OT - Early enrollee participation. Can incoming players join a team as they prep for their bowl game?
Many of us have been following both the portal and status / commitments of incoming prospects.
The attached article (which is not paywalled), caught my eye. It was about Alabama and "early, early" enrollees, who have joined Alabama and are practicing with the team as Bama prepares for their bowl game. https://bamahammer.com/2022/12/16/alabama-football-enrollees-bowl-practice/
This struck me in a couple of ways. First, these incoming players haven't signed letters of intent. Second, I don't believe that Bama begins their classes until after January 2nd - so, technically they are not enrolled as students at Bama. The article states: "Six of these commits will enroll even earlier, joining Alabama’s bowl prep practices beginning on Friday, December 16th."
A few years ago - around the time Mr. Third Base mentioned "hanging a hundred", there was a social media post about a Buckeye player who was working with his position coach. Now, normally - one would think - "Hey, that's what you'd expect - a coach working one on one with a player in his position group." However, that contact and social post, was during a quiet / dead period where coaches were prohibited from working with their players.
So, my question is - what are the NCAA rules about an "early, early enrollee" participating with a team, before an LOI is signed, or the player is actually enrolled at the institution?
Perhaps this is just another exception the Mark Emmert led NCAA provides to Bama because - "It just means more."
December 20th, 2022 at 10:33 AM ^
Or what about when the playoffs push well into January in the spring semester then are you gonna have the midyear transfers that get enrolled in January be eligible to play?
like Stewart the edge rusher we just got ?
December 20th, 2022 at 10:40 AM ^
That would be pretty cool (theoretically). Imagine being the best Kicker and Long Snapper in CFB, and at the end of the regular season you transfer to the best playoff team to help shore up their kicking game.
For many positions it probably wouldn't work as well (not enough practice time with the team, etc) but I think kicking game folks would have the best chance, and with #collegekickers some playoff teams some years might need a huge upgrade.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:07 AM ^
Enrolled players can practice (Will Johnson did last yr) but they can't travel with the team and play in the bowl game.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:24 PM ^
Kevin Grady traveled to and practiced with the team in California for the 2005 Rose Bowl. Didn’t play in the game, but he was definitely there practicing a few days after his high school fall semester ended.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:37 AM ^
SI has an article on the topic as well. Here's the link:
December 20th, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
Yep, this strikes me as a nothing burger.
They can practice but not suit up for the bowl games. All of the meaningful reps will go to those who can suit up and play. High school seniors would not go head to head in practice with athletes that have gone through a full college S&G program. They might do drills and attend walk thrus and meetings.
It's an extra inducement for those who commit during the early signing period. Who knows if they get bowl swag and accommodations although NIL money could easily cover it.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:42 AM ^
Is Mr. Third Base Ryan Day's reddit account?
December 20th, 2022 at 10:54 AM ^
Well, duh!
December 20th, 2022 at 10:45 AM ^
I think it would be great to invite all 2023 recruits to participate in some way but actually practicing? That sounds like a liability nightmare.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:53 AM ^
Lomas, I completely agree with you regarding the liability.
I'm not a lawyer, and - I know that most colleges have their incoming student athletes on campus "early" - regardless of whether that's a January "early enrollee", or a "regular" incoming student athlete (let's say football player) who arrives in July for classes and fall camp.
In the above examples, and LOI would have been signed, and - an associated Grant In Aid / scholarship would be in place. I would also assume the health care coverage for the student athlete would begin on the day of enrollment / arrival on campus.
For January early enrollees - those who signed an LOI in December, they're probably covered the say they arrive on campus (and, I believe Michigan's classes being on January 4th). So, that student athlete can participate in S&C activities as well as Spring camp.
For "Fall" / regular enrollees - they would probably have coverage effective June 28th (First day of class in the Summer term).
This "early, early enrollee" - hmmm, I've never heard of it, and - it definitely seems like a "Bama perk".
December 20th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
If you're in a non CFP bowl, I think this is great. It's advanced roster prep for next year. If you're Michigan or the other 3, I imagine you don't do much more than get them some CFP swag and let them watch practice...
December 20th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
With the way the rules are now changing, I anticipate that by 2050 there will scholarship offers and 7-figure NIL deals extended to sperm, who will then go on to play college football into their late 50s...
December 20th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Weren't Yost and Stagg doing the same thing in 1901?
December 20th, 2022 at 10:53 AM ^
I can't answer many of your questions, but I'd think they'd have to be enrolled to participate. I can say that players do not have to sign a letter of intent, ever. That binds the player to the school, but not the school (or coaches) to the player. It's been argued that top recruits should not sign an LOI, and simply enroll at the appropriate time. The risk for the player is that the school could potentially run out of scholarships, although in the age of NIL it sounds like that isnt a serious concern for top recruits since they're getting paid way more than tuition anyways.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Red, your point about the LOI is very fair. Any enrolled student could practice with the team - if the coaching staff allowed it. And, the classification of that student would be - 1) Walk-on, or 2) Preferred Walk-on. In either case - they are enrolled in the university.
The one question would be - health care coverage for any injury sustained in S&C or practice. It's probably not a big deal - but, I think it would need to coincide with actually being a student at the institution. If not, what's to prohibit a bunch of high school kids from Pioneer or Huron coming and practicing with the team - oh, that liability thing. (In the case of Pioneer / Huron, talent and ability might factor in too.)
December 20th, 2022 at 12:15 PM ^
This was a decade ago and at a lower level, but once you are “on the team” and step on to the practice field you’re covered by the school and the NCAA. I had a major knee injury suffered during a practice and the NCAA actually paid for the entirety of my MRIs, orthopedic surgeon consultations, surgery and physical therapy. Granted this was at a school with nothing close to what UM offers from a facilities stand point. Obviously have to be enrolled to be on the team, and it was now a decade ago, but I think some combination of school and governing body will cough up the dough if someone requires a medical service the school can’t provide.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
While a school scholarship agreement and a letter of intent are two different things, they do go hand in hand. A NLI can't be offered unless it is accompanied by an offer of an athletic scholarship.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
I seem to recall a December a few years back where we had early enrollees practicing with the team during bowl practices. Charbonnet comes to mind.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
At the beginning of fall camp, everyone is required to go through 3 days of non-contact practices - including returning players. It's a safety precaution so people don't go from zero to 100mph in one day. I would be highly cautious of putting a kid that was in high school literally days prior out on a field with a bunch of men who've been practicing for 4 months.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:18 PM ^
Whatever benefits the players the most, is what I am for. If those transfers or early-early enrollees want to be coached up during our bowl prep, I'm all for it.
Power to the players that are putting their bodies on the line.
December 20th, 2022 at 2:13 PM ^
I believe you can still be enrolled without classes having started. That’s at least how it was for my college years. I had to enroll in classes, before they actually started. Nothing to see here.