In recruiting can you offer 1 year eliglbles minutes, starts etc without losing anything?  Not like they can transfer if they don't start or you don't give them the minutes, since they are graduating.  Is this a common strategy?  Thanks

Yes, you can offer him the moon and he will still play for you. His WE may drop during the season but odds are you didn't sign him for his potential.

I've often wondered if such a tactic affects your reputation...though it's still not clear to me how big an effect anything less than "spotless reputation" has during recruiting.

Yeah just signed him to fill the spot for carry over money.  He isn't terrible (for DII) but won't see any quality time for me (DI) even though I offered him minutes.  Hope it doesn't affect reputation but he will be graduating so I can't imagine how it could.  Thanks for the confirmation mjp8.   

I've never seen it effect my rep. I've recruited plenty of Sr transfers,promised them starts and minutes then barely played them at all and have always had a spotless rep

I've actually never even seen the Sr's complain, I think they just get it since they can't threaten to leave.

good to know mjp, thx

That is probably a flaw in the game in fact, but one there is no reason to not take advantage of. In real life if you were always recruiting transfers and promising them things you had no intention of fulfilling it would hurt you as much as doing it to freshmen. Even if the guy didn't transfer b/c he was a SR other transfers would find out and not come play for you.

I'm assuming the game is programmed in a way that just doesn't have that kind of scenario set up for a player with 0 years left which is why you don't even get a complaint email. (at least I never have)