Missoula, Montana (AP) — The early signing period for college football is poised to be moved even earlier, with talks of shifting the date to prior to the opening of the winter transfer portal window. The move is intended to allow high school athletes a brief window to sign national letters of intent (NLIs) before the transfer window for all undergraduate players opens, according to Tom Wistrcill, Big Sky commissioner and chair of the National Letter of Intent subcommittee of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA).
Wistrcill stated that the group is considering moving the early signing period to the Wednesday before FBS championship games, which would this year fall on December 4. The duration of the early signing period is still undetermined, with options being three or seven days. The primary goal of the proposed change is to avoid overlapping the signing period with the transfer portal window, creating a clearer recruiting calendar for football.
In a push to further streamline the recruiting process, the subcommittee is also exploring the possibility of a summer signing period for college football, set to take place either in June or August. This would provide high school senior athletes with three opportunities to sign NLIs: in the summer, early December, and February, without altering the traditional February signing period.
The discussions have been shared with the AFCA and other college leaders and received feedback from coaches, administrators, and conference personnel. The FBS Football Oversight Committee is set to discuss the topic at their meetings next week, with Wistrcill’s subcommittee aiming to present a formal recommendation to the CCA for a vote in early March.
The proposed changes come in response to concerns raised by prominent coaches and administrators regarding the chaotic nature of the December recruiting calendar in college football. Many have voiced their worries that the current system puts undue pressure on high school recruits and contributes to a frenzied coaching cycle, potentially driving quality coaches out of the sport.
With the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, the pressure on teams and coaches during the already hectic month of December is set to increase. The impending changes aim to address these concerns and bring a sense of order to the college football recruiting process.