Division I removes some restrictions on countable coaches in football - NCAA.org (2024)

Division I removes some restrictions on countable coaches in football - NCAA.org (1)

Media Center Meghan Durham Wright

Basketball Oversight Committees also implement changes to playing seasons, recruiting rules

The Division I Council on Tuesday approved a rule change adopted by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committees to permit any staff member to provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes. The decision is not final until the meeting concludes Wednesday.

The change would be effective immediately. Moving forward, any staff member may provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes during practice and competition.

The proposal does not change the number of off-campus recruiters. FBS teams remain limited to up to 11 staff members and FCS teams remain limited to 13 staff members who may participate in off-campus recruiting activities. National service academies are permitted an additional four off-campus recruiters. Both subdivisions must include the head coach as an off-campus recruiter, and only staff members who regularly engage in on-campus coaching activities with student-athletes can be counted as off-campus recruiters.

FBS programs also remain able to have up to four graduate student coaches and no more than five strength and conditioning coaches. Limits for student assistant coaches will be the same as the number of permissible off-campus recruiters for a football program.

"NCAA members continue efforts to modernize support for student-athletes, and removing restrictions on skill instruction in football will provide those student-athletes with increased resources to achieve their greatest on-field potential," said Josh Whitman, chair of the council and athletics director at Illinois. "At the same time, the council determined that maintaining limits on recruiting personnel will preserve competitive balance in recruiting while also localizing decision-making around how best to maximize support for student-athletes."

Cannabis testing

The council voted to remove cannabinoids from the banned drug class for championships and postseason participation in football, effective immediately.

"The NCAA drug testing program is intended to focus on integrity of competition, and cannabis products do not provide a competitive advantage," Whitman said. "The council's focus is on policies centered on student-athlete health and well-being rather than punishment for cannabis use."

Any penalties currently being served by student-athletes who previously tested positive for cannabinoids will be discontinued.

Official visits in basketball and baseball

The council approved a change by the Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees and the Division I Student-Athlete Experience Committee that removes school restrictions on official visits, effective immediately.

Previously, men's basketball programs were limited to 28 official visits during a two-year rolling period, though for the past two academic years a blanket waiver was issued to provide 35 visits per school. In women's basketball, the previous limit was 24 official visits during a two-year rolling average with a blanket waiver in place the past years with a limit of 30 official visits. Baseball programs were limited to 25 official visits per year; however, they have also operated under a blanket waiver for the past four academic years allowing 40 official visits per year.

In April 2023, NCAA members voted to allow prospects to take unlimited official visits to NCAA schools but limited them to one official visit per school, unless there is a head coaching change after an official visit, in which case prospects are able to complete a second official visit to the same school.

As a result of recent changes to transfer rules, in addition to the change allowing unlimited visits for prospects, the Basketball Oversight and Student-Athlete Experience Committees agreed that programs should be able to provide as many official visits as they need to maintain rosters year-to-year and avoid roster depletion.

Basketball foreign tours

A rule change adopted by the Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees and approved by the council will allow student-athletes to compete in more than one foreign tour with the same school. Basketball programs are still limited to one foreign tour every four years.

Additionally, the council approved a change adopted by the Women's Basketball Oversight Committee that allows women's basketball programs to compete against another Division I program in one game during a foreign tour. This will provide an opportunity for compelling matchups and a structured, guaranteed game during a tour, which can drive additional international interest in growing the game of women's basketball.

FBS, FCS recruiting calendars

The council approved additional recruiting calendar changes recommended by the FBS and FCS Oversight Committees.Some of the recommendations were made to account for the decision by the Collegiate Commissioners Association, which has authority over the National Letter of Intent program, to move football's early signing date to the first week of December.

In FBS football, changes include:

  • Extending the July dead period. A 31-calendar day dead period beginning July 1 is intended to allow coaches to prepare for the upcoming season without focusing on recruiting.
  • Adding a December quiet period, intended to allow teams to focus on the football postseason and allow on-campus recruiting activities.
  • Extending the January contact period, intended to allow schools the opportunity to recruit high school juniors and four-year college transfers.
  • Adding a quiet period the Sunday before the American Football Coaches Association Convention, to allow coaches to finish campus visits before the AFCA Convention dead period.

In FCS football, changes include:

  • Allowing a 14-calendar day December contact period beginning the Friday after the early signing period, enabling FCS programs to conduct on- and off-campus recruiting activities before the regular signing period and before the NCAA Transfer Portal closes.
  • Adding a three-day quiet period at the conclusion of the December contact period to allow FCS schools to continue to have on-campus recruiting activities at the same time as FBS schools.

