Here’s what families need to know about February NCAA and NJCAA football signing dates for high school and junior college recruits: February 4, 2026 - NCAA Division I and II football programs begin their “regular” signing period for athletic scholarship agreements with both high school and junior college recruits. - (Note: Division I had its “early” signing period in December, and both Divisions had a December period for junior college signings.) February 5, 2026 - High school football recruits may begin signing an NJCAA Letter of Intent (LOI). Important Scholarship Reminder - NCAA Division I programs may or may not offer a multi-year scholarship. - Division II and NJCAA scholarships are issued for one year only, subject to renewal. - Always carefully review the terms and conditions of any scholarship agreement before signing. A Few FAQ's: Q: Can my athlete wait to sign later in the spring?Yes. The regular signing period remains open beyond February, but roster spots and scholarship money may become limited. Q: Is a verbal commitment binding?No. Only a signed scholarship agreement (NCAA) or LOI (NJCAA) is binding. Q: Can an athlete negotiate scholarship terms?Sometimes. It depends on the program and circumstances, but families should understand what is being offered before accepting. Q: Does signing lock my athlete into staying at that school?Signing creates an agreement for that academic year, but transfer rules still apply if an athlete later chooses to move. _ _ _ Source: Rick Allen at Informed Athlete

Under terms of the landmark House settlement, which received final approval last summer and paved the way for the foundation of the CSC (College Sports Commission), third-party NIL deals* worth more than $600 must be reported to the NIL Go clearinghouse. "What's a 3rd Party Deal," you ask? A 3rd PARTY DEAL is a contractual agreement where a college athlete (that's you) receives compensation — money, products, or services — from an entity outside the university (i.e., brands, boosters, collectives) in exchange for using your name, image, and likeness for marketing, endorsements, or appearances 3rd Party Deals are independent of the school (though they must follow NCAA and state regulations.) Such as... - Purpose: Compensation must be for a valid business purpose (i.e., social media posts, endorsements, autographs) and not a direct "pay-for-play" inducement — although that boundary is often blurred by "collectives". - Market Value: Deals must reflect fair market value for the services provided. - Restrictions: You can't endorse gambling, tobacco, and X-rated stuff. - Reporting: Deals exceeding $600 (see above) must be reported to the school and the CSC to ensure transparency. - Independence: These payments do not count toward the NCAA-mandated revenue sharing cap between schools and athletes.  Common examples include NIL collectives paying athletes to promote local businesses, signing autographs at corporate events, or social media partnerships.

In this new era of NIL money and an NCAA that is desperate to stay relevant, navigating the D1 football marketplace can be brutal, if not insane. Star players get paid as much as the pros — because they ARE pros. Only the rules haven't adjusted yet to make it fair for players, colleges, coaches and fans. Apparently keeping your promises doesn't hold much weight anymore. BUT IT WILL FOR YOU — A KICKER or PUNTER. As crucial as you are to your team, to D1 P4 programs, you don't rate the same treatment. Were you in Darian Mensah's shoes (see the story recap below), you would not be moving on to Miami after one season, breaking your "commitment" to Duke. HERE'S MY ADVICE: The point is... you should want to PLAY in college over a 4 year commitment. You're likely to redshirt your first year. Find a program (not just a coach) that you like and respect — he may be choose to leave. Better yet, find a school that you like and respect — where you'll meet 5 friends for life. Know that half the guys who go into the Portal, NEVER play football again. Consider your options carefully. D1 - D2 - D3 - NAIA - JUCO - PORTAL YOU CAN ALWAYS DM me. 💬 _ _ _ _ DUKE AND QB DARIAN MENSAH REACHED A SETTLEMENT ...that formalizes his transfer to Miami. He just transferred this past year to Duke with an $8MM / 2-year agreement from Tulane. Now he's off to Miami for $4MM 1-year deal. (That's 3 schools in 3 years). What are the odds that in 2027 he'll transfer yet again? NFL guys have a binding contract. You don't get out of it without some serious repercussions. That's what the NFL owners and Players Union have agreed to. There isn't anything really in place yet, for colleges. It's still very much "the WILD WILD WEST."

NCAA Division I Football Transfer Portal Dates The NCAA Division I Football Transfer Portal (FBS and FCS) is currently open for two weeks: January 2–16, 2026. If you are still looking to transfer, you're running out of time. See your school's compliance officer for more info. NOTE: Division II and Division III student-athletes do not have specific windows during which they must enter the Transfer Portal. You should still see who heads up your NCAA compliance (perhaps your AD) if you're interested in changing schools. You'd hate to take steps that have you ineligible to play next season.

27-21 in a really hard fought game. Who could ever believe the turn-around that Coach Cignetti and his Hoosier team have performed in the past two years...(27-2), prior to Cignetti, they had just 2 winning seasons in the past 30 years! HIGH SCHOOLERS, understand this... because he won so quickly, the pressure on EVERY other football program to win quickly means that the "ante has been upped" for their programs to win right away, as well. How did he do it, primarily through the TRANSFER PORTAL. 13 guys came WITH him from James Madison in 2024 and he got 17 more transfers this past year to build this championship team. If you're interested to PLAY in college, we need to talk.* *Good thing you have direct access to Coach Farley — just DM me in KICKING SKOOL. _ _ _ KICKING HIGHLIGHTS: 00:09 Indiana Kickoff (Nico Radicic) 00:37 Indiana 34-yd FG (Nico Radicic) 01:44 Miami blocked punt (Dylan Joyce) - watch #87 wiff his block) 04:05 Indiana 35-yd FG (Nico Radicic)