The good (and bad) about college football’s early signing period
December 19, 2017
In the past, college football early enrollees signing paperwork was mostly a quiet thing.
Maybe they’d have a small ceremony early in Christmas break. Colleges would send out a dry announcement with names, heights and weights. That would be about it, not too much fanfare.
It’s different now.
This year is the first with the NCAA’s early signing period for football, set to run Wednesday through Friday, and it’s changing things. Even if it’s not raising the number of midyear enrollees nationally, there’s more hoopla, more energy around it, and it’s something players seem to like.
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“I’m definitely embracing it,” five-star defensive end K.J. Henry said. “It’s a positive for me to be able to get in there and try to work on a playbook, just get developed.”
He added it wasn’t something he used to pay close attention to. He is set to chose from a group of five schools, including Clemson and South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon.
Gamecocks commit R.J. Roderick echoed that sentiment. Both players are set to enroll early.
“It’s exciting,” Roderick said. “We’re all looking forward to that [Will] Muschamp press conference, all looking forward to rooming together, working together.”
The Gamecocks are set to have around 15 or more sign early.
Rivals analyst Adam Friedman said although many players will sign early, the early enrollment numbers across the country are not projected to move much. But the change is not without its issues.
“Kids want to do it,” Friedman said. “But it’s also causing a lot of issues, especially with all the coaching turnover that we’re seeing this year. There isn’t really a good out for players who sign with a school, and their coach went and took another job or what happens if a coach goes and takes another job right in the beginning of January, after a bunch of kids have already signed early. What then? It’s getting a lot more national recognition that, ‘Hey, this is happening.’ ”
He said he understands why a player wants this earlier conclusion.
“All these players want to finish the recruiting process,” Friedman said. “They want to be finished with having their phone be blown up by reporters or coaches.
“The fact that it’s a binding commitment while coaches can still move around and the kids have no out, that’s the issue right now.”
It only makes sense that any change would bring with it a new set of kinks to work out. Alabama coach Nick Saban has gone on record saying he hasn’t talked to a coach who likes the early signing period, but teams with their commits more set could be in a better spot.
And for some players, such as Gamecocks receiver commit Darius Rush, there isn’t much extra to signing early. He was enrolling for spring anyway, and getting a big day like February’s traditional National Signing Day isn’t something he cares about.
He’s savoring something else.
“Early signing, it’s exciting because you go from football, right from finishing a football season to football in January,” Rush said. “Just going in with excitement to get on campus and go in there and compete and work hard.”
THE PROS AND CONS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Pros
▪ Midyear enrollees get a bigger spotlight to celebrate and be recognized, just like the traditional National Signing Day in February.
▪ Coaches can focus the time after the bowl game on the final recruiting targets and have more time to work ahead on future classes.
Cons
▪ The added pressure of a December signing period can be a distraction for coaching staffs that are preparing for bowl games.
▪ There will always be coaching turnover nationally after bowl games, particularly among assistant coaches. That turnover used to happen before the single February signing day; now it’s going to happen after many prospects have locked themselves into schools with this early signing period.
THE STATE
December 19, 2017
In the past, college football early enrollees signing paperwork was mostly a quiet thing.
Maybe they’d have a small ceremony early in Christmas break. Colleges would send out a dry announcement with names, heights and weights. That would be about it, not too much fanfare.
It’s different now.
This year is the first with the NCAA’s early signing period for football, set to run Wednesday through Friday, and it’s changing things. Even if it’s not raising the number of midyear enrollees nationally, there’s more hoopla, more energy around it, and it’s something players seem to like.
Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.
“I’m definitely embracing it,” five-star defensive end K.J. Henry said. “It’s a positive for me to be able to get in there and try to work on a playbook, just get developed.”
He added it wasn’t something he used to pay close attention to. He is set to chose from a group of five schools, including Clemson and South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon.
Gamecocks commit R.J. Roderick echoed that sentiment. Both players are set to enroll early.
“It’s exciting,” Roderick said. “We’re all looking forward to that [Will] Muschamp press conference, all looking forward to rooming together, working together.”
The Gamecocks are set to have around 15 or more sign early.
Rivals analyst Adam Friedman said although many players will sign early, the early enrollment numbers across the country are not projected to move much. But the change is not without its issues.
“Kids want to do it,” Friedman said. “But it’s also causing a lot of issues, especially with all the coaching turnover that we’re seeing this year. There isn’t really a good out for players who sign with a school, and their coach went and took another job or what happens if a coach goes and takes another job right in the beginning of January, after a bunch of kids have already signed early. What then? It’s getting a lot more national recognition that, ‘Hey, this is happening.’ ”
He said he understands why a player wants this earlier conclusion.
“All these players want to finish the recruiting process,” Friedman said. “They want to be finished with having their phone be blown up by reporters or coaches.
“The fact that it’s a binding commitment while coaches can still move around and the kids have no out, that’s the issue right now.”
It only makes sense that any change would bring with it a new set of kinks to work out. Alabama coach Nick Saban has gone on record saying he hasn’t talked to a coach who likes the early signing period, but teams with their commits more set could be in a better spot.
And for some players, such as Gamecocks receiver commit Darius Rush, there isn’t much extra to signing early. He was enrolling for spring anyway, and getting a big day like February’s traditional National Signing Day isn’t something he cares about.
He’s savoring something else.
“Early signing, it’s exciting because you go from football, right from finishing a football season to football in January,” Rush said. “Just going in with excitement to get on campus and go in there and compete and work hard.”
THE PROS AND CONS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Pros
▪ Midyear enrollees get a bigger spotlight to celebrate and be recognized, just like the traditional National Signing Day in February.
▪ Coaches can focus the time after the bowl game on the final recruiting targets and have more time to work ahead on future classes.
Cons
▪ The added pressure of a December signing period can be a distraction for coaching staffs that are preparing for bowl games.
▪ There will always be coaching turnover nationally after bowl games, particularly among assistant coaches. That turnover used to happen before the single February signing day; now it’s going to happen after many prospects have locked themselves into schools with this early signing period.
THE STATE
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