SBNation on coaches' approach to early signing period
Bud Elliot at SBNation interviewed a bunch of NCAA football coaches on their strategies for the upcoming early signing period. There are some interesting bits, especially since this is the first time it has happened and coaches are adapting on the fly.
Thought the most telling part was this quote from a coach:
"If you're verbally committed, and you don't sign, you're not committed"
There's a lot of uncertainty as to how this will play out with our own recruits in terms of who signs. Will be interesting to see if those rumored to be waiting until NSD actually carry out their plans.
December 18th, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 3:24 PM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
if a school won't let you sign early you are clearly plan b
December 18th, 2017 at 11:41 AM ^
To put it another way, a lot of schools think upward of 80 percent of their recruiting classes will sign in December, with only a few players waiting until February.
I bet that's probably going to be the case with a lot of the blue-chip schools in particular. It might even turn the traditional NSD into just another day eventually, at least for the most part.
December 18th, 2017 at 11:43 AM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 12:06 PM ^
It's spelled PETE Fergodsakes!!!
December 18th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
well thats one way to get the ban hammer swung at your face.
December 18th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
Seems like the only kids that wouldn't sign either:
1. Truly don't know what they want to do
2. School won't let them sign, and now they know they're PLan B
3. Want the ESPN Signing Day Hat ceremony.
I just hope it's way more Category 1, than categories 2 or 3.
December 18th, 2017 at 3:22 PM ^
Since this is right around Firing season, I could also understand holding off just to make sure the coach you tihnk you'll be playing for is the one you will actually be playing for.
December 18th, 2017 at 3:37 PM ^
most of this is done now
December 18th, 2017 at 3:56 PM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 1:00 PM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 11:53 AM ^
He's an MSU homer and seems to want to cast a little shade on the relative solidity of UM's recruiting haul, but does interview both Dudek and Cass Tech coach Tom Wilcher fairly extensively on the potential nuances and ramifications.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/john-niyo/2017/12/17…
December 18th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^
Nice find, thanks
December 18th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
Dude is a grad of UofM and he calls it honestly with all of his articles. He's one of the best columnists left in Detroit.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 12:39 PM ^
over my head.
On the other hand, this could have been a not so subtle zinger directed at MSU. It came right after saying they expected all of their commits to sign early.
Elite prospects still will keep coaches waiting — and guessing — until the February signing period.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:02 PM ^
will wait until February I think. Luckily, we may still have some push for a couple of them.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
signing day. If your choice is based partly on who's going to coach you and you're not worried about losing your place in the class, why not wait until the assistant coaching changes shake out?
December 18th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
It will really let you know where you stand. You are clearly another level up the food chain if you can tell programs that you are not signing early and that you are holding off until NSD.
There are only a few recruits that will be able to do that. The rest will lose their spot.
NSD will become a 5-star / high 4-star beauty pagent.
December 18th, 2017 at 1:38 PM ^
I highly doubt a lot of them do that. But if they do, it will probably only be for this year because some of them aren't going to be treated well by the musical chairs game. The 5 stars won't have a problem but the low 4 stars had better be careful. Because if I am a coach who has a decision on Early Signing Day between a high 3 star and a low 4 star, but one will sign in December while the other wants to the hat/video thing in February, it's a pretty easy choice. You take the high 3 star.
I think this is a good thing for the 3 star. It tells him right where he stands so decisions can be made easier. As others have said, if they won't let him sign, he knows it isn't the school for him. And if he won't sign then, the coach/school knows the same of him. That will put pressure on mid ot low 4 stars to jump in as well if they really want that program.
In my opinion it takes a bit of the power away from Alabama, Ohio State, etc because they can't sit back and wait on a huge haul on NSD in Feb. knowing all along they are about to screw over the next-level-down programs that are just another hat.
Love the drama
December 18th, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
So..when and with whom will Otis Reese sign?
