… an early signing period for football. Weird, I know, that it’s not expansion preparation around the clock, but it’s true. Already the Big Ten (surprise, surprise) is pushing for the early signing period. The Conference USA membership voted to approve and the ACC is getting in line. It’s probably going to happen and sooner rather than later.

Why? I’m not sure.

I look at basketball, which has an early signing period. Apples and oranges, I know, but still both fruits. The seasons are of similar length and they have the same problems that make early signing somewhat shaky: Coaching changes, roster changes, conference affiliation (!), etc.

Apparently basketball’s signing period — at least in premise — is a pointed-to example for the football model, which, again, is fine. They’re similar enough, though one fundamental difference does exist. Football proposes an early signing period in December at the end of the regular season in addition to the existing one in February-March. End of the season, two months after the end of the season. Basketball has one in November and then one in April-May. Before the season, after the season.

Big difference … although a lot of the unifying problems that occur between basketball’s dates occur between fotball’s dates.  

But the urgency of basketball’s signing period is perhaps fading. This April four of the top eight players and seven of the top 21 in the Rivals.com top 25 were unsigned. They waited to find the right spot and, largely because of roster changes and available scholarships, to say nothing of making sure a coach was in place and a school was properly positioned, those seven ended up at Kansas, Kentuck, Texas and North Carolina State. You say N.C. State doesn’t belong and I say, “Sure,” but the coach was in hot water and  his recuits waited until they knew he returned. If Sidney Lowe was cooked in that hot water, those kids were going to end up at somewhere else and, presubably, somewhere “better.”

So more and more players wait to be safe and players see it’s smart to wait. And WVU offers some pretty good examples in Darrious Curry, Kyle Cain and Elijah Macon.