I've coached players who have been in this situation and my daughter had the offer from her #1 school get reduced just prior to the NLI signing week. I see both sides. First, by the time someone verbals, they should know that it isn't binding. However, at the point in this player's recruitment, she should have been in contact with the new coach and it would have been a great idea to revisit the school to make sure that she knew the coach and would fit in. At the schools which were my daughter's #1, #2, and #3 choices, we made several unofficial visits and then, naturally, the official visits. We knew the coaches and they knew us pretty well. My dd made her choice and verballed. That HC came to watch her play in a tournament and she had an amazing tournament. I believe she hit something like 5 home runs, a bunch of doubles, pitched well and played center field when not pitching. The coach also liked the SS from the team and so, when it was getting down to the wire with the NLI signing coming up, he dropped his offer for my daughter to 35% in order to get the SS. For us, we were shocked. However, we were lucky that a school not on the list entered the picture, made a huge offer and it was very close to home. My mom had gone into Hospice and so, that made the decision easy for my daughter. If this young lady is as good as the article suggest, there are schools out there waiting for the chance to jump in and make an offer. They will find the money. For us, it was a blessing and my daughter went on to have a great career.
For those who I have coached who have made a verbal agreement to attend a school and then have had a coaching change, I only know one that worked out well. For the others, it seems that those recruits who do sign and attend those schools are often deemed to be recruits by the old coach and the new coach looks to replace them with the new coach's recruits. IOWs, often they are unfairly labeled and not give the chance that they might have had. Again, maybe this is a blessing that this girl finds out that she isn't in the plans and can go elsewhere.