This Wednesday April 20th marks the end of the NCAA spring signing period. All official Letters of Intents must be signed by Midnight of the 20th. Signees do not necessarily have to be announced by that date only signed. In some case it could take a few days for all the paper work to be verified, and as always coaches really do not have to announce signees until they feel like it. By the same token there is nothing to prevent an athlete from announcing it themselves. Another thing to keep in mind is that a coach can not announce or comment on a recruit until all paper work has been verified.
After the 20th of April a school still can sign athletes, for the 2009-10 season, but not to an official “Letter of Intent”. What ever document the school and athlete signs, it will spell out the conditions of the scholarship aid, and often times, it follows the format of the letter of intent documentation. Aid can also be offered by promise if the student shows up in the fall. The major difference in the two forms is that a LOI binds the school and the athlete. An agreement signed after April 20th only binds the school to the conditions outlined in the agreement. An athlete can change his mind and accept any other offer, up until that student athlete shows up for classes. This includes summer classes.
This is where I believe the four Montana D-1 programs stand.
Montana State Men: Brad Huse has said that he believes he is done barring any surprises. I think there is an outside chance that the Bobcats will sign another player. It would depend on what position they might lose. I also have heard that the Cats feel very good about their 2010 recruiting prospects so want to make sure they keep have 3-4 scholarships for next year.
Montana State Women: Tricia Binford has stated that she also is done. Binford still has one open scholarship, but with 7 new comers next year (eight if you count redshirt transfer Jannette Jackson), I think they have enough to work into the program and besides Binford and her staff has never signed all of their scholarships since she has been at MSU. The one way I could see them signing a player could be a transfer who would have to sit out, and it would most likely be a player too good to pass up.
Montana Men’s:Who knows what they are planning. All of my Missoula Griz buddies are telling me over and over that no Griz players will be leaving this fall – and my buddies would neeeeeever try to pull the wool over my eyes. The people I talk to out side of Montana tell me the Griz are looking hard at point guards for next year, both JC and some high school. My friends from Washington say if the Griz sign a JC point, to go along with Cherry, a current player or two will not be happy. There are 2-3 JC points that I hear the Griz were looking at who have signed elsewhere. There are a couple points, (Tibbs and Bennant) who the Griz were said to be looking at that appear to be unsigned currently.
Lady Griz:The question was posed to me a few weeks back “Do you think the Lady Griz will save a few scholarships this spring so they can use them next year on the bumper crop of Montana high school prospect?”. At the time I said that in Robin’s 30 plus years at UM he has never, not tried to fill all of his scholarships, and besides he will have 3 available anyway. It was promptly pointed out to me that until last year Robins had not recruiting a JC player in close to 30 years. The more and more I talk to folks that may be what he is doing. Still though, I find it hard to believe that that a freshman based program like the Griz will not be signing a point this year. They have only two points on the roster next year and one will graduate after next year, and the other is a freshman coming off a serious injury. Hildal will walk-on, but if the Lady Griz felt she was good enough to contribute by 2010-11 would not they offer her one of their two open scholarships. It makes you think that
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