NCAA Re-Examines Previous Recruiting Rule Changes
CHN Staff Report
A new NCAA rule that would've given more leeway to coaches in contacting recruits, has been suspended by the Division I Board of Directors.
The Board initially adopted rules at its January convention that would've allowed, among other things, coaches to communicate more with text messages, and lifting restrictions on the number of contacts.
The Board decided to reconsider its decision, it said, after receiving more than 75 override requests.
Instead, the Board decided, on the recommendation of the NCAA's Rules Working Group, that "all the recruiting concepts under review be examined as a group to develop a model that considers how the changes would work together," according to the NCAA News.
“We are supportive of moving as aggressively as possible while still studying the issues with due diligence,” said Board chair Nathan Hatch, president at Wake Forest University, to the NCAA News. “It’s important to make sure all the pieces of the recruiting model work together to make the most effective change in the culture.”
Also, despite receiving over 75 override requests, the Board did not change its stance on a rule that would prohibit live scouting of opponents. It now will go up for vote of the full membership. The Board believes the rule makes things simpler and more consistent. The impetus for the rule was concern that coaches who are closer to other schools, such as within Hockey East, have an advantage over schools that are farther apart and could never see their opponents play live.
Meanwhile, at the annual Coach's Convention in Naples, Fla., coaches this week discussed changes to its own "gentleman's agreement" regarding recruiting. The coaches have been working under an agreement that no one would contact recruits once there was a verbal commitment.
However, some coaches believe that is being abused, allowing schools to stockpile players and prevent others from recruiting them, then never following through later. For example, some Ivy League schools, which don't use Letters of Intent, could say they verbally committed a player, but then later, tell them they weren't admitted to the school. But, many coaches believe it happens elsewhere, too, not just by some Ivy schools.
It was expected to be a hot topic at this year's convention.