ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- On Monday the recruiting dead period started and it will last through Jan. 3, 2013. During this time, coaches aren’t allowed to meet in-person with recruits or commits. Prospects are allowed to visits campuses for bowl practices at this time, but only if it’s open to the public. Also, college coaches can call recruits once a week during the dead period but recruits can call prospective coaches anytime.
It’s a bit of a break and recruiting news might slow a bit during this time. So here’s the good, the bad and what you can expect over the few weeks.
THE GOOD
Michigan got a few big targets on campus right before the dead period. It was a big deal having officials from Leon McQuay III and Derrick Green this fall, but it was even bigger to have linebacker Marcus Ball on campus the weekend before the dead period. Yes, he’s committed to Wisconsin, but now he has an entire dead period to contemplate his decision with his most recent memory being that of his weekend in Ann Arbor. Plus, Ball won’t be able to meet new Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen until Jan. 3.
Gives prospects a break. I know everyone likes to read about the news in the recruiting cycle during their lunch breaks or after dinner, but for these prospects it’s pretty much a 24/7 thing. This time gives them a bit of a break to relax, be a teenager and focus on high school. If they’re playing a winter sport, all the better. From a recruiting perspective, this is important because it helps to decrease the possibility of burnout as the recruiting period dies down. When recruits can visit again they’ll be more excited after having had a break.
THE BAD
Can’t seal the deal with the recruits they got on campus late. So, this is the flip side of the first pro. Yes, it was great to get Ball on campus. But, wouldn’t it have been even better to follow that up with an in-home visit from Greg Mattison and Brady Hoke the following weekend? Can’t happen now. They’ll still have some phone conversations but no face-to-face time, which is where the Michigan coaches really excel.
Laquon Treadwell is looking like a slim shot. Treadwell has seemed to be slipping out of Michigan’s grasp for quite a while, but now with Ole Miss in the lead and a nice visit to Oklahoma the Wolverines seem to be further behind than ever. He has put off his Ann Arbor visit a few times, so whether that happens during the contact period after Jan. 3 but before signing day, we’ll see. But, the dead period isn’t going to be any kind of help for the Wolverines when it comes to the No. 1 wide receiver.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Not a whole lot. Don’t expect many, if any, commitments during this period. It’s possible, but questions will arise during this time and without the ability to consult those issues with the different coaching staffs in real conversations, prospects probably won’t jump on board right away. Now, that being said, it’s not completely out of the question. With so much time to dwell on the decision, players might feel the time is right.