Riley Doesn't Like New Early-Signing Period Proposal

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
And I agree with him on this specific proposal. I think it would hurt Nebraska. An August signing period coupled with summer official visits would be a big help for Nebraska.

Nebraska coach Mike Riley, a member of a recruiting subcommittee that examined the issue, told CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd that the December date is a "waste of time" and won't make much difference six weeks early. Riley said an early signing period will create many more early visits by recruits and upset high school coaches because colleges will push for most players to sign early.


Riley recalled one subcommittee meeting when Sankey told the group unemotionally, "'Just be careful what you wish for. This is what will happen with an early signing period [it becomes a de facto signing day].' Then the room got real quiet."
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I would agree with him. A December signing date would be disastrous for us.
Why? Not disagreeing, just wondering.
Due to our location, Friday night HS games, flight plans, etc., it is more difficult for Nebraska to get recruits during the season. We try, of course, but a lot of our big recruiting weekends need to be before/after the season.

We need the opportunity for kids to take official visits earlier, not only once their senior season starts.

 
I don't know about disastrous but it wouldn't benefit Nebraska nearly as much as other schools. As was mentioned, it's tough for us to get kids in during the season and there isn't a lot of time between the end of the regular season and the proposed signing period. I think about 25% of our official visitors this year came after the proposed signing period. Might have been skewed slightly with the coaching change but that's not out of line for what happens a lot. Now a bunch of those kids might have signed already without visiting.

 
With our location, there are a lot of players who just can't get here during the season with their own games on Friday nights. Right now, those players are not allowed to have an official visit prior to their HS season starting. So, we push those players to visit after the season. That time to visit is actually only a couple weeks long once the quiet period is over in January.

Personally, I think this entire schedule is a HUGE disadvantage to a school in a location like Nebraska. If a 5* DT from small town Alabama or Louisiana wants to attend an Auburn, Alabama or LSU game on Saturday night, they wake up Saturday morning and drive in for the OF. It's simple. Heck, ti doesn't even need to be an official visit and their parents can easily visit with them.

Now, the only way an early signing date works for Nebraska is if they also start allowing summer visits before their school year starts. That allows for that 5* DT to take an official visit to Nebraska before his season starts. If he wants, he can then visit Alabama or Auburn or LSU during the season (or before like he did with Nebraska)

Also, think about the current schedule I discussed above. Many of these kids can't get here till late January. When is it the least attractive time to visit Nebraska? July? October? Late January?......hmmmmm.....

I'm fine with pushing for an early signing date of something like August 15th or September 1st. But, the bigger issue is allowing summer visits the summer before their senior year.

 
I don't know about disastrous but it wouldn't benefit Nebraska nearly as much as other schools. As was mentioned, it's tough for us to get kids in during the season and there isn't a lot of time between the end of the regular season and the proposed signing period. I think about 25% of our official visitors this year came after the proposed signing period. Might have been skewed slightly with the coaching change but that's not out of line for what happens a lot. Now a bunch of those kids might have signed already without visiting.
If it benefits schools in recruiting hot beds and not Nebraska, it would be disastrous.

 
I would like to see them push everything out to the start of their Junior year. Let them take official visits then, let them sign then! If they sign, the player and school are committed. No backing out from either party unless there is a coaching change, NCAA bans, etc.

I think that would level the playing field, and I don't see huge repercussions.

 
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Is it against ncaa rules to fly a kid/parents in on a private jet? Seems like it would be, but I don't know one way or the other. If not it that'd be a great way to make inroads with top recruits. Fly him in on a charter flight right after his Friday night game, and back again Sunday morning. That would be one way to ameliorate the effect of an early signing period.

 
I would like to see them push everything out to the start of their Junior year. Let them take official visits then, let them sign then! If they sign, the player and school are committed. No backing out from either party unless there is a coaching change, NCAA bans, etc.

I think that would level the playing field, and I don't see huge repercussions.
I can see your theory behind this and can't disagree on this.

However, I do see one draw back. If the kid can sign at any time, I see coaches being EXTREMELY pushy on visits to the point of pressuring kids into signing something they should really sit back and think about more. That is exactly why there is a quiet period just before signing day right now. It gives the kid time to not have a coach in his ear for a few days before he signs the paper.

Now, one way around this is if the kid has a 2-4 week period where he can change his mind after he signs. Maybe he is pressured on the coaching visit but a week later he realizes he made a huge mistake. Rip up the paper and it's null and void. BUT, if he allows it to go past the 4 week grace period, he is committed.

 
Creating an early signing period cannot occur in a vacuum. Other rules like junior year official visits and parent official visits need to be established as well.

 
Is it against ncaa rules to fly a kid/parents in on a private jet? Seems like it would be, but I don't know one way or the other. If not it that'd be a great way to make inroads with top recruits. Fly him in on a charter flight right after his Friday night game, and back again Sunday morning. That would be one way to ameliorate the effect of an early signing period.
Right now, schools can't pay for parent's expenses. Yet another change that needs to be made.

 
Is it against ncaa rules to fly a kid/parents in on a private jet? Seems like it would be, but I don't know one way or the other. If not it that'd be a great way to make inroads with top recruits. Fly him in on a charter flight right after his Friday night game, and back again Sunday morning. That would be one way to ameliorate the effect of an early signing period.
Right now, schools can't pay for parent's expenses. Yet another change that needs to be made.
Yup, and it puts NU at a huge disadvantage compared to schools down south.

 
Is it against ncaa rules to fly a kid/parents in on a private jet? Seems like it would be, but I don't know one way or the other. If not it that'd be a great way to make inroads with top recruits. Fly him in on a charter flight right after his Friday night game, and back again Sunday morning. That would be one way to ameliorate the effect of an early signing period.
Right now, schools can't pay for parent's expenses. Yet another change that needs to be made.
Yup, and it puts NU at a huge disadvantage compared to schools down south.
Can we fly a recruit in on a private jet? Seems like this would be something a booster could do. Just the flight part, not actually recruiting the kid or talking to him, to avoid inappropriate booster contact. Maybe a staff member or GA could accompany to ensure everything was by the book, and do the recruiting. Just spitballing here.

 
I didn't think you could send a private charter for a recruit ...

Jay Bilas is a huge critic of the NCAA (sometimes, too much, IMHO). Here is a bit from one of his articles criticizing recruiting rules:

According to NCAA rules, an institution cannot purchase a recruit a first-class commercial airline ticket to transport him to his official on-campus recruiting visit, but the school can charter him a private airplane.
 
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