NOT SO INTENTIONAL
Football recruits who made an oral commitment to a college before, during or after last season are set to sign a National Letter of Intent.
An oral commitment is a prospect's commitment to a school before he or she signs (or is able to sign) a National Letter of Intent. That commitment can be announced at any time. However, the oral "commitment" is not binding to the prospect or the school.
"It only has as much meaning as both parties give it," Super Prep magazine publisher Allen Wallace said. "There is no legality to it. It's just a way for both the player and school to see where they stand."
In 2006, Pat Devlin, a strong-armed quarterback from Downingtown East now playing at Penn State, backed out of an oral commitment to Miami. He switched allegiances to Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions in large part because former Miami head coach Larry Coker fired four assistants, including Philadelphia-area native Dan Werner, the offensive coordinator with whom Devlin had developed a rapport.
"Kids bail out of oral commitments more than schools do," Wallace said. "Schools are worried about the negative backlash that could coming from turning a kid away. It definitely happens, though."
When a player signs a National Letter of Intent, he or she agrees to attend the institution listed for one academic year, in exchange for that institution providing financial aid for one academic year.
Other colleges are prohibited from recruiting a student-athlete once he or she signs a letter of intent.
In football, the signing period begins on the first Wednesday in February. This year, the signing period begins tomorrow and lasts through April 1.
WHEN YOU DON'T MAKE THE GRADES
Not all high school athletes that possess the skills to compete at the college level earn the chance to play right away.
About a third fail to meet college entrance requirements, according to a 1995 study by the National Center for Educational Statistics.
Academic requirements for NCAA eligibility is based on a sliding scale. If an athlete earns a core grade-point average of 3.55 or higher, he/she only needs to score a 400 on the SAT. If athlete has a 2.0 GPA, the minimum allowed, he/she must score at least a 1010 on the SAT.
Student-athletes failing to meet academic requirements are not eligible for scholarships and really have two choices: enroll in a prep school or a junior college.
