once again, it seems the majority of "late" recruits are signing in the first or second cycle of the second session--in Knight all but 1 of the players on my list who were "late" signed by the second cycle of session 2. i don't know if this is everyone's experience, but it has been mine in all worlds, repeatedly.

previously, HD adjusted the distribution of "whatever" recruits--I think we're now overdue for a fix to "late" recruits so they are more evenly spread out over the second session. such an adjustment may also render some of the complaints about coaching changes and EEs moot.

to summarize, the current distribution of "late" recruit signings has a few undesirable effects in my view:

1. it reduces the number of battles for those players by reducing the number of potential coaches involved
2. it creates a couple very slow days in D1 since D1 recruiting is basically over after two cycles in session 2 (as noted in one of the other current topics)
3. it renders it near-impossible for new coaches to sign D1-caliber players starting from scratch. players sign before you can open up recruiting actions. this has the domino effect of handing excess D1-caliber players to D2 teams, potentially offsetting competitive balance at that level.
4. it becomes very difficult to replace unexpected EEs. (in Smith, my Arizona squad had 1 "likely staying" and 1 "not even on the board" go EE. both were guards. I had planned numerous backups and saved $$ to replace a frontcourt player who was "on the fence." he didn't go...but then my guards left. i'm screwed.)
5. it makes transfer students a crapshoot. in Knight, a transfer player I was targeting signed to the first person able to offer a scholarship in cycle 2. that's ridiculous. this player wasn't even available in the first session. (i know someone will say i should have pumped more AP into this guy if i wanted him, i pumped the max AP i had into him and he signed before i could offer the scholarship, so i basically just wasted 2 cycles chasing him).

anyway, just some thoughts on the subject...let's please not turn this into a whole EE debate again!

You are absolutely right hippo, but honestly, the only folks that really care about the late recruit signing distribution are the D1 coaches with EEs and the coaches that are changing jobs. Those 2 groups are really at a disadvantage in the current system.

Spreading out the late folks would help, along with adding more late signers would really help. It's crazy that the top players aren't more interested in late signing when they all want to become EEs.

i generally agree, but, in my opinion, all D1 coaches should care. the transfer I was targeting was from my Ivy League team that had no EEs last season. i just saw a guy i liked better than the guy I had prepared in session 1, but he signed instantly to the first person who offered the scholarship.