[Farm93]

There is a proposal under consideration by the NCAA to bar early verbal offers of financial aid to students in all sports until July 1 before their senior year.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0706...723.column

Restricting verbal offers seems really difficult.  If a player is at a camp and the current HC says, "We would love to have 20 players like you sign with us in 2012."  Is that a verbal offer?  If the HC says to the parents, "I wouldn\'t bet against your son getting an important phone call from this school in a few months."  Is that a verbal offer?  How and where would these questionable verbal offers get documented for later review?  

The staffs would almost certainly be able to say that the player or the parents misunderstood the conversation.  The HC would love to have 20 players like player X, but of course they would not extend offers to anyone until July 1.  Or the HC could claim that he told the parents Player Y may get an important call.  A call to help guide them through the prospective student application process from a university staffer in July.

Seems pie in the sky to think one could restrict conversations, and the attempt likely would only hurt the programs least willing to test the boundaries of the rule.

From a Stanford perspective I think the early non-binding verbals are actually helpful.  The 3.1 GPA type can know they should try to get that up to 3.4, or whatever, and have enough time to have realistic shot at making it happen.

[Farm93]

There is a proposal under consideration by the NCAA to bar early verbal offers of financial aid to students in all sports until July 1 before their senior year.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0706...723.column

Restricting verbal offers seems really difficult.  If a player is at a camp and the current HC says, "We would love to have 20 players like you sign with us in 2012."  Is that a verbal offer?  If the HC says to the parents, "I wouldn\'t bet against your son getting an important phone call from this school in a few months."  Is that a verbal offer?  How and where would these questionable verbal offers get documented for later review?  

The staffs would almost certainly be able to say that the player or the parents misunderstood the conversation.  The HC would love to have 20 players like player X, but of course they would not extend offers to anyone until July 1.  Or the HC could claim that he told the parents Player Y may get an important call.  A call to help guide them through the prospective student application process from a university staffer in July.

Seems pie in the sky to think one could restrict conversations, and the attempt likely would only hurt the programs least willing to test the boundaries of the rule.

From a Stanford perspective I think the early non-binding verbals are actually helpful.  The 3.1 GPA type can know they should try to get that up to 3.4, or whatever, and have enough time to have realistic shot at making it happen.