Early signing plan draws mixed reaction from college football coaches

Would an earlier college signing option be better for high school football recruits?

This is a question that has been raised more frequently as the recruiting process has changed over the years. Everything is accelerated as coaches are usually well into working on classes two or three years down the road by the time national signing day rolls around the first Wednesday of every February.

A little more than a week ago, the NCAA Division I Council made a proposal to have two 72-hour early signing periods in June and December before the February signing day. The Division I Football Oversight Committee recommended the proposal that could be adopted in time for the 2017-18 signing year.

Reaction was mixed from college coaches, with Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Michigan's Jim Harbaugh in favor of the proposal.

"I feel like, if somebody wants to sign an agreement, they should be able to sign before the first Wednesday of February," Harbaugh said this week during the Big Ten Conference coaches teleconference. "I feel like we haven't changed in so long. It's been the same antiquated system for 30-40 years and, obviously, as people make their decisions earlier, they should have the ability to sign that agreement."

Some would say it's not a surprise that Urban Meyer of Ohio State, which is Michigan's biggest rival, is in the camp of those opposed to early signing periods along with Alabama's Nick Saban. Meyer believes having more time to watch players develop, particularly physically, will lead to better decisions with scholarship offers and signings.

"I want as much time," Meyer said at a news conference in late September. "I want to watch them play their senior year. I wish we would move it back."

For recruits who believe they are sure about their college choice, an early signing period could be viewed as a blessing. They can put an end to the constant communication from multiple schools and coaches and concerns about where they will end up and can focus on just enjoying their senior year.

One issue that would need to be addressed with an early signing period - particularly with the one in June - are recruits currently are not permitted to make official visits paid by the school until their senior year. Recruits have to pay their way for unofficial visits.

Another big issue that gave players an "out" with just making verbal commitments is coaching changes. A number of years ago, a player told me he still planned to visit other schools after making a verbal commitment in December to a Big Ten school. It turned out to be a wise move after the coaches he committed to were sacked just a few weeks later.

There should be an out clause - not just in football but all sports - for a player who signs with a school and then the head coach is fired or leaves for another job. Most schools will give players the option to look elsewhere when this happens but why not put it in writing. The idea of choosing the school and not the coach sounds good in theory but is simply not aligned with reality.

So, do some uncommitted players have spectacular senior seasons because they are trying to make a favorable impression on schools? And are there players who would coast through their final season with a scholarship offer all locked up in writing?

Yes, which makes college recruiting a crazy, inexact science. That will never change no matter when a signing period takes place.

Game of the Century: Matchups such as Palatine's visit to Barrington tonight do not require extra motivational tools or tactics. The only thing that could have made this better would have been if both teams were unbeaten going into Week 9 instead of Week 8.

This is the 65th meeting between the two schools since 1929 and Palatine has won eight of the last nine to close the gap in a series Barrington leads 39-24-1. The two have played each other every year since Barrington joined the Mid-Suburban League in 1977.

The last time there was an unbeaten matchup of this magnitude in the MSL was in 2001 when Buffalo Grove hosted Prospect in Week 8. The first of four classic meetings over two years between two of the state's best teams was memorable for a Saturday afternoon reminiscent of last week's Notre Dame-North Carolina State game played in Hurricane Matthew.

More than 2,000 people showed up to see a lot of rain and mud as Prospect scored in the second quarter to win 6-0. They would meet again in the Class 7A state quarterfinals as the Knights went on to win the first of consecutive state titles and three in five years.

At least the weather forecast looks good and there is no threat of mud with the game being played on turf. And it won't end in a tie - which happened in 1933 when both teams combined for an amazing 27 punts and neither one got on the scoreboard after Barrington was stopped at the Palatine 2 in the last minute.

Doll House: The end of Maine South's 77-game Central Suburban South winning streak did not appear to be near when it led New Trier at halftime last Friday in Park Ridge.

But the Trevians came back and stopped a late possession inside their 10 for a 27-21 victory. Former Elk Grove coach Brian Doll, now in his third year in charge at his alma mater, called it "amazing for our program."

Maine South's last division loss was 17-7 to the Trevians in the 2000 regular-season finale. The Trevians had a chance to break the streak last year but saw a 14-3 halftime lead turn into a 24-21 loss to the Hawks.

New Trier is 5-2 and can clinch at least a share of the CSL South crown by beating winless Glenbrook South tonight. Maine South is 4-3 with its other losses to unbeaten Loyola and Barrington.

Hill droppers: One would think there was a mistake in the East Suburban Catholic Conference standings with Joliet Catholic residing at the bottom at 0-7.

But that shocking sight is no misprint for a program that holds the record for state titles with 13. The only other times the Hilltoppers missed the state playoffs, which started in 1974, were in 1979 and 1980.

This will be their first losing season since they were 2-6-1 in 1959 in legendary Gordie Gillespie's first year as head coach. They need to beat either 1-6 Marian Catholic this week or 6-1 Marist next week to avoid their first winless season since 1947.

marty.maciaszek@gmail.com