Recruiting Question

[RhodeIslandBuck]

My brother, my dad, and I were having an argument about recruiting and when you are allowed to contact recruits. Initially, I brought up the commitment of '10 basketball Commit Jared Sullinger, I told them Ohio State got a commitment from a 2010 prospect but my brother interrupted and said that he can't commit because coaches aren't allowed to speak to him about recruiting, therefore he can't have a verbal offer and he said it would be an NCAA violation if he did. Could someone explain to me when coaches are allowed to talk to players and when they can offer.

Thanks in advance!

[osugrad21]

If he is on campus, they can talk as much as they want....
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[buckeydoptimist]

I'm no expert, and don't feel like reading all the rules etc anyway.

I don't think they can extend a written offer until the end of the Sophomore year or something like that.

But a verbal offer can come well before that and a commitment can be made whenever. A commitment is just an oral gentleman's agreement between the two parties - only announced by the recruit since the school/coach cannot comment until a LOI is signed. Until the LOI is signed nothing is legal or official per say.

Some are calling for a restriction on verbal offers now, since an 8th grader recently committed to a school. BJM was going into his 9th grade year when he committed to us. So Sullinger wasn't that outrageously early.

[smitty03]

College coaches can contact an athlete's high school coach through email (or possibly by phone?) to inquire about interest, measurables, etc.(the age of the athlete does not matter)....high school coach can pass along interest to athlete, athlete then can try and contact the college coach (athlete/college coach conversation must be intiated by athlete)...

Like other posters have said, a verbal offer can be extended, but a verbal is just that, a verbal...and like Grad21 said when a kid is on campus he can be talked to as much as the coach wants...

[Oh8ch]

This is all I could find, and it is a bit outdated -

During the Victorian Era (1837-1901), recruiting became even more formal - almost an art form among the upper classes. An interested coach could not simply walk up to a young man and begin a conversation. Even after being introduced, it was still some time before it was considered appropriate for a coach to speak to a recruit or for them to be seen together. Once they had been formally introduced, if the coach wished to escort the recruit home he would present his card to him. The recruit would look over his options and chose who he would like to have visit. He would notify the lucky coach by giving him his own card requesting that he escort him home. Almost all recruiting took place in the recruits home, always under the eye of watchful parents. If the recruiting progressed, the couple might advance to the front porch. Smitten couples rarely saw each other without the presence of a chaperone, and offers were frequently written.

OK, I changed a few words from my source, but recruiting rules are every bit that silly.