What's the earliest date for a player to commit verbally?

I heard the new rule is - Sept 1st of Junior year in high school.

Is that still true? I remember read an article somewhere earlier this year, however still heard players committed even before high school.

Anyone help clarify this? Thanks.

PowerKick wrote:I heard the new rule is - Sept 1st of Junior year in high school.

Is that still true? I remember read an article somewhere earlier this year, however still heard players committed even before high school.

Anyone help clarify this? Thanks.

06 have an offer in hand there PK?  Must be all those years with Missing Sense.  Congrats!

I'm not an expert but the way I understand it is that a player can verbally commit to a college at any time.  Verbal commitments are non-binding until the player actually signs a National Letter of Intent.

The Sept 1 of Junior year in high school is the 'magical' date that a college coach can talk directly to a player.  Before that date, the only way a coach can communicate with a player is at showcase tournaments, college ID camps, etc.

Sources:
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/eligibility-center/what-verbal-commitment
https://www.athleticscholarships.net/2011/12/13/ncaa-rules-contacting-college-coaches.htm

B_Town wrote:I'm not an expert but the way I understand it is that a player can verbally commit to a college at any time.  Verbal commitments are non-binding until the player actually signs a National Letter of Intent.

The Sept 1 of Junior year in high school is the 'magical' date that a college coach can talk directly to a player.  Before that date, the only way a coach can communicate with a player is at showcase tournaments, college ID camps, etc.

Sources:
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/eligibility-center/what-verbal-commitment
https://www.athleticscholarships.net/2011/12/13/ncaa-rules-contacting-college-coaches.htm

Actually, the new rules that went in place on Aug 1, 2018, significantly restrict NCAA D1 coach/player contact prior to Sept. 1 of a player's Junior year of HS, even more so than what you are saying.  No more recruiting discussions during on campus ID camps before Sept. 1 Junior Year.  No more athletic dept contact during an unofficial visit prior to Sept 1, Junior year.  These were the primary avenues through which coaches would make verbal offers to 8th-9th-10th graders.  Also, I'm pretty sure the D1 rules have always stated no off-campus recruiting contact (this would cover showcases, games, practices, off-campus ID camps) until after July 1 before Junior year.

As I understand it, prior to Sept. 1 Junior year, a player can still call a D1 coach, and if the coach answers the phone, they can talk (unless you are a softball or lacrosse player - then it is still verboten).  It's not clear to me if a D1 coach is prevented from making a verbal offer during such a call under the new rules.  However, I think it would be under very limited circumstances (i.e. your kid is a YNT stud) that a coach would even consider doing this.

So, unless your kid is a YNT stud, the answer is if they didn't already have a verbal offer before Aug 1, 2018, then they likely won't get one until some time after Sept 1 of their Junior year of HS, but I still get the feeling that there are some loopholes that would allow kids to get verbal offers sooner.

By the way, this only applies to NCAA D1 schools.  I do believe that NCAA D2 is still allowing recruiting contact during on-campus ID camps, unofficial visits, and verbal offers prior to Junior year, but it's generally rare that D2's make offers to players before their Junior year.

DeltaTauChi wrote:
Actually, the new rules that went in place on Aug 1, 2018, significantly restrict NCAA D1 coach/player contact prior to Sept. 1 of a player's Junior year of HS, even more so than what you are saying.  No more recruiting discussions during on campus ID camps before Sept. 1 Junior Year.  No more athletic dept contact during an unofficial visit prior to Sept 1, Junior year.  These were the primary avenues through which coaches would make verbal offers to 8th-9th-10th graders.  Also, I'm pretty sure the D1 rules have always stated no off-campus recruiting contact (this would cover showcases, games, practices, off-campus ID camps) until after July 1 before Junior year.

As I understand it, prior to Sept. 1 Junior year, a player can still call a D1 coach, and if the coach answers the phone, they can talk (unless you are a softball or lacrosse player - then it is still verboten).  It's not clear to me if a D1 coach is prevented from making a verbal offer during such a call under the new rules.  However, I think it would be under very limited circumstances (i.e. your kid is a YNT stud) that a coach would even consider doing this.

So, unless your kid is a YNT stud, the answer is if they didn't already have a verbal offer before Aug 1, 2018, then they likely won't get one until some time after Sept 1 of their Junior year of HS, but I still get the feeling that there are some loopholes that would allow kids to get verbal offers sooner.

By the way, this only applies to NCAA D1 schools.  I do believe that NCAA D2 is still allowing recruiting contact during on-campus ID camps, unofficial visits, and verbal offers prior to Junior year, but it's generally rare that D2's make offers to players before their Junior year.

Thanks for the clarification and updated information.