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NCAA Bans in-Person Recruiting Until April 15 Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

By Michael Luciano

Alabama head coach Nick Saban and the rest of the NCAA won't be able to recruit like normal due to the coronavirus
Alabama head coach Nick Saban and the rest of the NCAA won't be able to recruit like normal due to the coronavirus / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The NCAA has suspended major competitions, including the 2019-20 NCAA basketball tournaments, and their coronavirus-induced panic has forced Mark Emmert to pull the plug on the ever-churning recruiting machine in the name of reducing the spread of the virus.

The NCAA announced that all in-person recruiting will be put on hold until at least April 15.

During what the organization has termed a "dead period", coaches are not allowed to visit recruits or watch any of their games. They can, however, write to those recruits or communicate via phone or video chat.

This could be extremely problematic for 2020 college football recruits, as the deadline to decide on a team is April 1. The basketball deadline for the 2020-21 season is May 20. Considering the NCAA isn't allowing any more visits, there is a chance that they move those deadlines back.

The NCAA is completely shut down as the league tries to prevent the spread of this deadly disease as best they can. If limiting physical contact between coaches and recruits helps slow the spread of COVID-19, than this was the only logical move.