🏈 "Early Signing Day"... How you feel about it?

[94 Grad]

But you're missing my main point - I'm more about a date that is favorable to the kids than the schools.

Aren't most high school kids studying for finals and taking them over the last few weeks? Wouldn't this "decision" take away from that? Why have a signing period smack dab in the middle of Finals... doesn't seem that fair to the kids if you ask me.

 

[planomateo]

You've assumed I missed your main point.

 

[Tidestalker]

But you're missing my main point - I'm more about a date that is favorable to the kids than the schools.

Aren't most kids studying for finals and taking them over the last few weeks? Wouldn't this "decision" take away from that? Why have a signing period smack dab in the middle of Finals... doesn't seem that fair to the kids if you ask me.

Fair point... Most have been accepted or their apps have been sent in by now in their senior year. Otherwise a school wouldn't be offering a spot

 

[94 Grad]

Fair point... Most have been accepted or their apps have been sent in by now in their senior year. Otherwise a school wouldn't be offering a spot

I'd be interested to know how many kids at the D1 level DON'T qualify after signing an NLI... not sure where I would find that statistic... but I don't think it's all that "uncommon".

As a note, the NLI is void if the school admissions doesn't allow that kid into the school. I think the SEC now has new rules on non-qualifiers that signed an NLI having to count toward the 25 class limit even though they can't enroll, but I don't recall the wording exactly.

 

[planomateo]

@Tidestalker do you think the early signing period is better for the student or the school/university? Think about that a bit and get back to me.

 

[94 Grad]

@Tidestalker do you think the early signing period is better for the student or the school/university? Think about that a bit and get back to me.

Is that a trick question...

Raises Hand....

Call on me...

Please, Call on me...

 

[planomateo]

These guys are idiots. Ignore all the data and just talk out your asses. They should be fired on the spot.

 

[94 Grad]

These guys are idiots. Ignore all the data and just talk out your asses. They should be fired on the spot.

Did he really say that about the skill postilions?

for skill position players, it [Alabama] hasn't exactly been the pre-eminent pro-factory either...

Amari Cooper
Greg Dieter
Kenyan Drake
Robert Foster
Derrick Henry
Mark Ingram
Julio Jones
AJ McCarron
Calvin Ridley
Bo Scarbrough
Cam Sims
TJ Yeldon

All stand up and say Hi.....


As a comparison... tOSU has 7 so called skilled players in the NFL.

 

[bamafan9201]

I'm kinda hoping we go back to Feb signing day, mainly because a lot of these kids are JUST finishing their exams and football seasons. In some cases they don't have a lot of time for visits and to really sit and think their decisions over. Also with the advent of the transfer everywhere era, I think there is a need for all the more time to consider the possibility that you'll be the odd man out.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

JMO but I believe many (How many is many) of the HC's of those teams outside of the top 15 programs wanted the early deal because the A Team coaches were poaching their better players the last couple of weeks from NSD due to the big shots striking out on their top picks. The Nick's of the world can't continue that practice now with those B-list players already pretty much signed. Some of those players left might be in need of better grades before anybody signs them such as the Pickens kid from Hoover. I vote move it back to Feb.

Bluto.......The tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!

 

[alabamajack]

It's been years since I've worried about signing dates. Regardless of when it is or who we sign or who we don't sign, every time I get even remotely worried, I go back and look at our 2003 signees

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Good.

 

[Bamabww]

I’m all for the early signing day if we get 99% recruits we want. Against it if we don’t. Same for the February signing date.

Having said that, I agree with @planomateo , the timing is terrible.

 

[rick4bama]

Great read on all the posts!

 

[Tidestalker]

@Tidestalker do you think the early signing period is better for the student or the school/university? Think about that a bit and get back to me.

Is that a trick question...

Raises Hand....

Call on me...

Please, Call on me...

It's better for both... The coaches would be the only complainers due to all "extra work" they have to do this time of year... That by the way would be drug out to a later date anyway. It also may expose some flawed recruiting tactics. More below.

