I think the "let the player handle it" to ME means the actual talking to the coaches. For us the family was very involved in the decision when it came to finances and generally just being older and wiser, But from the point of him calling and talking to coaches, setting up visits (he consulted with me since I was going with him and I work for a living 
), , what he felt about the team, etc., those were his responsibility. That is why to me, a player should never accept on the spot unless family has done research before hand on that school (ie costs and whether they can afford it based off athletic, academic, grants loans, etc.).