coach's contract not renewed. how should that be handled by incoming Freshmen. Should they let a few days go by to let things settle or contact recruiter and ask about honoring NLI, etc Right away.
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I am not an expert but I think once an NLI is signed you are committed to that school, not the coach. Tough situation for the kid. Gotta love NCAA rules.
I believe the only option to walk away once a NLI is signed is attend a JuCo. I was recently talking with a couple of parents whose sons were part of the freshman class for a new coach. Their sons had been recruited and signed by the previous coach. Half of the class was redshirted. These dads believed it was an indirect message to these players. Only two of them stuck around. Neither became impact players. The top four recruits became impact players. Two signed as juniors. Another didn't sign but will this year.
If a kid can play the coach is going to like him. Of course, entering college everyone believes they can play at that level.
I assume you mean head coach rather than position coach?
Some of these situations go well, some don't. Stay on top of it, especially when the new coach is hired.
Originally Posted by RJM:
I believe the only option to walk away once a NLI is signed is attend a JuCo. I was recently talking with a couple of parents whose sons were part of the freshman class for a new coach. Their sons had been recruited and signed by the previous coach. Half of the class was redshirted. These dads believed it was an indirect message to these players. Only two of them stuck around. Neither became impact players. The top four recruits became impact players. Two signed as juniors. Another didn't sign but will this year.
If a kid can play the coach is going to like him. Of course, entering college everyone believes they can play at that level.
As I recall there is another option. The athlete can request to be released from the NLI but it usually requires the AD or president of the university or college to sign the release.
The student always has the option of going to another school, but unless the NLI is released, they will be unable to play any NCAA sport.
Of course, the school is still obligated to any financial scholarships stipulated in the NLI if they don't honor the request.
Been there. Not fun.
Son received a farewell text from his recruiter the day the outgoing coaching staff was fired, then silence through the search for the new coach. Then more silence from the new coach for the first few weeks after he arrived.
New coaches who come in with a mandate to turn around their programs seldom have much interest in developing their predecessor's recruits because doing so would create ambiguity over who gets credit for the players' success.
Unless your son is truly a difference maker and the kind of elite player the new coach will want to build around, expect to see him treated as a bridging option until the coach can bring in his own recruits.
New coach brought in more than 50 players over the next three years and aggressively moved all but the pro prospects out the door. One member of my son's recruiting class of 15 played three years at the school, then went pro. One stayed on the team for four years, and he was used only as a pinch runner, late inning defensive specialist. Most were gone after year one. Most of the rest were gone after year two.
You definitely want to research all options for this year and prepare to re-enter the recruiting marketplace for next year.
You can PM if you want to discuss more particulars.