When can you verbally commit to a college?Ĭurrently, there are no NCAA rules regulating when an athlete can commit to a college. For example, coaches might say, “I would like to offer you a scholarship, and I need to know if you will accept in the next two weeks.” Coaches do this because they are under pressure to lock down recruits ahead of other programs. For most sports, this means college coaches will stop recruiting them, and they can focus on finishing out their high school career without worrying about the recruiting process.Īnother reason an athlete might commit to a school is because the coach has extended an offer and given them a limited amount of time to accept. By making an early commitment, athletes signify to other coaches and their peers they are done looking at potential schools. Why do athletes verbally commit to a college?Īthletes commit to colleges early because it can simplify their recruiting process. There was never actually a verbal offer made – Occasionally, there are stories of athletes who were confused about the nature of their recruitment from a particular school, and they mistook general recruiting interest as a verbal commitment, without actually being extended an offer.The school has a history of oversigning – While the NCAA is cracking down on the practice of over-signing, a school can sign more athletes than they need on their team.There is a coaching change – When there is a coaching change at a school, it is up to the incoming coach to decide whether they want to honor the verbal commitments of the previous coach or not.Here are a few of the common scenarios in which that might happen:
That said, there have been athletes who committed to a school, and when signing day came, they didn’t end up receiving an official offer. The short answer is no, but it is very uncommon for a school to just pull their offer. Does a college have to honor a verbal commitment? Any story you see of an athlete getting an offer or committing to a school before the signing period their senior year is unofficial. The only time an athlete can officially commit to a college is during the signing period, when they sign their national letter of intent. The NCAA does not recognize or even track verbal commitments between athletes and colleges. Verbal commitments do not guarantee a scholarship, as they are unofficial verbal contracts between the athlete and coach. Does a verbal commitment guarantee a scholarship? Below, we breakdown the most commonly asked questions around verbal commitments. Just like the commitments themselves, the rules around verbals are unofficial nonetheless, there are understood norms coaches and athletes follow. These commitments are unofficial verbal contracts entered into by the athlete and coach. The recruiting process has sped up, with athletes committing to schools as early as the 8th grade. Their knowledge, experience, and dedication along with NCSA’s history of digital innovation, and long-standing relationship with the college coaching community have made NCSA the largest and most successful athletic recruiting network in the country.
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He is just one of many former college and professional players, college coaches, and parents who are part of the Next College Student Athlete. Joe is a former college-athlete, coach, and NAIA National Champion. Here, you’ll find practical tips and real-world advice on becoming a better recruit to maximize your opportunities to play at the college level.
USA TODAY High School Sports has a weekly column on the college recruiting process.
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