The NCAA says schools can’t use nicknames to subtweet unsigned recruits

College football coaches are not allowed to discuss recruits until they sign, per NCAA rules, so when they do get new commits, coaches often have sneaky and trademark ways to announce it. Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, for instance, always tweets “YESSIR!”

That’s fine, according to the NCAA, but per Arkansas compliance, the NCAA has decided that using recruits’ nicknames in tweets is not permissible.

There are some obvious examples from assistant coaches at Texas, who seem to really enjoy animal nicknames.

Here’s assistant Christopher Vaughn discussing star linebacker Jeffrey McCullough, who goes by “The Shark.”

And here’s cornerback Eric Cuffee:

Vaughn likes to draw nicknames, too. This is linebacker Dontavious Jackson.

Texas is by no means the only school that does this. Last year, Purdue basketball got a lot of attention for celebrating Caleb “Biggie” Swanigan’s commitment with a picture of Notorious B.I.G.