The 2016 college football recruiting trail reaches its conclusion Feb. 3, when national signing day developments seal the fate for programs' futures. Now four months shy of the annual event, this cycle is beginning to enter its most crucial stretch.
Official visits throughout the season and into the winter will dramatically alter the recruiting landscape that currently lies before us. Decommitments, last-minute campus trips and signing-day surprises are simply a part of the process, as verbal pledges hang in the balance until letters of intent are delivered.
We've come to expect craziness on and off the field as autumn progresses, forcing coaching staffs to juggle duties as game managers and recruiters.