According to the
NCAA By-Laws:
15.5.5 Football Limitations
15.5.5.1 Division I-A Football. [i-A] There shall be an annual limit of 25 on the number of initial counters (per Bylaw 15.02.3.1) and an annual limit of 85 on the total number of counters (including initial counters) in football at each Division I-A institution. (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/92)
So, a team can have a total of 85
counters. Each “year” can have a total of 25
initial counters. When a person becomes an
initial counter verses a
counter becomes complicated, to say the least. And there are a number of exceptions. For example:
15.5.5.3.5 Midyear Replacement. [i-A/I-AA] A counter who graduates at midyear or who graduates during the previous academic year (including summer) may be replaced by an initial counter, who shall be counted against the initial limit for the following academic year. In Division I-A football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year to the maximum number of overall counters (i.e., 85 total counters). In Division I-AA football, an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year that equals the maximum number of overall equivalencies or overall counters. (Revised: 4/20/99 effective 8/1/99, 6/8/99, 4/26/01 effective 8/1/01, 8/2/05)
And…
15.5.5.3.6 Divisions I-A and I-AA Football — Aid First Awarded Subsequent to Second Year. [i-A/I-AA] A student-athlete who has been in residence at the certifying institution for at least two academic years may receive athletically related financial aid for the first time without such aid counting as an initial award, provided the aid falls within the overall grant limitation. (Adopted: 1/11/89; Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90)
The limitation, therefore, isn’t on the actual number of signees – rather, it’s based on the number of
initial counters (as opposed to the total number of
counters). You can sign more than 25 in a year – so long as those over the 25 limit meet an exception (such as above) or if the person signed becomes an
counter for another class.
When we lost Beck, and others, it opened up some
counters, which can be “counted” toward Beck’s “class”, so to speak, so long as we don’t exceed the 85 total limit.
Another thing to consider – a
lot of schools over-commit. They know that there will be academic casualties (both in the recruiting class and the current players), transfers, injuries, and the like. Happens far more frequently in basketball, but it’s the same thing…