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Division I Football Recruiting Rules

Letters

  • Letters to you from coaches, faculty members and students are not permitted until September 1 at the beginning of your junior year.

Telephone Calls

  • College coaches may make one telephone call to you during the month of May of your junior year.
  • After the one permitted call in May of your junior year, college coaches may not call again until September 1 of your senior year.
  • Coaches may call you as often as they wish during a contact period. (See Recruiting Calendar).
  • Coaches may call you as often as they wish during the 48 hours before and after the initial signing date for the National Letter of Intent.
  • Outside of a contact period, coaches may telephone you once per week.

Contacts

What is a contact? - A contact is any face-to-face meeting between you (or your parents or relatives) and college coach that includes any conversation other than "hello." If a college coach meets you in-person at your school, or at one of your game's or practice's or at a pre-arranged meeting it is considered a contact even if no conversation takes place.

  • A college coach may contact you in person off the college campus only on or after July 1 after completion of your junior year.
  • Coaches may contact you off the college campus up to six times.
  • No more than one contact per week may occur during a contact period. (See Recruiting Calendar).
  • A college coach may visit your high school only once per week during a contact period.

Evaluations

What is an evaluation? - An evaluation is any off-campus (college campus) activity used to assess your academic qualifications or athletic ability in which no face-to face contact between you the college coach occurs beyond a "hello." Examples include watching you practice or compete in a game.

  • College coaches may not evaluate you more than three times each year.
  • Evaluations must be during Evaluation Periods (see Recruiting Calendar).
  • Only one evaluation may be used during the Fall evaluation period.
  • Only two evaluations may be used during the Spring evaluation period.
  • Once you sign a National Letter of Intent, you may be evaluated an unlimited number of times by coaches from the school with which you signed.

Official Visits

  • You make one expense-paid (official) visit to a particular campus beginning on the opening day of classes of your senior year.
  • You may take up to five official visits. (five different schools)
  • Before you make an official visit you must first provide the college with your high school transcript and a score from the PSAT, SAT, ACT or PACT Plus taken on a national test date.
  • Your visit may not exceed 48 hours.
  • You may receive round-trip transportation between your home and the campus.
  • You may receive meals, lodging and complimentary admission (general seating only) to campus athletic events.
  • A student host may help you become acquainted with campus life and may spend $30 per day to cover all costs of entertaining you.

Printed Materials

  • Coaches may provide you with the following printed materials on or after September 1 of your junior year:
    • General correspondence, including letters and note cards.
    • A questionnaire.
    • A camp brochure.
    • Official academic, admissions and student service publications and videos published by the college.
    • A media guide or recruiting brochure.
    • One wallet-size playing schedule card.
    • Educational information published by the NCAA.
    • College coaches may show you a highlight film/video, but may not leave it with you or your coach.
  • During an official or unofficial visit, coaches may provide you with:
    • Game programs.
    • One student-athlete handbook.
  • After you sign a National Letter of Intent the coaches may provide you with any necessary pre-enrollment information about orientation, conditioning, academics and practice activities.

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