December 18th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
I'm sure this is all just coincidence since Richt was able to recruit to UGA just fine, but it doesn't make sense when Jake Fromm and Jacob Eason are on the roster. If he would've stuck with his PSU commitment, he likely plays in 2019 with McSorely a senior next year.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
Richt's bagman got fired too.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
I'm not convinced Richt had a bagman. UGA will always recruit well because of the home state factor. But I think the reason Richt's UGA always under-performed (relatively speaking) was because he didn't use bagman to get the cream of the crop. Same thing will happen in Miami - they'll always be good, but never quite there...
That said, I think the UGA bagmen came out of hibernation when Smart was hired.
I have no proof to back up any of this hearsay.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^
I mean... we just got Shea Patterson?
Sorry, but you are a fan of a school that just landed a former #1 overall QB onto a roster that houses two highly rated QBs from the '16 & '17 classes.
And you are asking how in the world some other school landed a #1 overall QB onto a roster that houses two highly rated QBs from the '16 & '17 classes?
December 18th, 2017 at 4:47 PM ^
The path to him seeing the playing field is a little longer than Patterson's.
Fromm is a true freshman. Eason, if he sticks around, is a true sophomore and likely to get a medical redshirt. Fields would have to wait a minimum two seasons to get the starting QB job, and that's only if Eason transfers, which is very possible.
Oh, and UGA has no Harbaugh-type QB guru.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
Saban is pissed because it infringes on his Greyshirts.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
Also to pool of players he can buy at the last minute will be smaller.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
To me, the early signing date needs to be like, the month of the season before it starts. Asking coaches to finish their signing day while preparing for bowls is a real tough thing to do.
Honestly, I have real questions about why National Signing Day should even exist. I like Bo Pelini's idea he had a while back that when you make an offer, the kid has 72 hours to decide and if not the offer is rescinded. You can sign at any time. I'd add in that after the season if the coach who made the offer isn't there, you are released to go find another school if you want.
December 18th, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
It's too big of a decision to expect a 17 year old kid to make in three days. To me, nothing says "we don't care about you as a person or a student" more than such a short-term demand for an answer.
I like the early signing period as it is now. Let kids commit who are truly committed. Otherwise, everyone knows that you are either playing games or have to wait on a grade/score to get in for sure.
December 18th, 2017 at 2:22 PM ^
The proposal would hurt kids in another way. When Michigan offers a recruit he gets a lot of new attention from other schools. Michigan would make a lot fewer offers if they could become binding on both parties in 3 days.
December 18th, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^
Giving a kid 72 hours to make what can be a 40 year decision is a horrible idea. The date is fine where it is at.
December 19th, 2017 at 10:11 AM ^
I think the whole timing of when an offer gets made and how many offers coaches make would change. Instead of throwing dozens of bullcrap offers out, you become a lot pickier with who and when you offer. Are you really sure as a coach you want this kid, because if he signs he's on your team period end of story no monkey business. And if you're not ready to make that decision as a kid, you don't sign, and everyone knows where everyone stands as well. If you're a coach throwing offers at kids who aren't ready to make a decision yet, you'll find out you made a bad call real quick.
Getting married is a real big decision in life, but I don't see many people needing more than about 30 seconds to decide whether to say yes or not to a marriage proposal, because by the time it's made USUALLY everyone is pretty well sure of things.
December 18th, 2017 at 11:02 PM ^
Did you make your college decision in such a 72-hour period? A longer time for decision would probably be a good idea for most.
As for "after the season if the coach who made the offer isn't there, you are released to go find another school if you want"--how about the "Calipari rule" in college basketball recruiting?
December 18th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
to see a recruiting ebay where prospects post their hudl film, sparq scores, gpa, test scores, etc then schools bid on players. the recruit can determine how long the auction lasts and there is a clear market clearing price for players.
December 18th, 2017 at 1:39 PM ^
LOL! I love the transparency though...
December 18th, 2017 at 5:44 PM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 8:07 PM ^
I am guessing that the Signing of the Stars event may have run its course.
72 hours to sign may work if the clcok starts when the offer is on the table at the beginning of the early signing period if one were to pursue the Pelini approach.
December 18th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^
December 18th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^