It’s been a long 15 months for college programs around the county when it comes to recruiting, as the NCAA has kept the “dead period” in place since the pandemic began. But, according to CBS Sports Dennis Dodd, that period of keeping recruits off-campus will seen be coming to an end.
In March of 2020, when the pandemic was shutting down sporting events and campuses across the country, the NCAA elected to shutdown in-person recruiting as well. This forced schools like Tennessee to come up with different ways they could show off their facilities and also interact with recruits. So, events like official visits and summer camps were put on hold, which made it harder for coaches to find the right athlete for their program.
It was the summer, fall, and winter of Zoom. Schools were hosting virtual visits with recruits and if a recruit decided to come in town on their own, schools were forced to setup tours that prospects would have to take on their own. To sum it up, it’s been a cluster for the recruiting world.
According to Dodd, the NCAA council is meeting this week and will set a June 1st date to end the dead period. This is huge news for players across the country looking to interact with coaches on college campuses, especially in Knoxville, where Josh Heupel is looking to stake a claim in the 2022 class.
It will likely turn into a crazy summer, where kids are taking visits to every school they’re allowed to, under visit guidelines. Also, Tennessee will be able to hold camps, for potential recruits to show off their ability and coaches to grade talent, while handing out offers. If you remember, coaches weren’t allowed to travel to high schools this past fall.
During a dead period, coaches weren’t allowed inside recruits home’s or schools. So, this is what makes the quiet period so beneficial for staffs, as they can host prospects for camps and visits. It will be the a madhouse once this is passed and teams can officially get rolling.
But official visits are already being set by recruits, as the recruiting staffs know the dead period is coming to an end. Take for instance 4-star QB Tayven Jackson, who Tennessee is recruiting heavily. He’s already announced a date in which he will be headed to Knoxville for a visit.
@Vol_Football 🔥 pic.twitter.com/X3LR6Z5kiY
— Tayven jackson (@Tayvenjacksonn2) April 9, 2021
It looks like schools are finally in the home stretch, as they look to reassess their recruiting boards and have evaluations in-person. It’s been long 15-month process for these staffs, with never ending phone and zoom calls, trying to gauge a recruits ability through film and conversation.
Get ready, College Football programs are about to see an influx of talent hit their campus very soon.
