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With preseason camps starting in less than a month from now, we will look at the NCAA preseason practice schedule. A member institution shall not commence official preseason football practice sessions, for the varsity, junior varsity or freshman team, prior to the date that will permit a maximum of 40 units (see Bylaw 17.02.11) prior to its first scheduled intercollegiate game. During the preseason practice period, institutions may not engage in more than 29 on-field practice sessions.

If you are interested in knowing what bylaw 17.02.11 says about a “unit”, read the paragraph below, and if you can decipher it, please let me know.

17.02.11 Practice Units. In determining the first permissible preseason practice date, an institution shall count back from its first scheduled contest, one unit for each day beginning with the opening of classes, one unit for each day classes are not in session in the week of the first scheduled intercollegiate contest and two units for each other day in the preseason practice period, except that the institution shall not count any units during the preseason when all institutional dormitories are closed, the institution’s team must leave campus, and practice is not conducted.

A member institution shall limit its organized practice activities, the length of its playing seasons and the number of its regular-season contests and/or dates of competition in all sports, as well as the extent of its participation in non collegiate-sponsored athletics activities, to minimize interference with the academic programs of its student-athletes. The Committee on Academic Performance shall have the authority to determine the circumstances which would require an institution or team(s)that fails to satisfy the academic performance program to apply additional playing and practice seasons limitations.

There are all kinds of exceptions listed in the manual for the preseason practice schedule, so you can read them here.

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