No surprise, but the FB early signing period is official. This year it's Dec. 20-22.

[DancingRabbit]

Seems like it should be a good thing for us. Less merry flipmas drama from OM and Bama.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/19339267/collegiate-commissioners-association-approves-early-signing-period-football

[Jack Lambert]

I think Saban liked it.

[Reason2succeed]

Ah, it just means that recruits will get their gifts before Christmas and that FCA "donors" can write more off of their taxes for that year.

[drummerdawg]

Seems like it should be a good thing for us. Less merry flipmas drama from OM and Bama.

I don't really understand this. What would keep recruits from just waiting until the regular signing period? What I think this means for State is more athletes that think they have a shot of big time offers will just wait it out like they do already. The problem we might run in to is when we try to evaluate unranked or lowly ranked "diamond in the rough" type of guys, they'll sign with us because they aren't expecting anything bigger than a State offer and then they don't pan out like we had hoped they would their SR year of high school and we get stuck.

[Technetium]

...and then they don't pan out like we had hoped they would their SR year of high school and we get stuck.

The signing day is Dec following their senior season. This let's us move on to other prospects for the final month if any of our commits show they aren't *that* committed in December.

[DownwardDawg]

This will be good for us.

[confucius say]

This will be good for us.

Agree. It allows us to get the ones who for sure want to be at msu signed and frees up time and resources to focus on others down the stretch.

[Percho]

Methinks November would have been better.

[smootness]

Hopefully we can get guys like Heath and Murphy locked up early. Crumedy, too, if he commits by then.

[smootness]

Methinks November would have been better.

No, November would be insane. You would have guys being heavily recruited during their football season, you'd have coaches forced to spend a bunch of extra time on recruiting during the middle of the season, and you wouldn't have your final evaluations of the players yet.

I think if you're going to have an early signing period, this is the right date.

[Hot Rock]

Methinks November would have been better.

Please explain your reasoning.

I can think of one big reason not to have it in November. They are still playing down here and the BIG ten is finished up in late Nov. They would have a decided advantage.

[War Machine Dawg]

I'd have preferred something like a mid-to-late August early period. Allow the kids who want to end their recruitment before their football season to do so. I think waiting as late as December is a bit of a joke. It'll help, but it isn't a major improvement,either.

[confucius say]

I'd have preferred something like a mid-to-late August early period. Allow the kids who want to end their recruitment before their football season to do so. I think waiting as late as December is a bit of a joke. It'll help, but it isn't a major improvement,either.

Yep. Mid August would be best.

[smootness]

I'd have preferred something like a mid-to-late August early period. Allow the kids who want to end their recruitment before their football season to do so. I think waiting as late as December is a bit of a joke. It'll help, but it isn't a major improvement,either.

The problem with this is that you lose the evaluation period of the senior season. Sure, with some kids you might be prepared to pull the trigger...but it's going to be tough to explain to others why you aren't sending them a LOI yet. In those cases, having them committed early may actually prove to be a hindrance since it opens the risk that they get their feelings hurt.

[ShotgunDawg]

I don't really understand this. What would keep recruits from just waiting until the regular signing period? What I think this means for State is more athletes that think they have a shot of big time offers will just wait it out like they do already. The problem we might run in to is when we try to evaluate unranked or lowly ranked "diamond in the rough" type of guys, they'll sign with us because they aren't expecting anything bigger than a State offer and then they don't pan out like we had hoped they would their SR year of high school and we get stuck.

This is a not well thought out opinion. Sure you may be right, but it's still a benefit to us.

At very least, it forces schools and recruits to show us their cards earlier, which means it's less likely we are left standing at the alter.

Here how it works:

MSU: We are ready for you to sign.

MSU commit: I'm not ready yet.

MSU: OK, we know where you stand and that your fishing for other offers.

Another scenario:

Alabama to recruit or current Alabama commit: we don't want you to sign in November.

Recruit: Why not? I crimson though and through.

