Verbal Commits

[dualskeptic]

How binding is a scholarship athlete's verbal commitment to a college or university?

 

[rbny1]

As Sam Goldwyn said, "A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on." In other words, it's not binding.

 

[HuskyNan]

How binding is a scholarship athlete's verbal commitment to a college or university?

The NCAA doesn't recognize verbal commitments and they are non-binding. Heck, I could give a verbal commitment to UConn! They are simply statements by a recruit that she intends to go to a particular school.

 

[pinotbear]

How binding is a scholarship athlete's verbal commitment to a college or university?

To quote - Sam Goldwyn, maybe? - "A verbal promise isn't worth the paper it's written on".

 

[alexrgct]

How binding is a scholarship athlete's verbal commitment to a college or university?

As has been answered, a verbal is not remotely binding. a Letter of Intent to attend a post-secondary institution and participate in an athletic program for a scholarship is basically binding. But even then, look at what happened with EDD. Weird things can always occur.

 

[sawxfan23]

As has been answered, a verbal is not remotely binding. a Letter of Intent to attend a post-secondary institution and participate in an athletic program for a scholarship is basically binding. But even then, look at what happened with EDD. Weird things can always occur.

The days of signing a Letter Of Intent by recruits is becoming less and less popular. There is no benefit for a recruit to this and it only locks them into an agreement that can be very difficult to get out of. In fact Daniel Hamilton {the top recruit for the men's team} refused to sign a LOI and instead signed a "financial aid agreement" which isnt binding.

 

[JS]

Players back out of verbal commitments from time to time, e.g. in UConn's case, J. Gemelos and L. Harper.

A college backing out after an offer has been verbally accepted is no doubt more rare. It looks bad.

Only instance that comes readily to mind -- when, after an ill-fated visit to UConn from which she left without an offer, Massengale called P. Summitt with the intention of making a verbal commitment, she was told TN had "gone in a different direction."

That much was reported in the media.

Kind of a low point for the young lady, that, and not her fault. Her dad reportedly came on with demands that screwed things up in both places.

But not irreparably. PHS thought better of it later, after a strong summer from Ms. M, who even got anointed the starting point guard before a minute of play.

And we don't know for sure that Massengale had an offer the first time -- conceivably she said "If you offer, I'll commit." But I think she did have an offer.

Point being (aside from a mild swipe or two -- OK three -- at TN), if a college declines to accept a verbal commitment from a player who has been offered, one would guess it's rare and the result of rather unique circumstances.

 

[Orangutan]

I assume that the purpose of a verbal commitment is to signal to coaches - "You can stop recruiting me now".

Likewise to signal to friends/relatives/fans - "You can stop asking me about where I'm going to school".

As far as I know, though, there is nothing to stop a coach from continuing to recruit a verbally committed athlete except his/her own sense of decency.

 

[Vowelguy]

there is nothing to stop a coach from continuing to recruit a verbally committed athlete

Uh oh, this thread may be about to take a turn for the worse.

You are correct. Coaches can recruit verballed players. And in cases where a recruit has changed her mind, there are invariably charges that coach X kept contacting her and caused her to switch.

 

[Sonny44]

So are we expecting LOI's from Collier & Boykin, or not?

 

[meyers7]

So are we expecting LOI's from Collier & Boykin, or not?

Well not until signing week (usually in Nov). But I would expect them then.

 

[Orangutan]

Uh oh, this thread may be about to take a turn for the worse.

You are correct. Coaches can recruit verballed players. And in cases where a recruit has changed her mind, there are invariably charges that coach X kept contacting her and caused her to switch.

I hope not...didn't mean to derail things. I haven't been following recruiting for too long so I don't know of specific instances where it is thought to have happened.

Was just theorizing that it was possible.

 

[pvdoggy]

Uh oh, this thread may be about to take a turn for the worse.

You are correct. Coaches can recruit verballed players. And in cases where a recruit has changed her mind, there are invariably charges that coach X kept contacting her and caused her to switch.

Why not ? No different than dating.

 

[msf22b]

PHS thought better of it later, after a strong summer from Ms. M, who even got anointed the starting point guard before a minute of play.

Not listed in Summit's all-time hit parade of exemplary decisions.
Her anointment of Massengale as the savior of the team infuriated many on the Orange side
and amused us blue shirted folk no end.

 

[UconnWBB]

according to bleacherreport.com, this is their comment:

When a kid makes a verbal commitment to a school, it is an oral agreement between the player and the school that the player ceases looking at other schools and the school adjusts its recruiting around that player. This is genuinely in the best interests of both parties if a verbal commitment can be upheld on both sides. At that point, other coaches should cease recruiting the said player out of courtesy. This is traditionally how the system has worked, and it's worked fairly well over the years.

they go on to say that continuing to recruit a player after a verbal commitment goes against the coaching community's code of unwritten ethics...

