Early signing period poses a new challenge

Applewhite hoping to secure the bulk of recruiting class in December cycle

The leis given upon leaving the plane still will be fresh when recruiting paperwork begins to come into the University of Houston football offices Dec. 20.

A new early signing period and a trip to the Hawaii Bowl come with some logistical challenges. UH is scheduled to land in Honolulu between 1-2 a.m., which, given the four-hour time difference, means some recruits will be making pledges official about the time the buses pull up to the team hotel.

While players will go to bed, coach Major Applewhite said coaches will stay awake and coordinate with the recruiting and compliance staffs back in Houston.

“Just to make sure we have all bases covered,” Applewhite said. “That’s just a new twist to the December signing (period) and bowl games.”

Ranked 62nd

For the first time this year, recruits can take advantage of the early signing period that begins Dec. 20 and lasts for 72 hours. At that time, recruits will have the opportunity to end the process and submit their national letter of intent.

Since the end of the regular season, Applewhite and his staff have been visiting players on UH’s 21-member class.

An early indication, Applewhite said, is a majority of the commitments plan to sign early instead of waiting for the Feb. 7 national signing day.

“The response on the road from players and families has been outstanding,” Applewhite said. “They have been very strong about their commitments and desire to play at the University of Houston.”

The Cougars’ recruiting class is ranked 62nd nationally, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. UH is fourth in the American Athletic Conference behind Central Florida, Cincinnati and South Florida.

One reason for the push to get recruits to sign during the early period is to take away some of the drama as schools try to flip commitments during the final few weekends in January. That was the case last year when three commitments decided to follow former coach Tom Herman to Texas and two others switched commitments in the final week.

Of the 12 commitments who responded to inquiries by the Houston Chronicle, a majority said they plan to sign during the early period.

A few took to Twitter this week to reaffirm pledges.

“I’m a Houston Coog. Not interested,” Spring defensive end/outside linebacker Willie Smith wrote, adding a lock emoji for good measure.

“I’m still 100% committed to UH,” Fort Bend Marshall wide receiver Henry Thomas wrote.

Applewhite said Dec. 20 is “when the rubber meets the road whether somebody is serious about (the commitment) or not.”

“You’ll know,” Applewhite said. “It’s kind of like the first round of the (NFL) draft. You know who’s on the board, you know who’s off the board. What you want to do is, obviously, if you have 25 you love and they love you, you want to get it signed and done in December.”

Focus on the future

By wrapping up in December, Applewhite said that allows the coaching staff to hit the road in January — at a time they would normally have to solidify this year’s group — and start working on the 2019 class.

Before leaving for Hawaii, the Cougars will host official visits the next two weekends, including this weekend when nearly two dozen are expected to be in town. The group includes undecided Lawrence Keys, a wide receiver from New Orleans, and Butte College (Oroville, Calif.) linebacker Lakiem Williams and Mesa (Ariz.) Community College safety Gleson Sprewell.

“(The new signing period) doesn’t change how you are selling your program or how you are recruiting,” Applewhite said. “It changes just the calendar part of it.”

Or your alarm clock if you happen to be in Hawaii.