NCAA proposes to add college football early signing period, 10th assistant coach

PULLMAN - The NCAA’s Division I council proposed two rule changes to college football on Wednesday that, if adopted, would significantly change the sport.

The committee suggests adding a pair of 72-hour early signing periods, beginning on the last Wednesday in June and in mid-December. Currently, the only period in which high school prospects can sign their binding National Letters of Intent begins on the first Wednesday in February.

By creating an earlier signing period, coaches will have an easier time filling up their rosters with the necessary number of players at various positions, since they will not have to worry about prospects backing out of verbal agreements. However, talented players who blossom during their senior years are likely to go unsigned by schools who sign less talented players early on, and there will be pressure to begin the recruiting process even earlier and to take more chances on less developed players.

“Dumb idea,” said Washington State coach Mike Leach. “Keep it the way it is right now.”

Furthermore, players will have less opportunity to visit schools and make an informed decision where to attend college, knowing that if they do not sign early they may lose what opportunities they have.

This proposal would take effect next year.

The second major change is the proposed addition of a 10th assistant coach. Currently, teams are allowed nine full-time assistant coaches.

“There was unanimity around the table on the addition of a 10th assistant coach being allowed (in FBS),” said Bob Bowlsby, the chair of the Football Oversight Committee and commisioner of the Big 12 Conference said in a press release. “We feel it is appropriate from a student-athlete welfare standpoint. The ratio of coaches to student-athlete is much higher in football than other sports, and this helps address that.”

The move may also prelude an attempt to cap the number of non-assistant staff who perform many of the same functions as full-time assistants, an issue the committee says it will examine in the upcoming year.

Presumably, most coaches will be in favor of adding 128 full-time positions. Leach likes the idea, and believes it will lessen the burden on support staff. However, he is unsure exactly which position group he would dedicate a new coach to since the Cougars already have a surplus of assistants compared to most schools. Leach acts as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, which is why WSU has two receivers coaches and two linebackers coaches.

“It’d probably be a secondary coach,” Leach decided after some deliberation. “It would probably go to defense and then (defensive coordinator Alex) Grinch would figure out a way to split it up.”