SPORTS

What an early signing period means for football coaches, prospects

Tom Kreager

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Jacob Phillips will be headed to Baton Rouge in June to begin taking summer classes and prepare for his first college football season at LSU.

East Nashville linebacker Jacob Phillips takes a selfie with his coach Brian Waite after signing his letter of intent to attend LSU. Phillips was originally committed to Oklahoma.

However, had the NCAA adopted a December early football signing period a year ago, the 247Sports top-rated inside linebacker in the country would have been headed to Norman, Okla.

"I would have definitely signed with Oklahoma," said Phillips, an East Nashville senior.

Phillips committed to the Sooners in October before decommitting in late January. He signed with LSU on Feb. 1, the first day of the 2017 football signing period.

However, an early football signing period is likely on the horizon, perhaps as early as December.

The NCAA's Division I Council gave their blessing on an early football signing period earlier this month. The date would coincide with the signing date for mid-term junior college football transfers.

The Collegiate Commissioners Association, which administers the National Letter of Intent program, must approve it. The CCA meets in June.

If approved for this year, an early signing period would start Dec. 20.

"To be honest, I would have probably signed early," Phillips said. "Coaches put a lot of pressure on you."

Currently, national signing day for football falls on the first Wednesday of February. It's become a sort of national holiday with the fanfare given to the date — especially in the Southeast where football remains king.

However, other sports including basketball have an early signing period and a regular signing period.

"I think it's a good thing for guys that will be early enrollees and five-star guys that know where they want to go," Blackman football coach David Watson said. "But the traditional guy in me likes the unknown of national signing day — the last minute slipping to a school."

There are benefits to two signing periods. For those that know where they are going, signing early ends the recruiting process and allows them to get away from the distractions that comes with recruiting — phone calls and visits from coaches as well as inquiries on their current status.

It also allows for early enrollees to have their own signing day.

Trey Smith, right, and North Side defensive lineman Greg Emerson talk after Smith committed to Tennessee. Emerson is one of the state's top prospects this season. Emerson says he will likely sign in December if an early football signing period is approved.

Coffee County junior athlete Alontae Taylor, a Tennessee commitment, plans to enroll early. Jackson North Side junior defensive end Greg Emerson, who has not yet committed, also plans to enroll in January.

Blackman junior running back Master Teague is also considering enrolling early.

All three are considered four-star prospects.

However, those that wait until February also are helped by the early signing period.

"Hopefully it allows them to clear the air for some recruits," Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry said. "If you don't sign early, you get a chance to look at their recruiting board and where you fit."

Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry says an early signing period can help "clear the air" for some recruits in where they stand with a school.

Commitments are nonbinding for both the athlete and the school. While there are no limits to how many athletes can be offered for a signing class, only 25 can ink with one school.

“If you’re committed in this day and age, it still doesn’t mean that you’re going there," Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. "There is always a last mad dash right before signing day when kids change their mind because of a coaching change or a bad season and whatever.”

However, college coaches aren't exactly sure how things will pan out if an early signing period is adopted.

"It's going to be interesting to watch how it all unfolds," Memphis coach Mike Norvell said.

Brentwood Academy junior Cam Johnson, a four-star receiver is still early in choosing his college.

But he believes he'll have his choice before the potential December period.

Tennessee coach Butch Jones speaks to recruit Cam Johnson before the Tennessee vs. Ohio game this past season.

"I’ll probably be committed by (the early signing period)," Johnson said. "I think it would probably help just getting the pressure off and not have to worry about a bunch of colleges still trying to recruit me.”

The early signing period does have its issues.

It could mean athletes going on official visits during the high school season. That would make prospects deciding to either go on a visit, which lasts over the weekend, or stay at home and play for his team.

"We're asking a player to come in on a visit while his high school season is going on and I think it puts pressure on the kid," Middle Tennessee State coach Rick Stockstill said. "He's got to make a decision on whether he wants to play in this game Friday night or go take an official visit on Saturday."

Tennessee coach Butch Jones agrees that is potentially the biggest issue with the early signing period.

“Again, everything is about the high school coaches and respecting their program as well, and I hope we don’t get to the point where high school seniors are taking their visits and putting their high school football team second nature, so to speak," Jones said. "We have to make sure as a profession we don’t allow that to happen."

Contributing: USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee writers Aldo Amato, Michael Murphy, Rhiannon Potkey and Tom Schad, Brandon Shields and Adam Sparks.

Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@tennessean.com or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.