Better for the schools because they know who's coming. Who's in, who's out, target a minimal amount going into late signing day.

Better for the players because they find out if their offer is committable or not. For the elite schools like Alabama, there may be 4-7 high level prospects being recruited for an open spot. Some of them really think they can commit... And find out right before (or sometimes ON signing day) they can't. With the early signing day it forces schools to prioritize who they really want early on and let's the backup plan realize earlier who really needs them. And if it doesn't go as planned, there are still spots left at school #2 or time to figure out who #2 is.

And in regards to timing... moving it up would be a decent idea but the big hold up is having a signing day before or during the kid's senior year. Tough for the schools without umpteen dozens of analysts to compete on the evaluation level without some senior year being played out. Guys like Josh Jacobs may have never had a chance to play at Bama back in the day... Which could be an argument against the early NSD. Just a thought.

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

Good thread

Interesting takes by 'Stalker and 'Mateo

 

[planomateo]

A few areas that haven't been addressed.

1. Impact of coaching changes in December. How do relationships get built in a matter of a few weeks to enable a new coaching staff to recruit? I'd be curious to see what the data shows in terms of when coaches get hired (ie, do more get hired prior to ESP or after?)
2. Even more pressure on NSD to get one of those few remaining spots. Too early to know who this getting the better at this point. Are the smaller programs getting the shaft along with the players? Considering the data sample is only 2 years thus far, probably hard to really know who it's better for.
3. Dead period was extended by a few weeks, so the recruiting window is much smaller leading up to NSD. How does the recruit find out who option 2 is with 3 weeks of contact allowed between now and NSD?

 

[Tidestalker]

A few areas that haven't been addressed.

1. Impact of coaching changes in December. How do relationships get built in a matter of a few weeks to enable a new coaching staff to recruit? I'd be curious to see what the data shows in terms of when coaches get hired (ie, do more get hired prior to ESP or after?)
2. Even more pressure on NSD to get one of those few remaining spots. Too early to know who this getting the better at this point. Are the smaller programs getting the shaft along with the players? Considering the data sample is only 2 years thus far, probably hard to really know who it's better for.
3. Dead period was extended by a few weeks, so the recruiting window is much smaller leading up to NSD. How does the recruit find out who option 2 is with 3 weeks of contact allowed between now and NSD?

All great questions... I don't think this is perfect by any means but I also don't think there is a perfect way to address every issue associated with the recruiting class.

I guess I'm just all for more options. Whether that's more signing days more spread out, more scholly's per class, etc... I don't know. But I do think adding this "early" one has been pretty cool. Mostly because it's painful to watch the kids commit super early than waiver or drag it out later in the process and impact everyone including the other recruits... And even with this early option they can still do that if they'd like, but it gives the school a chance to move on if they'd like to. And also as previously mentioned forces the school to commit that spot to the kid now, and not kick the can down the road.

The college coaching thing is just a mess... Honestly here's what I believe - The coach should have to finish his contract. Barring health issues, if the school is committing to that money and those years, then they are stuck with him. May hinder the coach from cashing in on his good work, but it's a merrit based deal where if he's doing well his next job will make up for it. Probably a whoooole other thread... Maybe I'll start it? RTR Plano - enjoy your perspective

 

[planomateo]

Much like everything else, there is no easy answer.

Some of the challenges of NSD were improved with ESP, but I'm still of the opinion the timing is bad. It seems the only time to do this would be prior to the season starting, which is interesting. Moving ESP during the season just seems like it would be a disaster, but I'm sure they'd find a way to manage it.

I'm curious how they came up with the ESP dates. Did they talk to coaches, administrators, and students to find out how to solve this? Hopefully the decision wasn't made in a vacuum.

Definitely start a thread on that, that could be an interesting discussion @Tidestalker.

 

[TerryP]

A seven week difference is considered a huge benefit to a player. Now, he has even more pressure to make his decision during his senior season versus after his senior season.

Bama players shouldn't be thinking about their draft status, they should be focused on their game plans.