1. Steps forward, steps back, and steps in who knows what direction.

Late last week, the NCAA again extended the recruiting dead period another month, this time eliminating August as a month for potential visits or evaluation by either prospect or coaches.

Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!

August usually is a dead period anyhow. But without visits since mid-March, football prospects had their hopes up to at least gain the option of checking out schools before their season, if possible. And basketball prospects lost the proposed opportunity for coaches to travel and observe them play in competitions in-person.

For the first time since the pandemic hit, we can say prospects and those around them this past week conveyed a tone of strong uncertainty as to what lies ahead.