No more eyeballs for the time being or something like that.
Earlier on Friday, the NCAA established a new NCAA recruiting dead period that extends through “at least” April 15 and will reevaluate the situation then. The current recruiting period is a quiet period* through April 14 before the in-person spring evaluation period from April 15 through May 30.
The NCAA has established a temporary recruiting dead period for all Division I sports through "at least" April 15, per source.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) March 13, 2020
Oklahoma football has responded, with Annie Hanson, the assistant athletic director and recruiting strategy, administrative engagement for the program, announcing that the Sooners have ceased on-and-off campus recruiting through the end of the dead period.
The @NCAA established a recruiting dead period from 3/13-4/15.
As a result, our staff must cease all on/off-campus recruiting activity (no evaluations, contacts, unofficial or official visits).
We will continue to recruit via phone and hope to begin all other activity on 4/15!
— Annie Hanson (@AnnieHanson_) March 13, 2020
Hanson reminds everyone that they can still contact recruits via texting or direct messages on Twitter until the dead period is over. The Oklahoma Athletics’ compliance department has also tweeted out its response to the new NCAA mandated dead period.
There's a recruiting dead period from today until April 15 for ALL SPORTS. All coaching staff members must cease all on-campus and off-campus recruiting activities. It remains permissible to communicate with PSA's by telephone or correspondence when permitted by NCAA legislation.
— OU Compliance (@OUCompliance) March 13, 2020
Oklahoma football, in the craziest way possible, actually benefits from this. The Sooners hosted three, five-star recruits from the 2021 recruiting class for unofficial visits over the last week in No. 1 quarterback Caleb Williams, No. 1 running back Camar Wheaton and No. 1 offensive guard Bryce Foster before the sports world was shut down. The Sooners are putting themselves in a situation to bring in a haul of elite recruits for the 2021 class.
Sooners Wire will continue to post updates on how the coronavirus is impacting Oklahoma athletics.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
*According to the NCAA’s bylaws for the 2019-20 recruiting calendar, a quiet period is that period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]