Alabama: We aren't ready for you yet

Recruit: Do you really want me?

MSU to same recruit: See Bama does not want you like we want you. You can sign today with us, but, if you wait, we may run out of scholarships.

There are countless scenarios we can run through, but in the end the new rule makes schools show their cards earlier and gives MSU a little more leverage than it used to have.

Now, the same scenario could play out between us and USM or sanctioned Ole Miss, but I do think it gives is a better chance of landing better players.

[smootness]

Alabama to recruit or current Alabama commit: we don't want you to sign in November.

Recruit: Why not? I crimson though and through.

Alabama: We aren't ready for you yet

Recruit: Do you really want me?

MSU to same recruit: See Bama does not want you like we want you. You can sign today with us, but, if you wait, we may run out of scholarships.

And this is why I wouldn't want it to be during the summer or before the season. Because we would be on the Bama end more than we would like then.

This may mean that it's tougher to sign guys like Taveze Calhoun, but it will hopefully make it easier to sign guys like Lashley.

[Maroons]

Methinks November would have been better.

During the middle of the regular season?

[HSVDawg]

And this is why I wouldn't want it to be during the summer or before the season. Because we would be on the Bama end more than we would like then.

This may mean that it's tougher to sign guys like Taveze Calhoun, but it will hopefully make it easier to sign guys like Lashley.

Yep. The added benefit is that our coaches don't have to spend valuable travel, telephone, and social media time in January and early February on asking kids who have been committed for 6 months how their day was and if they liked the new Star Wars movie because they will already be signed. Anything that adds clarity and removes BS mind games from the recruiting process is a good thing in my book.

[SDDawg]

Good move - prevents us from losing guys late to bullshit grey shirt offers from Nicky.

[Big4Dawg]

It also helps to know who you have to worry about flipping.

Mullen: okay, we sent you papers to sign.

Player: not ready yet...going to sign later.

Mullen: Okay. Cool. I'll keep looking too

[Leeshouldveflanked]

No more Clarion Liar and Daily Journal Articles dogging us because we pulled an offer.. If kid don't sign during early signing period and offer gets pulled (or he didn't have offer in first place)... not our problem.

[Percho]

I'd have preferred something like a mid-to-late August early period. Allow the kids who want to end their recruitment before their football season to do so. I think waiting as late as December is a bit of a joke. It'll help, but it isn't a major improvement,either.

I agree with this. I just do not think that late Dec period changes enough. If you know you want someone this early and they wanted to come and not wait I believe would help the non super schools. For instance I believe this would have given us a better chance of landing Lashley. We knew we wanted him then Alabama did not. I do not think Dec 20 would have helped us.

[ShotgunDawg]

It also helps to know who you have to worry about flipping.

Mullen: okay, we sent you papers to sign.

Player: not ready yet...going to sign later.

Mullen: Okay. Cool. I'll keep looking too

Exactly. The news rules make people show their cards earlier & make the fog of recruiting a little more clear.

[ckDOG]

Will there be flexibility in the class size? Would be nice to have it if there's a big whiff in February. Doubt many decent Plan Bs will be looking for homes in the new system on traditional signing day. If not, I assume we will just fill up with "our guys" in the early period and bypass the risk of a whiffing on needs.

[HSVDawg]

Will there be flexibility in the class size? Would be nice to have it if there's a big whiff in February. Doubt many decent Plan Bs will be looking for homes in the new system on traditional signing day. If not, I assume we will just fill up with "our guys" in the early period and bypass the risk of a whiffing on needs.

We will likely have bigger numbers in the early period than most other SEC schools. But make no mistake, the guys at the top of our board are still going to wait it out until February. Gonna just have to sweat it out like everyone else for those types of guys because they will want to take their visits and enjoy the process. The other thing that needs to be cleared up is if the December signees can still take their visit after signing (if they choose). I'm assuming we'll want some of our loyal guys to be there on the "big weekend". If not, it may make our coaches ask a few guys to delay until the late period so they can help recruit on those visits.