The NCAA recruiting calendar continues to adjust and evolve
The recruiting calendar continues to evolve.
It’s a process that has seen drastic changes with first the introduction of the early signing period in mid-December and now the movement of that date to the week prior to conference championship games.
And West Virginia head coach Neal Brown is in favor of the current calendar.
“The calendar that’s going to be for the next recruiting cycle is the best one we’ve had,” he said.
The Mountaineers want to ideally add around 22-24 high school prospects in each cycle, with the remaining number being filled out with transfers. The program is operating with a projected number of around 30 in each cycle that could be added to the roster with that fluctuating depending on what all unfolds.
Now, changes expedite the process with coaches now having to fill the bulk of their class in the summer months without the luxury of the multiple weekends in December to bring prospects to campus.
That also means that West Virginia and other schools could explore more in-season official visits than in the past in order to bring those remaining prospects to campus to see what the program is all about.
Those senior evaluations will be critical for those possible prospects or anything that happens that could affect the roster numbers such as losing a player that you didn’t expect, or somebody isn’t developing as well as you’d like to see among other options.
“You want to have a little bit of wiggle room where you have some pieces to add,” he said.
Brown also makes it clear that he would support a potential summer signing period as well as that would theoretically be much closer to the cycle in the past with December visits and then a signing day. It also would allow for more time to spend with the current players and getting ready for the season.
That decision has been tabled for the time being, but Brown sees the benefits to it.
“Then you’ll get some really good senior evaluations because people will hold spots,” he said.
Still, it’s unlikely that the adjustments to the calendar are over and with the seismic changes happening and still to happen in college football more could be on the way.
“This is the best scenario we’ve had from a recruiting calendar standpoint but I think it’s going to continue to evolve,” he said.
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