 

[JoePgh]

I assume that the purpose of a verbal commitment is to signal to coaches - "You can stop recruiting me now".

Likewise to signal to friends/relatives/fans - "You can stop asking me about where I'm going to school".

As far as I know, though, there is nothing to stop a coach from continuing to recruit a verbally committed athlete except his/her own sense of decency.

I can't cite chapter and verse, but I don't believe that is correct. If a prospective recruit has verbally committed to a school, it would be an NCAA recruiting violation for any other school to continue to recruit her. That doesn't mean it never happens, but it is a violation (as far as I recall).

 

[Zorro]

It may have changed, but I know that when Urban Meyer was at Florida, he was notorious for never ceasing to recruit playeres until they had actually signed their LIs. I think taht it must have been kosher at the time, because I remember reading an article in SI about how POd other coaches were by this and yet they were not able to do anything to stop it. I seem to remember the article saying that he had actually snagged a number of recruits who had previously orally (ok, verbally) committed to other programs.

 

[Vowelguy]

I can't cite chapter and verse, but I don't believe that is correct. If a prospective recruit has verbally committed to a school, it would be an NCAA recruiting violation for any other school to continue to recruit her. That doesn't mean it never happens, but it is a violation (as far as I recall).

Not true. The verbal means nothing as far as NCAA rules.
The LOI is the only thing that matters. See Nan's post.

Think of a Verbal as an engagement without a ring:

• Both parties agree to join up, but it's not official until wedding/LOI date.
• Either party can back out at anytime without recourse, other than bruised feelings.
• Outsiders can try to woo one of the participants away, but it's considered bad form.

 

[UConnCat]

A few years ago the Washington Post wrote a story about Brenda Frese including, among other things, her recruiting tactics. Geno was interviewed and had a great line about how Maryland treats verbal commitments:

Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma is among the coaches who have lost a player to Frese. In September 2003, Laura Harper made an oral commitment to Connecticut before changing her mind and signing with Maryland. Now she is a starting forward for the Terrapins. Auriemma was asked how he thought Frese managed to lure so many talented players to Maryland.

"I just think she just has a real charming personality," Auriemma said. Asked if there was anything more to it, he said: "Probably not. I can't think of any other reason why a player would go to a certain school. They're just very persuasive in their recruiting tactics, and I think that's part of recruiting. You have to be very persuasive. You have to be very assertive. And they follow in the great tradition of Lefty Driesell. When Lefty was told that someone had committed to someplace else, he goes, 'Good. Now we know who the competition is.' "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032401945.html

 

[Buzzyboy]

I can't cite chapter and verse, but I don't believe that is correct. If a prospective recruit has verbally committed to a school, it would be an NCAA recruiting violation for any other school to continue to recruit her. That doesn't mean it never happens, but it is a violation (as far as I recall).

I've never heard that and as has been mentioned, there are a number of coaches that continue to recruit, if maybe a little stealthily which I agree is total bull! I can't ever believe that Geno or Chris would stoop to that, regardless of how talented a kid is. Ethics should rule the day!

 

[Husky1964]

Aaron Hernandez verballed to Edsall and with Adazio's help rescinded and enrolled at Fl. We all know the rest of the story!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A few years ago the Washington Post wrote a story about Brenda Frese including, among other things, her recruiting tactics. Geno was interviewed and had a great line about how Maryland treats verbal commitments:

Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma is among the coaches who have lost a player to Frese. In September 2003, Laura Harper made an oral commitment to Connecticut before changing her mind and signing with Maryland. Now she is a starting forward for the Terrapins. Auriemma was asked how he thought Frese managed to lure so many talented players to Maryland.

"I just think she just has a real charming personality," Auriemma said. Asked if there was anything more to it, he said: "Probably not. I can't think of any other reason why a player would go to a certain school. They're just very persuasive in their recruiting tactics, and I think that's part of recruiting. You have to be very persuasive. You have to be very assertive. And they follow in the great tradition of Lefty Driesell. When Lefty was told that someone had committed to someplace else, he goes, 'Good. Now we know who the competition is.' "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032401945.html

We on the Boneyard took it as gospel that Brenda absolutely skullduggery away Harper.

 

[Jim]

Aaron Hernandez verballed to Edsall and with Adazio's help rescinded and enrolled at Fl. We all know the rest of the story!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, I think the jury is still out on that one.

 

[meyers7]

• [ ]Outsiders can try to woo one of the participants away, but it's considered bad form.