Greg Sankey wants to end December signing period

The college football calendar is not sustainable. Most notably, things get unnecessarily chaotic in December. Championship weekend, bowl games, coaching carousel, transfer portal, and the early signing period all happen in the final month of the year. Everyone seems to agree that the current model is not sustainable.

“Things are adjusting. Things are changing. I was voting for the early signing period. Now this month is so crazy, I don’t know,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops told reporters after this year’s early signing period. “I think we just got to get together and have some great leadership and some discussions about how to improve this process.”

“All the coaches, whether it’s Power Five, the calendar, looking at how everything falls. Or adjust it. I don’t know. I don’t have all the answers. I’m holding onto my own you know what.”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey appears to agree. The most powerful person in college athletics spoke to The Athletic this week and believes there needs to be changes to the college football calendar.

“We’re crushing coaches in December,” Sankey told Nicole Auerbach. “We’re going to add Playoff games (in December). We have to change early signing.”

This offseason was the first time that college football added the transfer portal windows to the equation. From Dec. 5 to Jan. 18, players have the option to become a free agent. That has caused a ripple effect. Programs are making coaching changes faster and those searches are being rushed in a fear of falling behind in recruiting.

Now the sport will be adding playoff games to December. Starting in 2024, there will be a 12-team college football playoff that will include multiple rounds in December. It sounds like college football leaders do not want the signing period to interfere with that.

“We have to change December and college football to support the health of our participants and our leaders — and conduct the games,” said Sankey.

Sankey would like for the singing period to happen later in the calendar once college football gets through its coaching changes and finishes the postseason. There could also be alterations coming to the transfer portal process.

Expect a new calendar before the 12-team playoff era begins in 2024. The December signing day could be on its last legs.