Last week, reports surfaced that the NCAA is considering moving up December’s Early Signing Period and implementing a third signing period in the summer.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Wednesday that NCAA football officials will meet in Indianapolis this week to discuss the calendar change further.
UPDATE: NCAA football officials meeting in Indianapolis this week to discuss calendar change for Signing Day. Here's what they are proposing -- three signing periods: Last Wednesday in June, the Wednesday following the regular season and first Wednesday in February. pic.twitter.com/ckPHuh5bs1
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 28, 2024
Under the proposal, the three signing periods would occur on the last Wednesday in June, the Wednesday following the regular season and the first Wednesday in February. The signing periods in June and December would last either three or seven days, while the signing period in February would run through April 1.
Ohio State general manager Mark Pantoni has long been an advocate of instituting a signing period in the summer and posted his support of the idea on social media. However, Pantoni isn’t thrilled about the concept of a signing period occurring during the week of conference championships.
Been pushing for last week of June signing day for years!
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) February 28, 2024
Signing day during conference championship week = bad idea https://t.co/zYSaK4oWBw
Pantoni publicly suggested a signing period in the summer in February of 2023, offering that it would make things easier for both athletes and coaches.
“Something that I've talked to my colleagues about is potentially like a July 1 signing day,” Pantoni told reporters last year. “It just to me makes sense that you have all these official visits coming into the month of June, and if they're ready to make the decisions then, why can't they just go ahead and sign? At least that clears out another potential group of guys as well.”
Jahkeem Stewart and Dorian Brew to visit OSU in the spring
Two priority targets in separate recruiting classes are set to make spring visits to Ohio State.
Five-star 2025 cornerback Dorian Brew told 247Sports he hopes to return to Columbus sometime this spring after visiting a handful of times this fall for gameday visits. Brew has visited LSU, Texas and USC recently and also hopes to visit Oregon sometime in the next six weeks.
"Ohio State, coach Tim Walton and the guys he coached," Brew told 247Sports of Ohio State. "He was an NFL DB coach, so he knows what he's doing. He played at Ohio State too."
Additionally, five-star 2026 defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart plans to take five spring visits. Stewart, considered the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings, will visit OSU on April 13 for the Buckeyes’ spring game. He’ll also make trips to Texas A&M, Auburn, USC and Oregon.
Ohio State making push for Dakorien Moore
Five-star 2025 wide receiver Dakorien Moore may be committed to LSU, but that hasn’t stopped Brian Hartline and Ohio State from continuing to pursue the Texas prospect.
Per 247Sports, Moore says the Buckeyes, Oregon and Texas continue to push for him in his recruitment.
"Ohio State is back in the mix," Moore told 247Sports. "They are starting to talk to me more. Coach (Brian) Hartline was focused on his class in 2024, but he's starting to come hard."
If Moore schedules a visit to Ohio State, it would certainly be worth monitoring.
Trey McNutt facing one-game suspension for participating in a 7-on-7 competition
Four-star priority Ohio State 2025 safety target Trey McNutt is facing a one-game suspension from the Ohio High School Athletic Association because he competed in a seven-on-seven tournament. No, that’s not a misprint.
Read this. #ForTheKids https://t.co/N0vgeL0uxz
— Trey McNutt (@trey_mcnutt) February 27, 2024
Under OHSAA guidelines, football players are prohibited from playing on non-school teams from Aug. 1 to May 14. McNutt played on the Fast Houston seven-on-seven team at the Battle of Miami in January and also plans to participate in another competition this weekend in Los Angeles.
“I think that the rule is unacceptable,” McNutt told 247Sports of possibly facing a one-game suspension. “It’s taking control of the kids and it feels like it’s stripping basic rights away. How are you going to tell somebody they can’t go and train or play football at all, and at the same time, these other sports they’re able to play AAU and everything, but football can’t do it?
“I’m fighting this rule because it’s generally wrong and it’s for the generations after me.”
Ohio high school coaches and athletes have long advocated for rule changes to allow for seven-on-seven competitions during the spring, but no rule changes have been passed.
