Poll: Early signing period - plus or minus?

[karras]

Well, some people we know have been calling for this for quite a while. What's the verdict?

 

[Xerxes]

The early signing day lowers the chances of Iowa getting a gut punch like Higdon a few years ago so I like it and I think it helps pretty much everyone. Everyone knows after the early signing date that 'hey if a guy didn't sign with us when he had the chance, there's obviously a reason so we better not count on him signing with us in February either.'

I realize that Iowa poaches MAC and FCS commits the same way other FBS programs do to Iowa so I'm not claiming Iowa is blameless here.

But the earlier singing day helps everyone, including Iowa, get the brunt of the class put together early and then everyone gets to fight over the leftovers in February. But if you miss some of those targets you're not left holding an empty bag.

 

[BVHawk95]

Definitely helps. It's no secret that Iowa is great at evaluating talent, it's just been unlucky at landing some of the higher rated players. Early signing allows Iowa to lock those guys down, as well as a establish the bulk of their class early so they can be more selective in the later period, as they have done last year and this year. It also allows Iowa to take more serious looks at "late-bloomers" such as Kaevon Merriweather last year, who otherwise might have gone unnoticed by most programs.