Coaches also would have to receive high school transcripts documenting at least five semesters or seven quarters worth of academic work for a young recruit before they can offer a scholarship.
Well it’s about time don't you think? College football recruiting of younger and still younger high schoolers has gotten completely out of hand. Who was the coach out in California that just this year offered a scholarship to a middle-schooler? Just for publicity or a warning to others to keep hands off and lay claim?
However, if that's the case and the new rule, the twelve recruits that Coach Kelly has received verbal commitments from thus far would also not be possible/eligible. (See right column of blog for mug shots of the Notre Dame booty thus far.) It will change alot if enacted. Most of the top tier schools have 20-30 verbals already.
An entire industry and profession has evolved over the past twenty years concerning the identification, promotion, tracking, evaluating, and analyzing college football prospects. (A second cottage industry has also risen over NFL draft status and hype.) We now have:
* Websites dedicated to following the recruiting agony and ecstasy of a particular Team. Irish Eyes comes to mind for Notre Dame.
* Two companies Rivals and Scouts that put a star or number by every high school prospect.
* So called experts like Tom Lemming who evaluate recruit commitments and specific fits for each college Team.
* ESPN human meat analyst's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper.
* Two national high school All-Star Games and cheesy commitments and interviews in front of the cameras, all for ten seconds of glory, personal publicity and fame.
* Thousands of articles, blog posts, team rankings of recruiting classes, and the ultimate wailing and nashing of teeth over lost or ship jumping prospects.
* Recruits showing up in stretch Hummers at the College Football Hall of Fame to announce commitments. Did that really happen?
Why July 1 and not say September 1, around when most high school football players are starting back to school and fall practice? Because September is way too late for the college coaches and recruiters. July 1 will become a kind of National Verbal Commitment day just like on February 2nd it is National Signing Day.
It may make campus visits and summer camps more important.
It all just makes a lot more sense and takes pressure off the coaches and the young players. Let's them get down to business of playing their senior years and letting the coaches engage in early fall camp.
What's the next step?
Limiting early enrollment in January that affords a high school player the opportunity to participate in spring practice. Let them graduate with their friends, classmates and teammates. Let them enjoy their senior year and everything that goes with it.
No comments:
Post a Comment