National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

March 2, 1998

Committee seeks update on I-A postseason football study

The Division I Football Issues Committee has recommended updating a previous study about the viability of a Division I-A football championship.

At its February 9-10 meeting, the Football Issues Committee determined that it would ask the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet to support an update of the 1994 study by the NCAA Special Committee to Study a Division I-A Football Championship. That group did not endorse creation of a I-A playoff, although it did recommend continued study. The NCAA Joint Policy Board subsequently chose not to pursue the matter.

The Football Issues Committee is less concerned with the conclusions that were reached in 1994 than it is with making certain that the data contained in the report are maintained and kept current. The report was the most comprehensive study ever made on the subject, consuming several hundred pages and examining issues such as effects on academics, finances, attendance and television in detail. The committee believes it has an obligation to the membership to provide it with current information regarding Division I-A postseason football.

The sentiment on the Football Issues Committee is to give the "super alliance" bowl arrangement, which will take effect next year, a chance to develop. However, the committee also noted that a decision may need to be made in 2000 on whether to exercise three option years for the "super alliance" (2002, 2003 and 2004).

The committee believes it would be in the best interests of the Division I-A membership to have an apparatus in place to determine the value of NCAA football, the value of a I-A playoff and to provide choices in that option year, if necessary or desired.

Other business

The recent meeting was conducted in conjunction with a meeting of the American Football Coaches Association's legislative review committee. The timing, along with the fact that the committee contains several individuals who are active in the AFCA legislative process, permitted more legislative involvement for coaches than in the past. The Football Issues Committee commended AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff for providing a forum for the improved dialogue.

Regarding legislative matters, the committee focused primarily on recruiting issues. Specifically, it will recommend amending NCAA Bylaw 11.7.2.2 to permit the head football coach to exchange days during a recruiting week with an assistant coach. The current rule states that "there is a limit of seven coaches (including the head coach) who may contact or evaluate prospective student-athletes off campus during any one calendar week." The Football Issues Committee believes that approach is inefficient, given the demands on the schedules of head coaches. An approach similar to the one favored by the committee is used in other sports.

In addition, the committee recommended adding the month of September to the fall evaluation period. The current rule allows nine evaluation days in October and November. The committee, which noted that the number of evaluation days would not change under its recommendation, believed that coaches should be able to make use of the large numbers of open dates that occur in September.

The proposals will be forwarded to the Championships/Competition Cabinet for consideration during its July 7-10 meeting.

The committee also is recommending that Division I football be permitted to provide individual skill-related instruction outside of the institution's declared playing season, provided that the instruction is made at the request of the student-athletes and that no more than three student-athletes from the same team are involved in skill-related instruction with their coaches at any one time in any facility.

Three items were forwarded to Division I-A conferences, with the understanding that reports would be submitted for review at the committee's June 13-14 meeting. Those topics were:

  • An AFCA proposal to provide more flexibility in the recruiting calendar by allowing coaching staffs to schedule recruiting visits on a daily basis instead of being limited to only seven coaches during a calendar week.

  • The impact of conference playoff games and the late date of bowl-game selections on bowl-game ticket sales, the impact of the conference bowl agreements on college football, and the impact of a possible 12th regular-season game.

  • A proposal to provide financial aid during summer school before initial enrollment.

    Other highlights

    Division I Football Issues Committee
    February 9-10/Dallas

  • Will resubmit recommended procedures that will require Division I-A institutions to determine before the season if a scheduled I-AA game will count toward the six wins required for bowl eligibility. The Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet had returned this recommendation to the committee for further review.

  • Will forward a recommendation that the Division I Management Council develop an appeals process for Division I-AA institutions in the event they do not meet the requirement of averaging 60 equivalencies over the previous three years to count toward the six wins required for Division I-A bowl eligibility.

  • Will request that the American Football Coaches Association review the current football recruiting calendar and review what changes could be made to make it more student-athlete friendly and cost-effective while remaining acceptable to the AFCA. Topics that would be considered would be an early signing date, consolidation of evaluation and contact periods, and streamlining the calendar in general.

  • Requested a clarification of the term "good standing" with regard to the eligibility of student-athletes for the new student-work legislation.

  • Requested more background information and updates from NCAA Football.

  • Developed plans to create a financial study of college football.

  • Expressed concern that some backsliding may be occurring with enforcement of the antitaunting rules that were implemented in 1995.