CU's MacIntyre Praises NCAA Go-Ahead For Early Signing Date

BOULDER — Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre lauded a host of changes approved Friday by the NCAA Division I Council, including a measure that would add a December signing day for football recruits.

The early signing date, which must still be approved by the Collegiate Commissioners Association at its June meeting, is part of a comprehensive package of changes that also includes an additional period for official visits, changes in rules concerning the hiring of people close to student-athletes, changes to the summer camp model and the approval of the addition of a 10th assistant coach.

"I think they're all good rules," MacIntyre said. "They should be productive and good for everyone involved."

MacIntyre has long been a proponent of the addition of an early signing date to go along with the current February date. He has often noted that basketball has two signing dates — one before the beginning of the season and one after.

"It's a very good step forward," MacIntyre said. "Personally I wanted it earlier, but it's the right step in the right direction."

MacIntyre said the December date will benefit both the student-athlete and the institution.

"The benefit it adds for the student-athlete that we're recruiting is that they'll be able to make a decision and make it final that much sooner," Macintyre said. "Their holidays and all the other things going on in that period of time then won't be interrupted with schools trying to flip them. All that pressure will be gone. They'll have made their decision and can begin planning ahead that much sooner."

As for the programs, MacIntyre said it will allow coaching staffs to be more precise in recruiting specific positions.

"Let's say we're signing 20 guys — we know at that date what we have at every position," MacIntyre said. "We have so many receivers, so many running backs, so many defensive backs. Then we're able to say, 'OK, we need one more receiver and one more D-lineman.' That allows us to still go look and find them in that time going into February."

MacIntyre said the early signing date would also lessen the load for coaching staffs who are preparing for bowl games or a playoff appearance.

"It takes a little of that recruiting off your plate when you are getting ready for a postseason game," MacIntyre said. "You will be able to concentrate more on getting ready to play."

Oversight Committee chairman Bob Bowlsby, the commissioner of the Big 12, called the new rules a "significant move forward" for football recruiting.

"The entire package of rule changes is friendly for students, their families and their coaches. We will continue to monitor the recruiting environment to make sure the rules work as intended, and we will suggest adjustments when necessary."

Another rule approved Friday states that Football Bowl Subdivision schools are limited to signing 25 prospective and current student-athletes to a first-time financial aid agreement or a National Letter of Intent. There are exceptions, including current student-athletes who have been enrolled full-time at the school for at least two years (walk-ons) and prospective or current student-athletes who suffer an incapacitating injury (effective for recruits who sign after Aug. 1, 2017).

MacIntyre said he believes that rule may end up being "tweaked."

"I understand what they're trying to do, but I think they're going to have to tweak it because there are circumstances that are going to basically dictate that you have more spots than 25," the CU coach said. "You still have 85 scholarships and I think there will be circumstances that will make it very difficult to get to 85 if they strictly limit it to 25."

Also Friday, the Division I Council adopted legislation that will eliminate multiple contact practice sessions in the same day in the preseason. The legislation supports a recommendation endorsed by the NCAA Sports Science Institute.

According to an NCAA press release, a single day may now include a single, three-hour, on-field practice session and a walk-through. During walk-throughs, protective equipment such as helmets and pads can't be worn, and contact is prohibited. Walk-throughs also can't include conditioning activities, and three continuous hours of recovery are required between on-field practice and a walk-through. Activities such as meetings, film review, medical treatment and meals are allowed during recovery time.

MacIntyre and his staff had already decided to eliminate two-a-days in fall camp and will thus begin fall camp practice on July 28.

FBS programs will also be allowed to add a 10th full-time assistant coach beginning Jan. 9, 2018, one day after the national championship game.

Here is the new legislation approved Friday as provided by an NCAA press release:

It changes the recruiting calendar to allow for an early signing period in December (effective Aug. 1). Only the Collegiate Commissioners Association can create new National Letter of Intent signing periods.
It adds a period for official visits that begins April 1 of the junior year and ends the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June of that year. Official visits can't occur in conjunction with a prospect's participation in a school's camp or clinic (effective Aug. 1).
It prevents Football Bowl Subdivision schools from hiring people close to a prospective student-athlete for a two-year period before and after the student's anticipated and actual enrollment at the school. This provision was adopted in men's basketball in 2010 (effective immediately, though schools may honor contracts signed before Jan. 18, 2017).
Football Bowl Subdivision schools are limited to signing 25 prospective and current student-athletes to a first-time financial aid agreement or a National Letter of Intent. Exceptions exclude current student-athletes who have been enrolled full-time at the school for at least two years and prospective or current student-athletes who suffer an incapacitating injury (effective for recruits who sign after Aug. 1, 2017).
It limits the time for Football Bowl Subdivision coaches to participate in camps and clinics to 10 days in June and July and requires that the camps take place on a school's campus or in facilities regularly used by the school for practice or competition. Staff members with football-specific responsibilities are subject to the same restrictions. The Football Championship Subdivision can conduct and participate in camps during the months of June and July (effective immediately, though schools may honor contracts signed before Jan. 18, 2017).
It allows coaches employed at a camp or clinic to have recruiting conversations with prospects participating in camps and clinics and requires educational sessions at all camps and clinics detailing initial eligibility standards, gambling rules, agent rules and drug regulations (effective immediately).
It allows Football Bowl Subdivision schools to hire a 10th assistant coach (effective Jan. 9, 2018).

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu

Colorado University Athletics

CU's MacIntyre Praises NCAA Go-Ahead For Early Signing Date

Related News

Related Videos