How does NSD work? Do the commits just randomly fax in their signed letters? Is there a scheduled time that the expected commits are scheduled to fax in their docs - each commit at a certian time? Or do the coachs (and fans) just sit around watching the fax machine to see what happens? Can they email them in?
The NCAA ruled in January 1981 to abolish early signing days and have a National Signing Day. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...al-signing-day-uncommitted-announcement-times
It's still one of the things that has to be faxed, but I'm sure there will be a change to that eventually. There is no set time for each player, but since there is typically a ceremony at their high school, the coaches know in advance when to expect the letters (not for every kid though). It's pretty much a waiting game all day. The coaches will continue to work the phone, and call to "congratulate" the commits, etc. Otherwise, it's a bunch of waiting. SoonerSports has had coverage from Norman the past couple of years, with coach interviews and player profiles (as they come in). The coaches will know where guys like Michiah Quck and Dre Clark are going to commit before it's announced publicly. 99.9% of the time, the coaches know the day before NSD as the players will tell all of the schools in the running whether they are getting his commitment, or are out. By the morning of NSD, the coaches will know exactly who is sending a letter, and who is not. It's an exciting day for fans and media, but for the coaches it's pretty boring (and probably a little stressful since nothing is "official" until the letter comes through).
The FAX thing must just be traditional as there is certainly "virtual" fax that can be delivered by email. Maybe that's what they mean these days. I don't know if the coaches/players arrange for a certain time. NSD is the earliest a player can sign an LOI and some players do drag it out even later. But it's a big game of musical chairs and a player that drags it out could be in danger of a coach timing out and selecting someone else that's available, so almost all the LOIs are signed on NSD.
Correct, I don't think anyone actually uses a fax machine anymore. And, FWIW, all of our commits/targets are expected to sign on NSD. There was a question that Clark was going to wait until after the International Bowl, but he cancelled that and will now be signing on NSD.
Here is something strange for you youngsters to ponder...way back in the 70's recruits would sign a conference LOI a week or so before they would sign with a specific school. Don't know what the purpose was. But in the sports pages there were lists of players that signed with the SWC, Big 8, etc. Then the battles with Texas would really heat up. Glad that practice stopped. Thought it was dumb then…really seems dumb upon reflection.
Really interesting. I'm old enough to remember the Big 8/SWC days, but recruiting wasn't nearly as public a process (circus) as it has become in the last five years. I started following recruiting really close about 15 years ago. It all started because I started to help with a local high school program, and the head coach had me send out what amounted to sales pitches for some of the seniors. Then, I would sort of organize the incoming correspondence and schedule visits. I got hooked. When I first started following, there were regional reports available, and that was about it. Back then, there were no social media sites, and email was just being introduced and most coaches didn't have it, so everything was done via phone/fax/mail. We ended up having a lineman recruited by Nebraska, and NU would mail directly to the high school. Sometimes we'd get 15 letters a day and I thought that was crazy. Recently, Nebraska recruited another kid from the same school, and they sent a letter a day for almost 3 months, and sometimes more than one. They didn't even end up offering the kid. Anyway, it's night and day different now. For one thing, Universities are much more compliant than they used to be, but there's still a fair amount of 'crossing the line' that goes on. For example, a coach isn't supposed to communicate with kids that aren't seniors, but they do. They make visits to the school, and talk to them. I'm sure there more serious violations going on 'behind the scenes', but I haven't seen that side of things. Just the "iffy" stuff. Anyway, I've recently started to research recruiting (from the 70's-80's), and there are some interesting things that went on (like the "conference LOI").
