Why were new contact-with-recruits rules adopted in NCAA DI men’s hoops and all of Division II?

New rules rule the day as the NCAA loosens its grip on coaches

The NCAA finally threw up its hands last fall when it relented and agreed to allow DI men’s basketball coaches and all the coaches in DII to have nearly unlimited contact with recruits almost a full year ahead of the previous initial contact date. Rising juniors are now in the spotlight and on the hot seat, too. Member college presidents, athletic directors and powerful coaches, along with NCAA officials, pushed through this groundbreaking legislation. Wouldn’t you have loved to have been a fly on the wall during that historic vote?

But why, after ions of winning a tug of war with coaches, did the most powerful governing body in all of college sports finally let go?

First, this move was inevitable. Technological advances in communications put the NCAA in an untenable position. When all there was to monitor were coaches’ phone records, it was relatively simple. But then along came the wide use of cell phones, but even then it was a simple matter of pouring over more phone records. The Internet with E-mail capability added another twist, but that was fairly easy to track, too. However, when texting and Facebook as well as other social media outlets started gaining popularity with youngsters, cracks in the foundation could be heard coming from NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. The wide variety of communication options had became so mainstream in their use that overseeing them had become practically impossible. Moreover, expecting coaches to not stay current with the times simply did not make sense.

The practicality of the NCAA, or a single school for that matter, having the manpower and time to monitor communications via texting, Facebook and other social media between every recruit and coach was becoming overwhelming. To believe that it could be accomplished comprehensively and evenhandedly was a tantamount to a pipe dream. Its scope had outgrown anyone’s ability, or willingness, to do the work.

Historically, the stodgy nature of the NCAA, and a majority of college presidents, to continue its tight control of all aspects of athletic recruiting had forced the them into the proverbial corner with no options but to, well, give it a go. If it works, progress has been vindicated. If it does not, the NCAA will be all to happy to pull back on the reins.

Still, from this end you can bet that if the rules are not seen as being abused to the point of destructiveness, the whole shebang will go this same route sooner than later. We hope that happens, too, because we know that coaches need the time and should have the flexibility to reach out to the prospects they know will help them. We also anticipate that in the end this new recruiting freedom will result in fewer transfers by student-athletes which can only be a good thing for the athletes, families, college teams and colleges in general. Prospects need more time to carefully consider their options. These new rules offer that immeasurable benefit. And, shouldn’t it all be about the prospects’ well being? Absolutely.