Luke Montgomery and his family huddled around the computer for two hours in March hoping to learn more about Oklahoma's football program.
Montgomery is a Class of 2023 defensive lineman from Findlay, Ohio, who was utilizing technology as much as possible to try to navigate the recruiting process. College football recruits have been unable to take any type of visit to college campuses since last March, because of an NCAA-created dead period that has been extended through May 31 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roughly 15 coaches and staff members from Oklahoma entertained Luke and his family on Zoom, giving them a virtual visit of the facilities. They did their homework -- they knew what Montgomery liked outside of football, they knew he had played basketball on a LeBron James-led AAU team and put on a full presentation to try to convince him that Oklahoma was a school he should consider.
That use of technology has become the norm for college football coaches and personnel directors who have been unable to see prospects in person for over a year. That could all change very quickly, though, as the NCAA Division I Council is set to vote Thursday on whether the dead period should be lifted.