While some college football coaches push for a second, earlier signing period to take some of the pressure off the annual national signing day in early February, Bo Pelini wants to nix signing day altogether -- both of them. The Nebraska coach says he is in favor of allowing recruits, no matter how young, to sign scholarship papers the moment they are offered a scholarship.
"Make the offer] mean something," Pelini said, [according to espn.com. "People will be like, 'Whoa, I've got to take this kid now.' It will slow things down for the kids, for the institutions. There will be less mistakes."
Not that this description is anything new for the hot-tempered Pelini, but he's nuts.
While it might make coaches think twice before offering scholarships to kids so young they don't even own a razor, Pelini's idea would also create a lot more headaches than it would prevent. Specifically, the volume of transfers would shoot sky-high. Ever tried to lock a teenager into a decision and hold one to it for a period of years? Wait and see what happens when a high school football star signs with State U at age 16, then has other ideas by the time he is 18. They'll spend a year at the school they're obligated to, then put themselves back on the market at the first opportunity.
Pelini said signees should have the right to be released from their letters-of-intent in the event of a coaching change, which would certainly help the problem somewhat. But if Pelini believes there won't be a spike in transfers despite that, he's not thinking clearly.
What about the kid who signs with Southern Miss as a junior, only to later learn of offers from Alabama and Georgia? His signature won't stop other schools from at least expressing their interest, and he'll be angling for a release from USM faster than he can say "Golden Eagles."
Make him stick to it, you say?
Just put that into practice, and step back, and see how much damage a discontented freshman can do in a locker room.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
