CBD Roundtable on NCAA Recruiting Changes

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Last weekend, the NCAA took some steps to make the rulebook more meaningful, enforceable, and supportive of the student athletes by changing some rules to create a more flexible manuel based on common sense.

Jason Belzer of Forbes Magazine believes that the rule changes “Open Door For Escalation Of College Athletics Arms Race.” You can read his full article on his opinion about them by clicking here.

The full rules that were changed are listed below while we have gotten a few coaches opinions on them.

The Board of Directors adopted the following proposals, effective Aug. 1:

• 2-1, which will establish the commitments that guide the underlying operating bylaws. This includes a commitment to fair competition, which “acknowledges that variability will exist among members in advantages, including facilities, geographic location and resources and that such variability should not be justification for future legislation.” It also includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• 11-2, which will eliminate the rules defining recruiting coordination functions that must be performed only by a head or assistant coach.
• 11-3-B, which will prohibit the live scouting of future opponents except in limited circumstances.
• 11-4, which will remove limits on the number of coaches who can recruit off-campus at any one time, the so-called “baton rule.”
• 12-1, which will establish a uniform definition of actual and necessary expenses.
• 12-2, which will allow the calculation of actual and necessary expenses to be based on the total over a calendar year instead of an event-by-event basis for both prospective and enrolled student-athletes.
• 12-3, which will allow a student-athlete to receive $300 more than actual and necessary expenses, provided the expenses come from an otherwise permissible source.
• 12-4, which will permit individuals to receive actual and necessary competition-related expenses from outside sponsors, so long as the person is not an agent, booster or representative of a professional sports organization.
• 12-5, which will allow student-athletes in sports other than tennis to receive up to actual and necessary competition-related expenses based on performance from an amateur team or event sponsor.
• 12-6, which will allow student-athletes and prospects to receive actual and necessary expenses for training, coaching, health insurance and the likefrom a governmental entity.
• 13-1, which will allow schools to treat prospects like student-athletes for purposes of applying recruiting regulations once a National Letter of Intent or signed offer of admission or financial aid is received.
• 13-3, which will eliminate restrictions on methods and modes of communication during recruiting.
• 13-4, which will eliminate the requirement that institutions provide materials such as the banned-drug list and Academic Progress Rate data to recruits.
• 13-5-A, which will eliminate restrictions on sending printed recruiting materials to recruits. Conferences still will be prohibited from sending printed recruiting materials.
• 13-7, which will eliminate restrictions on publicity once a prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of financial aid or admission.
• 13-8, which will deregulate camps and clinics employment rules related to both recruits and current student-athletes. Senior football prospects will be allowed to participate in camps and clinics.
• 14-1, which will eliminate academic regulations that are covered elsewhere and directly supported by institutional academic policy.
• 16-1, which will allow institutions, conferences or the NCAA national office to provide an award to student-athletes any time after initial full-time enrollment.
• 16-2, which will allow conferences, an institution, the U.S. Olympic Committee, a national governing body or the awarding agency to provide actual and necessary expenses for a student-athlete to receive a non-institutional award or recognition for athletics or academic accomplishments. Expenses can also be provided for parents/legal guardians, a spouse or other relatives.
• 16-3, which will allow institutions, conferences or the NCAA to pay for other academic support, career counseling or personal development services that support the success of the student-athlete.
• 16-4, which will allow institutions, conferences or the NCAA to pay for medical and related expenses for a student-athlete.
• 16-5, which, except in limited circumstances, will change all Bylaw 16 references to a student-athlete’s spouse, parents, family members or children to “family member,” establish a specific definition of “family member,” and permit specified benefits to such individuals.
• 16-6, which will allow institutions to provide reasonable entertainment in conjunction with competition or practice.
• 16-7, which will allow schools to provide actual and necessary expenses to student-athletes representing the institution in practice and competition (including expenses for activities/travel that are incidental to practice or competition) as well as in noncompetitive events such as goodwill tours and media appearances.
• 16-8, which will allow student-athletes to receive actual and necessary expenses and “reasonable benefits” associated with a national team practice and competition and also will allow institutions to pay for any number of national team tryouts and championship events.

We were able to catch up with a couple of coaches throughout the country to get their opinions on the rule changes.

Liberty’s Jim Toman

Although I haven’t seen the specific details on all of the new rules the essence of this new deregulation seems positive. Some may see this as a “rich get richer” scenario but I am in favor of any legislation which have the student-athletes welfare in mind. It also seems like these new rules take on a more common-sense approach to NCAA regulations which I also think is a good thing! Only time will tell to what degree these new rules will improve NCAA athletics but it seems to be a move in the proper direction. The legislation related to communication with recruits via text, email and phone calls will certainly allow us to do our jobs in a more proficient manner as well. Simplification of the NCAA Manual was long overdue! Overall, I believe the NCAA Board of Directors should be commended for this new legislation.

Arkansas Little Rock’s Scott Norwood

I believe the changes are in a positive direction. Social media is the means most kids communicate these days and now we will be able to communicate easier with the present generation, but will also still be able to talk and communicate more frequently.

Also, having more staff members on the road is an added benefit! We will be able to see more games and I hope it will make for a few of our coaches to not have to miss certain spring games during our season. I think that change will help balance the recruiting for next year mentality and still provide the coaching we need for the preset season.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi’s Scott Malone

I know the new rules will help streamline the process. We currently use social media so much to promote our program that I think the NCAA is doing a great thing to take the handcuffs off of coaches and let us text straight to kids. I just think the entire process will be so much easier and so much less paperwork on our end and in our compliance office.

San Francisco’s Nino Giarratano

This is a very big step for Division 1 Athletics to deregulate in several areas.

I am hoping that this will take shape in many forms. We are hoping that it will give Coache’s the opportunity to do what is right. We should be able to follow simple rules of right and wrong. We should also be given full control on how to split our scholarship dollars, transfer rules, and eligibility.