Shaw decries early signing period

There’s a big new wrinkle in college football recruiting this year — an early signing period, Dec. 20-22. Stanford head coach David Shaw didn’t like it when it was enacted in the spring, and he likes it even less now.

“We’re just scratching the surface of the issues we’re going to have to navigate,” he said. “I don’t think in the long run it’s going to be good for college football.”

Most of Stanford’s recruits won’t learn if they’re admitted until January, before the regular signing day of Feb. 7. Because of the early signing date, many of them are in a bit of a pickle.

“It’s a tough decision for guys who can sign early somewhere else in December or wait for Stanford,” Shaw said. Some coaches are “putting pressure on kids to sign early. That wasn’t the intent of the rule at all. It was to give (the players) the option.”

Stanford, which typically admits candidates late in the cycle after a long application process, could be hurt because some prospects won’t want to wait. Shaw has called the early signing date “catastrophic.” And coaches who think an earlier signing period will mean they won’t have to recruit as long “are kidding themselves.”

Only 10 players have given Stanford verbal commitments, according to the recruiting services. By contrast, according to Rivals, Oregon has 24 verbal commitments, Washington State 22 and UCLA 19.

Three of Stanford’s commits merit four stars from Rivals and Scout: quarterback Jack West of Saraland, Ala.; wide receiver Michael Wilson of West Hills (Los Angeles County) and defensive tackle Thomas Booker of Baltimore. Booker would be the third Cardinal player in two years from the Gilman School in Baltimore, joining offensive tackle Devery Hamilton and running back Dorian Maddox.