Interesting and this may benefit UH if we can lock players in earlier in the process. It seems we always lose 1-2 guys between the bowl season and Signing Day.
The first early signing period for Division I will run from Dec. 20 to Dec. 22, 2017, coinciding with the first three days of the midyear junior college signing period. The NCAA’s Division I Council last month approved the early signing period, but it needed final clearance from the commissioners, who control the national letter of intent program. Commissioners had been expected to approve the plan at their annual meeting in June but instead fast-tracked the proposal.
The Division I Council also approved changes to the official visit program, as prospects soon will be allowed to start taking visits after April 1 of their junior year of high school. This change will not go into effect until April 1, 2018, so recruits signing in the next cycle can take official visits only after the start of their senior year of high school.
If a kid commits to UH and isn’t willing to sign in December, it means he isn’t really committed. That gives our staff a lot more time to seek a replacement than if he up and changes his mind in last week before the February signing day. I like it.
That might have been helpful last year with our coaching transition but we are way behind last year on commitments so early signing period means our best chance to win over recruits is win a lot of games. If we go 7-5, we won’t have as many available recruits to win over face to face in January that weren’t impressed by Applewhite’s first season.
I have Major going 8-4 in his first official season. This season coming up reminds me a lot of coach Levine’s last season. Where the football team may be in rebuilding mode without Greg Ward.
It will be a rebuilding season. Question is, will we be rebuilding the team that went 2-0 against top 5 opponents or 7-4 against unranked opponents? If we are rebuilding the 2-0 team, 8-4 is a good projection. If we are rebuilding the 7-4 squad, then 5-7 is more likely.
Applewhite said the early signing period will force schools to re-evaluate their target lists when certain prospects “are off the board.” And less travel in January will save resources and money.
“Recruiting has moved so early now that some people know where they want to go their sophomore or junior years in high school,” Applewhite said. “Any time earlier to end that process is better for them and their families.”