Students beginning their fourth year of high school either must have earned a total of fifteen (15) credits which count toward state high school graduation requirements or a total of five (5) credits which count toward state high school graduation requirements must have been earned during the twelve (12) months preceding the first day of the current school year. 

Students who do not meet the above requirements are academically ineligible for participation the first six (6) weeks of the school year. Grades are checked at the end of the first six (6) weeks and if the students are passing all classes, they could regain academic eligibility after the seven (7) calendar day grace period. 

2023–2024 NCAA DIVISION 1 AND DIVISION 2 

FOOTBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR

Throughout the school year, specific types of contact with college coaches are permitted during certain times at the D1 and D2 level. Layer the 2023-24 NCAA recruiting calendar on top of the recruiting rules to determine what type of contact to expect based on your age and the time of year.

Dead period: During the dead period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with recruits and/or their parents. They are not allowed to talk to recruits at their college campus, the athlete’s school, an athletic camp or even the grocery store.

Division 1 FBS

• Aug. 1–31, 2023

  • Except for: the 48 hours prior to a home game during August and September 1–2 through the 48 hours after the game. This is a quiet period.

• Dec. 18, 2023 – Jan. 11, 2024

  • Except for: the seven days before the first day of classes. This is a quiet period for student-athletes enrolling midyear.

• Feb. 4 – Mar. 3, 2024

• May 26 – 29, 2024

• Jun. 25 – Jul. 24, 2024

Division 1 FCS

• Aug. 1–31, 2023

  • Except for: the 48 hours prior to a home game during August and September 1–2 through the 48 hours after the game. This is a quiet period.

• Nov. 27–30, 2023

• Dec. 18, 2023 – Jan. 11, 2024

  • Except for: the seven days before the first day of classes. This is a quiet period for student-athletes enrolling midyear.

Division 2

• Dec. 18 (7 am) – Dec. 20 (7 am), 2023 (only for two-year prospective athletes who intend to enroll midyear)

• Jan. 8 – 10, 2024

• Feb. 5 ( 7 am) – Feb. 7 (7 am) 2024

Quiet period: The quiet period is a time you can talk to college coaches in-person on their college campus. However, the coach is not allowed to watch athletes compete in-person, visit their school, talk to them at their home—or talk to them anywhere outside of the college campus.

Division 1 FBS

• Dec. 17, 2023

• Mar. 4 – Apr. 14, 2024

• Jun. 1–23, 2024

• Jul. 25-31, 2024

Division 1 FCS

• During August and September 1–2, 2023: the 48 hours prior to a home game through the 48 hours after the game. This is a quiet period.

• Sept. 1 – Nov. 26, 2023

  • Except for: coaches can take 56 evaluation days during September, October and November.

• Dec. 17, 2023

• The seven days immediately before the first day of classes of the institution’s second academic term.

• Jan. 3 – 7, 2024 for midyear enrollees only

• Mar. 4 – Apr. 14, 2024

• All days in April and May not used for an athletic or academic evaluation are quiet periods.

• May 30 – Jul. 31, 2024

 Division 2

• Jun. 1 through the start of recruit’s first regularly scheduled football practice

• Mar. 12 – May 31, 2024 (except for the four weeks treated as part of the evaluation period)

Evaluation period: This is a specific time of year when college coaches are allowed to watch an athlete compete in person or visit their school. However, coaches are not allowed to communicate with that athlete (or their parents) off the college campus. 

Division 1 FBS and FCS

• Sep. 1 – Nov. 26, 2023

Division 2

• During the recruit’s high school or two-year college football season, based on the first regularly scheduled practice before the start of the regular season

• Nov. 1 – Nov. 26, 2023

• Apr. 15 – May 31, 2024 (the four weeks each member school designates as an evaluation period, excluding Memorial Day and Sundays)

Contact period: The NCAA contact period is exactly what it sounds like—all communication between athletes and coaches is fair game. In other words, the communication floodgates are open, so take advantage of this opportunity to get unlimited access to coaches.

Division 1 FBS and FCS

• Dec. 1 – 16, 2023

• Jan. 12 – Feb 3, 2024 (National Service Academies only)

• Apr. 15 – May 25, 2024

Division 2

• For two-year college (junior college) prospects, the period from the conclusion of their last college football game through Nov. 26, 2023 is a contact period

• Nov. 27, 2023 – Mar. 11, 2024

  • Except for: the dates part of the dead period

What does committing mean? You can verbally commit to a college at any time during high school but it’s non-binding for both you and the school, meaning that you haven’t signed or can’t sign with that college yet. The only time your commitment is binding is when you sign a commitment accompanied by some sort of financial aid agreement.