Print Friendly Version

Division I removes some restrictions on countable coaches in football - NCAA.org (2024)

FAQs

What is a countable coach? ›

In sports other than football, countable coach is an institutional staff member or any other individual outside the institution (e.g., consultant, professional instructor) with whom the institution has made arrangements who engages in off-campus recruiting activities or provides technical or tactical instruction ...

How to lose NCAA eligibility? ›

You are not eligible for participation in a sport if you have ever: (1) Taken pay, or the promise of pay, for competing in that sport. [Bylaw 12.1. 2] (2) Agreed (orally or in writing) to compete in professional athletics in that sport. (3) Played on any professional athletics team as defined by the NCAA in that sport.

How many coaches can an NCAA team have? ›

The Division I Council has approved a proposal to remove the cap on how many of a program's staffers can do on-field football coaching, while still limiting off-campus recruiting activities to 10 assistants (or 12 in the FCS) plus the head coach.

Can you transfer if your coach leaves? ›

Changes to NCAA D1 transfer rules have made it easier for players to transfer if a coach leaves, but there are still many restrictions and hoops to jump through. We detail the transfer changes here. The decision to transfer schools should not be taken lightly and changing schools can come with many complications.

What is a countable evaluation NCAA? ›

A “countable athletically related activity” is any required activity with an athletics purpose that involves student-athletes and is at the direction of, or supervised by, any member of an institution's coaching staff, including strength and conditioning coaches.

Is coach countable or not? ›

(countable) A coach is a bus or a car of a train with seats for many people. Thomas the Tank Engine was pulling his coaches Annie and Clarabel back into Knapford Station. (countable) A coach is a vehicle pulled by a horse.

How to regain NCAA eligibility? ›

When a school discovers an NCAA rules violation has occurred, it must declare the prospective student-athlete or enrolled student-athlete ineligible and may request their eligibility be reinstated through the Requests/Self Reports Online (RSRO) system.

How many years of NCAA eligibility do I have for D3? ›

Division 3 (D3) schools have a semester-based eligibility clock rather than strict grace periods or a five-year eligibility window. D3 student-athletes have 10 semesters to compete in gameplay, and they can drop out of school and return to finish their 10 semesters at any time.

Can a 30 year old play college football? ›

The NCAA has a rules for everything from the major to the trivial, but it has no age limit for athlete-students. With some exceptions, the young person must enroll in college no later than 12 months after graduating from high school, and then has four years of eligibility. A player may red shirt.

How many hours a week can D2 athletes practice? ›

Bylaw 17: Playing and Practice Seasons

2. A student-athlete's participation in countable athletically related activities shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per day and 20 hours per week during the playing season (Bylaw 17.1. 6.1).

Can a college coach also coach for a club? ›

In sports other than basketball, an institution's coach may be involved in any capacity (e.g., as a participant, administrator or in instructional or coaching activities) in the same sport for a local sports club or organization located in the institution's home community, provided all prospects participating in said ...

How many coaches does the average college football team have? ›

Each team has one head coach. In addition to the head coach, most teams also have at least one offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator; however, the head coach will sometimes assume one of these roles as well.

What can a coach not do? ›

Coaches do not provide advice or guidance to clients. Rather, they help their clients come to their own solutions through a series of tools and techniques. The coaching relationship is more about working together to help the client make the right decisions for them.

What can a coach get fired for? ›

In any termination decision for cause (such as violation of NCAA or high school association rules, commission of a felony, or refusal to follow instructions of a supervisor), if a multiyear employment agreement exists, or the termina¬tion is either for cause or not (dissatisfaction with performance of a team) of a high ...

Can a college coach take back an offer? ›

Since it is non-binding, a verbal commitment can be broken or taken back at any time by either the coach or the player. Read “What It Means to Commit to a School” to learn what student-athletes need to know before, during, and after signing their NLI.

What are two types of coaching? ›

Autocratic coaching could work if you want to reach specific goals and enjoy structure. However, democratic coaching offers more flexibility and can be empowering. Transformational and holistic coaching are popular if you want to practice self-care, change your mindset and address other areas of your life.

What is the difference between a coach and a carriage? ›

The word coach often is used interchangeably with “carriage,” but a coach is generally either a public carriage—such as a stagecoach, Concord coach, mail coach, or the modern railway coach—or an opulent carriage of state.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Edwin Metz

Last Updated:

Views: 5661

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edwin Metz

Birthday: 1997-04-16

Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

Phone: +639107620957

Job: Corporate Banking Technician

Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.