Published Dec 3, 2024
New rule changes already changing football recruiting, roster numbers
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Jon Kirby  •  JayhawkSlant
Publisher- Football Editor
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In the past when the regular season ended, members of the Kansas coaching staff would be going from airport to airport flying around the country to see recruits. But that will be a new change for the coaches starting this week.

The NCAA passed a rule that keeps the coaches off the road until January. Leipold was asked how that could effect recruiting compared to the past.

“To be determined,” he said. “I guess it's kind of different. You know, it's going to be unique because the portal is going to be open. And that part, as we continue to work on a better recruiting calendar and a complete schedule for college football, it'll be unique in that regard as far as signing day and all the things that goes around with it.”

The early signing period has been moved up and will be tomorrow (Dec. 4), which is two weeks earlier. In the past recruits could have taken official visits the first two weeks in December.

“But as we continue to see things get sped up more and more, I think it'll be fine,” Leipold said. “As always, you want to maintain and make sure your current roster is where it needs to be. So, we'll see as we go. But it will be different, that's for sure.”

One advantage that could give coaches is being in the office this month when the transfer portal window opens. Usually, they are on the road recruiting and communicate with staff who are back in Lawrence how the portal is progressing.

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New limits will make roster management difficult, take away opportunities

Another rule change that will affect recruiting and roster management is the new limits set by the NCAA.

This summer the NCAA released sweeping changes for every sport capping roster sizes. Several sports will face a challenge meeting the new requirements and football will be one affected the most.

Right now, KU carries over 120 players on their roster and before the start of the 2025 season they must trim that number to 105. There are several programs who have more than Kansas, and some with over 130 on their rosters.

What his means is cutting walk-on players to make room for the new limit. Leipold is not a fan of the new rule change.

“The roster reduction is obviously something that we're not excited about as far as opportunities within the program, you know, with walk-ons,” he said. “Players that have been here paying their own way have been great contributors and is really kind of a nice part of college football.”

They are going to have to inform several players they no longer have a spot on the team. These are players who are not on scholarship. It will also cause them to cut back on the number of walk-ons they can bring in.

“We have to look at, and as we've continued with Rob Ianello and our player personnel department, and recruiting department has worked on this through the fall on different things,” Leipold said. “And we look at what our numbers will be, how that's going to affect our practice model. One thing that we've talked about a lot in here, and how much we like our practice model and what it's done for player development, but that'll be affected. So, there'll be some changes as we go through this.”