For Up-and-Coming Programs the Early Signing Period Brings Hope but Does That Means It’s Good for the Sport?

Written by: Zach Greene (@zachegreene)

Last week the Indiana Football program brought in the highest rated recruiting class and their biggest transfer class ever. That said, one of the main topics going into head coach Tom Allen’s press conference was whether or not the early signing period is good for college football.

“I do feel like that in one sense of it, the early signing has been a super positive thing for a program like ours to be able to focus on certain group of guys get them here in the springtime in the summer for the visits and then they make the decisions to commit somewhere in that window before their senior season starts then you just continue through that.”

Allen has a good point. It allows players to be able to get on campus during the spring semester and before the later signing period additions sign, which could give them an advantage.

Why not just have every player show up at the same time? It could make relationships and chemistry in the program even better.

Many in college football think that there should just be one signing period for all recruits.

“I don't think they're going to go back to one signing day just from hearing them talk. But there's definitely trying to decide when those signing periods should be and if they need to be adjusted.” Allen added.

Allen knows that change is coming and it will more than likely come sooner rather than later. The recruits that are signing can be as young as 17 years old. As we all well know 17-year-olds can change their mind and change them quickly.  

For example, after the departure of Mario Cristobal from Oregon four-star recruit, Tanner Bailey opened his recruitment. He then decided to take a visit to Indiana. He ended up signing with South Carolina on December 19th when the early signing period was open.

Oregon will be fine. They have one of the highest recruiting classes in the nation but for smaller schools like Indiana, it would’ve damaged their recruiting class. Imagine if Bailey had committed to Indiana and then decided he did not see a future hereafter the miserable 2021 season. It would’ve completely changed the whole landscape of the recruiting class.  

In my opinion, we need to do what’s best for the athletes as well as for programs across the nation. I know that Tom Allen believes that the early signing period helps the program, but there’s still no guarantee that any of the recruits from the 2022-2023 class come to Indiana. Things can change in a matter of minutes. That’s why getting rid of the singing period would make it less hectic for the whole industry. Including THE FANS.

Right now, everything is up in the air.

Stayed tuned later this week as Sammy Jacobs and I discuss on the Hoosier Huddle Podcast