Letter of intent ?

[PAL95]

If a player receives a scholarship letter , is it binding?

 

[Bubba3000]

No scholarships are not considered binding until the recruit signs on the dotted line. This year most will sign of Feb 4 national signing day.

 

[PAL95]

Ok thanks, I just hear of football players getting an scholarship offer letter but colleges not following through. Hearing this makes me think it should be ok for a player to decommit because some of these schools also play games.

 

[Bubba3000]

Trust me, games are played. I think the toughest one is when a kid gets his best offers right at the end of a recruiting cycle. There's pressure for them to commit early and lock down a roster spot.

 

[NCSF]

I think you are confusing offers with letters of intent. Some schools will offer but slow play it and wait until a guy they like more has made a decision. Sometimes they will recruit over that kid and have him de-commit or gray shirt instead.

Conversely, many players will back out of their commitment and jump on a better offer. I think football recruiting is ugly and cutthroat and both schools and players. Things will be changing imo as the Big 5 conferences are going to have huge advantages as they will be required to have binding four year scholarships and stipends.

 

[PAL95]

So is there no difference from a verbal offer versus a scholarship letter after the offer?

 

[Bubba3000]

Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure a verbal and a letter mean the same thing. I do know the rubber hits the road once a kid signs.

 

[NCSF]

A player has to get an offer before he verbals. That said, neither have true teeth (as it should) until the LOI is sent and signed. Football is the dirtiest and most fluid followed by basketball. Baseball is much cleaner as a rule. Bottom line- it's all about money more to lose in Football and Basketball.

 

[Bubba3000]

NCSF, the question was regarding verbal offers, not verbal commits

 

[Trivalley]

My understanding verbals solid. If word got out about a college be not true to their word, it could hue their recruiting. My question is when does the scrambling begin when colleges don't get the people they thought they would get?

 

[oalfan]

Now

 

[PAL95]

So from what im taking from this is if a school send you a letter telling you congrats, you have been awarded a football scholarship, it doesnt really mean anything?

 

[Bubba3000]

It definitely means something but in of itself it's not binding.

 

[PAL95]

Ok thx for the insight.

 

[1315]

NLI is a one year contract with the school, not the coach. (changes with the Big5 in '15-16.) He can be fired before you attend, but you get the one year. Then again, you can follow him to his next school if he offers a scholly. As NCSF says, it's brutal, real and until you sign, zero guarantees. Plenty of kids take the "guaranteed" walk on roster spot- no money-, do well (I can think of one Campo frosh with plenty of PT that first year at Cal) then get scholarshipped years for 3-4 years. Know your head coach, expect and demand honesty from the recruiting coordinator, work your tail off, go to class, and good things happen.

 

[Ballaz28]

Offer is binding if you verbally commit and the school accepts the commit.

 

[1315]

Verbal offers are non-binding. It's a gentlemans agreement between coach and athlete. It is not binding the school. The NLI binds the school and athlete. Not sure what ballaz means.

 

[NCSF]

Ballad- like 1315 said.

 

[Sicwidit41]

Letter of intent is a letter or document that the student athlete and parents must sign to confirm the binding agreement of action and intent of the student athlete to attend the university. One must recieve a scholarship offer from the head coach or any of his staff members at the respective universities.
This post was edited on 1/22 8:39 AM by Sicwidit41