NCAA Football Recruiting Calendars 2021/2022 [Simplified]

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE THE NEW 2022-2023 NCAA FOOTBALL RECRUITING CALENDARS

Last updated on December 22, 2021.

The information herein is a simplified presentation of important dates and terms encountered during the college football recruiting process. The official class of 2022 NCAA football calendars can be viewed by clicking on the PDF links below:

Class of 2022 NCAA FBS Recruiting Calendar Dates (Simplified)

For more detailed explanations for terms used see the Definitions (simplified) section.

August 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021, is a Dead Period.
except for: Forty-eight hours before a home contest (on the institution’s campus or in a facility normally used for its home games) that occurs in August or on September 1 or 2 through 48 hours after the conclusion of the contest:
September 1, 2021, through November 27, 2021, is a Quiet Period except for the Evaluation Period noted below:

The NCAA allows colleges 56 evaluation days (68 for U.S. service academies) evaluation days (see Bylaw 13.02.7.2) during the months of September October and November selected at the discretion of the institution; authorized off-campus recruiters shall not visit a prospective student athlete’s educational institution on more than one calendar day during this period::

November 28, 2021, through January 28, 2022, is a Contact Period except for the bulleted dates listed below:

Six (6) in-person, off-campus contacts per prospective student-athlete shall be permitted during this time period with not more than one permitted in any one calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) or partial calendar week.

December 12, 2021, is a Quiet Period.
December 13, 2021, through January 13, 2022, is a Dead Period except for:

The seven days immediately before the first day of classes of the institution’s second academic term that are not part of the contact period (applicable only to
prospective student-athletes who intend to enroll midyear):

December 12, 2021, through December 18, 2021, is a Contact Period for National service Academies.
January 7, 2022, through January 8, 2022, is a Quiet Period for the National Service Academies.
January 30, 2022, is a Quiet Period.
January 31, 2022, through February 28, 2022, is a Dead Period.

Class of 2023 Recruiting Begins

March 1, 2022, through April 14, 2022, is a Quiet Period.
April 15, 2022, through May 31, 2022, is the Evaluation Period.

One hundred sixty-eight evaluation days [216 for U.S. service academies (see Bylaw 13.02.7.2) excluding Memorial Day and Sundays selected at the discretion of the member institution as provided below:

An authorized off-campus recruiter may use one evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s athletics ability and one evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s academic qualifications during this evaluation period. If an institution’s coaching staff member conducts both an athletics
and an academic evaluation of a prospective student-athlete on the same day during this evaluation period, the institution shall be charged with the use of an academics evaluation only and shall be permitted to conduct a second athletics evaluation of the prospective student-athlete on a separate day during this evaluation period.

Those days in April and May not selected as an Evaluation Period are deemed a Quiet Period.

June 1, 2022, through July 31, 2022, is a Quiet Period except for June 27 through July 24, 2022, which is a Dead Period.

NCAA Football Recruiting Definitions (simplified)

Contact Period — It’s permissible for authorized athletic department staff members to make in-person and off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations. College coaches are allowed to visit recruits off campus (at their high school or home). Coaches can make only one visit per week to individual recruits and are permitted to make one phone call per week to a recruit during this period.

Quiet Period — Recruits can visit with college coaches but only at those college campuses. Also, during the month of September, October, or November, coaches are permitted to make one in-person off-campus visit to a recruit (at their high schools or at an athletic event) (colleges are allowed a total of 42 days of evaluation time during this period).

Dead Period — Coaches are not permitted to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off-campus or permit official or unofficial visits by recruits or make phone calls to recruits.

Evaluation Period — It’s permissible for authorized athletics department staff to be involved in off-campus activities to assess academic qualifications and playing abilities. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospect are permitted during these evaluations: the college coaches are only allowed to attend athletic events and/or the prospect’s school and talk to the high school coaches and school administrators but they are not allowed to speak to the recruit during one of these visits except to say “hello.” Colleges are allowed a total of approximately 168 days each year to conduct evaluations for all of their prospective recruits.

Early Signing Period — A short period of time, in mid-December, when the NCAA allows senior high school student-athletes to sign their Letter of Intent earlier than the beginning of the National Letter of Intent Signing Day in February.

Answers to FAQ

When Can a College Football Coach Start Calling Recruits and How Many Times?

PHONE CALLS

First Permitted Phone Call to a Recruit: FBS (D1 ) football coaches can make one phone call to a prospect from April 15 through May 31st of his junior year. Additional calls to the prospect and/or to his parent/guardian or relatives may not be made until September 1st of his senior year.

Beginning September 1 of a prospect’s senior year, college coaches can begin calling a recruit, but they are forbidden to call a single recruit more than once per week. Coaches can make no calls to recruits during dead periods.

When Can a College Football Coach Start Sending Letters and Emails?

CORRESPONDENCE

Colleges can send prospects’ non-athletic program information such as college summer camp brochures, newsletters, recruiting questionnaires, and educational information about their schools at any time. However, college coaches cannot begin sending personal correspondence to a recruit until September 1st of his junior year.

When Can a Prospect or Parent/Guardian Contact College Coaches?

Recruiting prospects and/or their parent/guardian are allowed to make phone calls or send correspondence to college coaches at any time.

When is the First Time an NCAA Football Program Can Make a Scholarship Offer to a Prospect?

NCAA schools cannot make an official offer to a prospect until June 15—after his sophomore year—or on (or anytime after) September 1 of his junior year.

To Learn More About the Football Recruiting Process, View the following links:

How to Manage the College Football Recruiting Process

Do I Need to Make a Highlight Video?

Odds of Playing College Football