.   Big boys fill their classes early and others fight over the leftovers until feb. 

Saban has valid points on why the timing isn't good to sign now but it also makes it less likely he can stockpile stars

[RME]

I mean, no one is forcing the kid to sign in the early period.

Of course, a coach may tell them, "if you don't sign during the early period then there's a chance we'll go after someone else at your position."

But if a kid signs early and then the team signs a competitor at his position in February...yeah it sucks for him I guess, but no one made him sign early.

[GalaHawg]

Would only work once. The next year you try it, the kids will refer you to the previous year - they talk to each other and share a lot on twitter.

[Vantage 8 dude]

What's to keep a coach from telling a kid "you are the only qb we will sign in this class".  Kid signs during early signing period. Said coach then signs another qb in Feb. First kid is locked up. Can't go anywhere else. Just seems like a chance for some dirty tricks to happen.

Certainly a possibility it could happen. However, IF a HC wants to play "dirty pool" and lie to a kid he'll likely figure out a way to let it happen in any event. Signing with any staff based on the idea that "I'll be the only guy at this particular position in this class" is always based on a level of trust that may or may not be observed by both parties.

[SemperHawg]

I posted this in another thread somewhere, but I am most interested to see what assistant coaching movement looks like after today.  How many assistant coaches recruited kids to a school knowing they would be gone before the ink dried?  How many others are trying to go behind the HC's back to maybe get a kid to hold off and take him to another school later?

It could honestly be like a complete re set button for the unsigned kids in Jan.  It really appears this wasn't completely thought through based on the timing of it all.

To me the obvious choice for early signing period is to do it in August, but the college coaches will never go for that, too much risk of injury during the senior season of HS, or you basically kill HS football because you would have college coaches advising kids on not getting hurt that last season.

[DiamondHogFan]

I posted this in another thread somewhere, but I am most interested to see what assistant coaching movement looks like after today.  How many assistant coaches recruited kids to a school knowing they would be gone before the ink dried?  How many others are trying to go behind the HC's back to maybe get a kid to hold off and take him to another school later?

It could honestly be like a complete re set button for the unsigned kids in Jan.  It really appears this wasn't completely thought through based on the timing of it all.

To me the obvious choice for early signing period is to do it in August, but the college coaches will never go for that, too much risk of injury during the senior season of HS, or you basically kill HS football because you would have college coaches advising kids on not getting hurt that last season.

Right.  I'm fairly confident that our next DC already knows he is coming.  What is he telling the kids he has been recruiting for the past few years now that signing day is upon us?

[hog of steele]

I think that the biggest issue is what we are facing now. Coaches and admins didn't think through the timing for new coaches. If this stands (and I think it will be pushed back to January or scrapped) you will see more coaching changes in season. I think you will even see guys accept jobs in season.

Think of a situation where you are at a school like memphis. You have won enough to get a solid job offer but you aren't on a path to win a championship. AR comes after you with 4 games left. I think, if this stands, we will see a coach announce he is moving before the season is over. That time in recruiting is vital.

I think that pressure will end up getting this early signing period pushed back or axed.

[hog of steele]

To me the obvious choice for early signing period is to do it in August, but the college coaches will never go for that, too much risk of injury during the senior season of HS, or you basically kill HS football because you would have college coaches advising kids on not getting hurt that last season.

August makes sense for schools but if its in august you have to give kids the option of changing if the school changes coaches.

[DiamondHogFan]

August makes sense for schools but if its in august you have to give kids the option of changing if the school changes coaches.

Or just don't have a signing period at all and make the kids sign their NLI when they commit.  Then add in the options like an option to void the NLI with coaching changes.  Will have a lot less committing, decommitting, comitting, decommitting... 

[hogsanity]

The early singing period is a answer to a problem that did not exist.

[hog of steele]

Or just don't have a signing period at all and make the kids sign their NLI when they commit.  Then add in the options like an option to void the NLI with coaching changes.  Will have a lot less committing, decommitting, comitting, decommitting...

This is kind of what we have now. All the kids just choose to commit on day 1. Generally, only walk-ons wait to sign their letters.

I am for moving it up a year if a coaching change releases responsibility for the kid but not the school. Let the kids sign as soon as they finish their JR year. Then coaches would be more careful with offers and the recruiting antics would get turned way down.

[netteltonhog]

An early signing period would be the first week in August, not December 20th.

[jgphillips3]

The early signing period is bad for coaching changes, good for stability.  Let's say you need to sign 25.  The early signing period lets you lock up a chunk of your class and you can then focus on remaining needs.  It also gives you an idea how firm the kid is to you.  If he doesn't sign early, you have to know it's at least mildly uncertain what he will do in February.  It also makes the power programs put their money where their mouth is.  If they don't let the kid sign early, it tells the kid something about his status.  It will eventually be a net positive when people get used to it and adapt procedures to it.

[hog of steele]

An early signing period would be the first week in August, not December 20th.

I think what you have to do is allow coaches who sign a guy that has a career ending injury to sign another guy in the late signing period. The school would still give a scholarship to the injured player but he wouldn't be eligible for college athletics. This would mitigate the risk for the school and the kid.

[hogsanity]

This is kind of what we have now. All the kids just choose to commit on day 1. Generally, only walk-ons wait to sign their letters.

I am for moving it up a year if a coaching change releases responsibility for the kid but not the school. Let the kids sign as soon as they finish their JR year. Then coaches would be more careful with offers and the recruiting antics would get turned way down.

I think he was talking about letting them sign a LOI when they commit. You could have HS Sophs signing lois.

[hog of steele]

I think he was talking about letting them sign a LOI when they commit. You could have HS Sophs signing lois.

That would be ugly. You could have 3 head coaches between LOI and actually stepping on campus.

[Hawghiggs]

The early singing period is a answer to a problem that did not exist.

I disagree with this statement. A problem did exist. The early singing period gives the player a little leverage. Which was needed to bring a little fairness to the situation. My problem with it is why couldn't it be from say January 1st until February 1st ? It still would do the same thing.

[hogsanity]

I disagree with this statement. A problem did exist. The early singing period gives the player a little leverage. Which was needed to bring a little fairness to the situation. My problem with it is why couldn't it be from say January 1st until February 1st ? It still would do the same thing.

As it is it is too close to NSD. If you really want to protect the players, make it the 1st week of August.

[hog of steele]

I disagree with this statement. A problem did exist. The early singing period gives the player a little leverage. Which was needed to bring a little fairness to the situation. My problem with it is why couldn't it be from say January 1st until February 1st ? It still would do the same thing.

Why does every kid sign on NSD? Why don't they wait and see what is happening? Yo can sign from NSD until enrollment day.

[Hawghiggs]

As it is it is too close to NSD. If you really want to protect the players, make it the 1st week of August.

That would be fine or any time during the players senior season.

[idochog]

The early signing period also allows perennial powers like Bama to lock up this years class and be working on next years class earlier.  The strong will get stronger on this one.

[Philip Seaton]

I think that the biggest issue is what we are facing now. Coaches and admins didn't think through the timing for new coaches. If this stands (and I think it will be pushed back to January or scrapped) you will see more coaching changes in season. I think you will even see guys accept jobs in season.

Think of a situation where you are at a school like memphis. You have won enough to get a solid job offer but you aren't on a path to win a championship. AR comes after you with 4 games left. I think, if this stands, we will see a coach announce he is moving before the season is over. That time in recruiting is vital.

I think that pressure will end up getting this early signing period pushed back or axed.

The early-signing period hurt Arkansas this year because of the coaching change, but it will be beneficial later on. I still like the early signing.