The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- November 8, 1999

Football panel eyes calendar change

The Division I-AA Football Governance Committee has given initial approval to a proposal that would revise the football recruiting calendar beginning August 1, 2000.

The group agreed to support the proposal during its October 17 meeting in Atlanta.

The proposed calendar, which also was given initial approval by the Division I-A members of the Management Council, was developed by football coaches and is designed to be more cost effective and to provide for greater flexibility in recruiting.

Proposal No. 99-104, which will be distributed to the membership for comment, would expand the spring evaluation period from April 15 through May 31 to allow for four weeks of evaluation (Monday through Saturday) selected at the discretion of the institution.

The proposal also would permit two evaluations per prospect during the spring period; reduce the number of fall evaluation days from nine to six; modify the winter contact period to provide for a total of 42 contact days; and reduce from seven to six the number of contacts per prospect during the period.

Three other pieces of proposed legislation facing the committee were not approved, including Proposal No. 99-112, which would have permitted football student-athletes to participate in individualized skill-related instruction outside the school's declared playing season under certain conditions.

The proposal has a history, first surfacing as Proposal No. 98-91 last year. That proposal was defeated by the Division I-AA Football Governance Committee but was initially approved by the Division I-A members of the Management Council.

The Board of Directors, however, defeated the proposal in Division I-A. This year, Proposal No. 99-112 was tabled by the Division I-A members of the Management Council.

Other proposals the Division I-AA Football Governance Committee defeated were No. 98-54, regarding the spring evaluation period, and No. 98-102, allowing coaching staff members to attend state high-school championships without counting as a contact or evaluation.

Both proposals also were defeated by the Division I-A members of the Management Council.