Hi all! In the middle of my first ever recruiting cycle. Watching my guys get snatched up by the big dogs, I keep muttering to myself my mantra, "it is what it is."

I've recently made some good progress on some guys and I'm wondering whether there are any benefits to waiting until later in RS1, or until RS2 before waiting to offer a scholarship to players I'm sure I want to sign. Do I get a bonus on future recruiting cycles by offering that scholarship now?

Similarly, as I think about whether I want to redshirt a player (without the want to play preference), should I offer at the same time I offer the scholarship, before I unlock the scholarship, or wait until I'm closer to having the guy locked up. Would it be wiser to offer the redshirt early so that I can make up for a one-time setback as soon as possible in the recruiting cycle, or is it a rolling penalty that makes each of my future recruiting actions weaker?

Offer the scholarship as soon as it is unlocked. There is zero downside to doing that. And you do seem to get a slight boost on other recruiting actions once the scholarship is offered.

I never inform a player of a redshirt during recruiting. The general consensus is that there is zero upside to doing that. Wait until he signs and you roll over to next season. In general, my observation is that unless he had a "wants to play" preference during recruiting, he'll usually accept the redshirt with no issues at that time. But if he was expecting playing time, he'll take a massive hit to his work ethic. If that happens, you can always remove the redshirt immediately and his WE will be restored. Or, if you're willing to take the hit to WE, you can keep the RS on him (I usually don't).

Thanks! And as for HVs and CVs for D-1 players as a D-3 team? Is there any benefit to waiting to offer these? I’m reading that they count the same as they normally would in terms of recruiting, just the “interest” reads moderate? Should I hold onto them so that I’m not wasting resources on players a D-1 team can easily steal or are there other reasons to think twice about investing money in a player?

As a D3 coach, you won’t be able to sign any D1 recruits until there are only 24 hours left in RS2. So it’s a bad idea to spend any money on them in RS1 as a D1 coach can easily steal them away at any time. Use RS1 to unlock recruiting actions on as many players as you can and to position yourself for RS2. Offer scholarships and playing time promises (but only if they have a “wants to play” preference) during RS1, but save the home and campus visits for RS2.

During the period between RS1 and RS2, evaluate the guys you’ve unlocked, and pick your battles. If a human D1 coach has a scholarship on a recruit, back off. You pretty much have no chance. But D1 SIM coaches are beatable. . . you have to hit them hard at the beginning of RS2. A human might still come in and take him from you, but that’s always a risk when recruiting D1 players from D3.