When the NCAA is starting to look at ways to make improvements in the way recruiting is handled, there are some sound suggestions, that in this current economy, that need a bit of an attention.

First of all, with the many cuts that are made in all levels of education, the cost of college tuition is soaring, and for that reason, college football programs are now stretched when it comes to paying for visits and everything else that recruiting an athlete includes.

Last year, when it was proposed to have an early signing day at the start of January for three to four days, I was immediately in tune with the idea that would pin down an athlete to make a commitment a month earlier, and in the process, give the college an idea of what players they would or wouldn't have to go after in the last 30 days.

With the amount of money that is now paid to send a student-athlete through four years at any school, the idea of taking some of the pressure off athletic directors and football coaches is a sound idea.

The next thing that needs to be addressed, and perhaps the most important thing for coaches and students, is the amount of exposure the college coaches can have with an athlete. It never made sense that there are any dark periods, especially when the economy dictates that these student athletes need all the exposure possible.

While the NCAA has always maintained that there are enough events that coaches can see athletes, I respectfully disagree. I attend more camps, 7-on-7 events, spring, summer and fall practices and games than anyone I know. Last year alone, I had the pleasure of seeing close to 5,000 athletes in the spring and summer alone. Add in the parts of 100 games that I see from August to December and it's fair to say that I know who is watching -- and of course -- what schools are missing out.

To see grand productions at football facilities throughout the country, where players have the chance to showcase their many talents, and no college coaches watching is truly frustrating. While the NCAA insists that they have to keep control of what is going on, they are hurting the athletes in the process.

RECRUITING SITES

While recruiting fan sites are a nice way to get names out and show highlight clips of athletes, college coaches cannot rely on these sources to do their recruiting. They certainly are not going to listen to someone evaluate a player off the same film clips that everyone in the country has the opportunity to watch. Fan sites are just that. A way to get out information for fans. Any college coach who uses them solely as a recruiting source will be looking for a job every other year.

College coaches need to be included in every event that is held. This past spring, the NCAA took the head coaches out of the mix when it comes to actually getting out and watching the players during May. How fair is that?

Coaches such as FIU's Mario Cristobal, USF's Jim Leavitt and Greg Schiano of Rutgers banked on the opportunity to stand on a campus and talk with parents and coaches. They would go to games and speak with fans, while watching players first hand and not during some evaluation session with coaches going to bat for certain athletes.

Most believe that the more you take away, the temptations to get around these absurd limitations, is more present than ever. All these coaches are trying to do is get the best athletes possible, and the athletes in turn are getting more of a chance to enhance a scholarship, which is getting tougher and tougher.

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