The NCAA football recruiting calendar has entered its "Evaluation
Period," which means that college coaches, for the next few weeks, can head
out and make off-campus visits to evaluate recruits – hence the name. But what
is meant by "Evaluation Period"? What's allowed, and what's not
allowed? The answers, like so many things surrounding football recruiting, are
confusing, amusing, and even a little strange.


There's been a lot of discussion this spring about whether Virginia Tech gets
a slow start in recruiting relative to other schools. The Hokies don't really
firm up their recruiting list until late April or early May, and given what I've
just learned about the NCAA's football recruiting calendar and the Evaluation
Period, I understand why the Hokies do it that way. I don't necessarily approve
mind you, but I understand.