2016/2017 Football Recruiting Calendar Year Includes New Wrinkle

A new Football Bowl Subdivision recruiting calendar began on Monday, August 1. This recruiting cycle introduces a new Twitter-related wrinkle – FBS coaches are now allowed to retweet and favorite (or like) recruits’ tweets.

FBS coaches have been allowed to converse with high school juniors and seniors through Twitter direct message up to this point, but until Monday of this week they weren’t allowed to retweet or like recruits’ tweets. The NCAA explained the decision to loosen the reins a bit on Twitter.

“Under the current legislation, it is difficult to monitor all coaches and their social media activities (e.g., “likes,” “favorites,” republishing, etc.). This proposal would create exceptions to the restrictions related to endorsement activities and publicity related to recruiting on social media platforms and attempt to maintain pace with the frequent creation and/or enhancement of social media applications.”

Will this slight rule change impact recruiting at all? Judging by the amount of retweets they have posted so far this week, UVA’s social media savvy staff (see #HoosRising) doesn’t think so. Coach Mendenhall has yet to retweet a single post. Director of Player Personnel Justin Anderson, Assistant Recruiting Coordinator Blanda Wolfe, and UVA Football Recruiting have amassed 30 retweets in total, but Mendenhall and the rest of the coaches only have 15 retweets in total. Running backs coach Mark Atuaia tops the coaches’ list with six retweets in total, all from running back recruits including commits Lamont Atkins and PK Kier and target Jamari Peacock.

Retweeting and liking posts may seem like a small thing. Personally, I don’t think it will make a huge difference ultimately, but I could be wrong and it will be interesting to see the impact on recruits down the road.

On a side note, one of the most popular posts the Virginia staff has retweeted comes from Atkins, rising senior tailback out of Lake Braddock High School (Burke, VA).

RECRUITING 101 for the 2016/2017 Calendar Year

Before getting to the specific calendar dates, here is a rundown of the four key “periods” of football recruiting.

Contact Period

During a contact period a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete and visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.

Evaluation Period

During an evaluation period a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents. However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college’s campus during an evaluation period.

Quiet Period

During a quiet period, a college coach may only have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents on the college’s campus. A coach may not watch student-athletes compete (unless a competition occurs on the college’s campus) or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.

Dead Period

During a dead period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.

2016/2017 FBS Recruiting Calendar

– August 1 through November 26 – Quiet Period, with the exception of 42 evaluation days during the months of September, October, November. Per the NCAA, authorized off-campus recruiters shall not visit a prospect’s educational institution on more than one calendar day during this period.

– November 27 – January 28 – Contact Period, with the following exceptions…

– December 11 – Quiet Period for junior college PSA’s who intend to enroll midyear

– December 12 – January 11 – Dead Period

During the Contact Period, six in-person, off-campus contacts per prospect are permitted during this time with not more than one permitted in any one calendar week (Sun. – Sat.) or partial calendar week.

– January 29 – Quiet Period

– January 30 – February 2 – Dead Period

National Signing Day – February 1

– February 3 – April 14 – Quiet Period

– April 15 – May 31 – Evaluation Period

There are 168 evaluation days. An authorized off-campus recruiter may use one evaluation to assess athletic ability and one evaluation to assess academic qualifications. If a recruiter evaluates both in one day, the recruiter can return for another day to further evaluate athletics.

– June 1 – July 31 – Quiet Period, except for June 26 – July 9, which is a Dead Period