The 2016-17 academic year begins on August 1, and with it comes changes in the football recruiting calendar. While it shifts from year to year, it is divided into four periods: the quiet period, evaluation period, dead period, and contact period.
Not sure what those terms mean? That’s OK. The good news? The rules are fairly clear-cut...for the most part. Let’s take a look at a breakdown of this upcoming year's recruiting calendar.
| Date | Coach can visit prospect's school | Coach can visit prospect outside of his school | Prospect can visit university and meet with the coaching staff |
| August 1-November 26, 2016 - Quiet Period | x | ||
| September 1-November 30, 2016 - Evaluation Period (42 days selected by the university) | x | x | |
| November 27-December 11, 2016 - Contact Period* | x | x | x |
| December 12, 2016-January 11, 2017 - Dead Period | |||
| January 12-January 28, 2017 - Contact Period | x | x | x |
| January 29, 2017 - Quiet Period | x | ||
| January 30-February 2, 2017 - Dead Period | |||
| February 3-April 14, 2017 - Quiet Period | x | ||
| April 15-May 31, 2017 - Evaluation Period** | x | x | |
| June 1-25; July 10-July 31, 2017 - Quiet Period | x | ||
| June 26-July 9, 2017 - Dead Period |