NCAA Bylaws on Personnel Requirements:
11.7.1 Designation of Coaching Category. [A]
An individual who coaches and either is uncompensated or receives compensation or remuneration of any sort from the institution, even if such compensation or remuneration is not designated for coaching, shall be designated as a head coach, assistant coach, volunteer coach, graduate assistant coach or student assistant coach by certification of the institution.
11.7.1.1 Countable Coach.
An institutional staff member or any other individual outside the institution (e.g., consultant, professional instructor) with whom the institution has made arrangements must count against coaching limits in the applicable sport as soon as the individual participates (in any manner) in any of the following:
(a) Provides technical or tactical instruction related to the sport to a student-athlete at any time;
(b) Makes or assists in making tactical decisions related to the sport during on-court or on-field practice or competition; or
(c) Engages in any off-campus recruiting activities.
11.01.3 Coach, Graduate Assistant -- Bowl Subdivision Football. [FBS]
In bowl subdivision football, a graduate assistant coach is any coach who has received a baccalaureate degree and has either received his or her first baccalaureate degree or has exhausted athletics eligibility (whichever occurs later) within the previous seven years and qualifies for appointment as a graduate assistant under the policies of the institution. The individual is not required to be enrolled in a specific graduate degree program unless required by institutional policy. The following provisions shall apply:
(a) The individual shall be enrolled in at least 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular graduate program of studies, except that during his or her final semester or quarter of the degree program, he or she may be enrolled in less than 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular program, provided he or she is carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements. If the individual fails to complete all degree requirements during the term in which he or she is enrolled in less than 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular program, the result shall be an institutional violation. An institution may appoint a midyear replacement graduate assistant coach who is enrolled in less than 50 percent of the institution’s minimum regular graduate program of studies (or is not yet enrolled), provided the graduate assistant coach has been accepted for enrollment in a graduate program beginning with the next regular academic term;
(b) The individual may not receive compensation or remuneration in excess of the value of a full grant-in-aid for a full-time student, based on the resident status of that individual, and the receipt of four complimentary tickets to the institution’s intercollegiate football and basketball games;
(c) Graduate and postgraduate financial assistance administered outside the institution (e.g., NCAA postgraduate scholarship) shall be excluded from the individual’s limit on remuneration, provided such assistance is awarded through an established and continuing program to aid graduate students and the donor of the assistance does not restrict the recipient’s choice of institutions;
(d) The individual may not serve as a graduate assistant coach for a period of more than two years except that if the individual successfully completes 24-semester or 36-quarter hours during the initial two-year period, the individual may serve as a graduate assistant coach for a third year;
(e) Compensation for employment from a source outside the institution during the academic year shall be excluded from the individual’s limit on remuneration, provided the institution does not arrange such employment and the compensation is for work actually performed. The member institution may not arrange on- or off-campus employment opportunities except for summer employment, which is permissible regardless of whether the student remains enrolled in the graduate program during the summer;
(f) A graduate student coach may accept employment benefits available to all institutional employees (e.g., life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance), as well as expenses to attend the convention of the national coaches association in the coach’s sport, without the value of those benefits being included;
(g) The individual may receive cash to cover unitemized incidental expenses during travel and practice for NCAA championship events or postseason bowl contests in accordance with the parameters by which student-athletes may receive such expenses;
(h) The institution may provide actual and necessary expenses for the individual’s spouse and children to attend a postseason football bowl game or an NCAA championship; and
(i) The individual may not evaluate or contact prospective student-athletes off campus, regardless of whether compensation is received for such activities. The individual may not perform recruiting coordination functions; however, it is permissible for a graduate assistant coach to make telephone calls to prospective student-athletes, provided the coach has successfully completed the coaches’ certification examination.
11.01.5 Coach, Student Assistant. [A]
A student assistant coach is any coach who is a student-athlete who has exhausted his or her eligibility in the sport or has become injured to the point that he or she is unable to practice or compete ever again, and who meets the following additional criteria:
(a) Is enrolled at the institution at which he or she most recently participated in intercollegiate athletics;
(b) Is enrolled as a full-time graduate student within his or her five-year period of eligibility or is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in his or her first baccalaureate degree program, except that during his or her final semester or quarter of the degree program, he or she may be enrolled in less than a full-time degree program of studies, provided he or she is carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements;
(c) Is receiving no compensation or remuneration for coaching duties from the institution other than the financial aid that could be received as a student-athlete and expenses incurred on road trips that are received by individual team members; and
(d) Is not involved in contacting and evaluating prospective student-athletes off campus or scouting opponents off campus and does not perform recruiting coordination functions.
11.01.6 Coach, Volunteer. [A]
In sports other than football and basketball, a volunteer coach is any coach who does not receive compensation or remuneration from the institution's athletics department or any organization funded in whole or in part by the athletics department or that is involved primarily in the promotion of the institution's athletics program (e.g., booster club, athletics foundation association). The following provisions shall apply:
(a) The individual is prohibited from contacting and evaluating prospective student-athletes off campus or from scouting opponents off campus and may not perform recruiting coordination functions.
(b) The individual may receive a maximum of two complimentary tickets to home athletics contests in the coach's sport.
(c) The individual may receive complimentary meals incidental to organized team activities (e.g., pre- or postgame meals, occasional meals, but not training table meals) or meals provided during a prospective student-athlete's official visit, provided the individual dines with the prospective student-athlete.
11.01.7 Manager. [A]
A manager is an individual who performs traditional managerial duties (e.g., equipment, laundry, hydration) and meets the following additional criteria:
(a) The individual shall be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student, except that during his or her final semester or quarter of a degree program, he or she may be enrolled in less than a full-time program of studies, provided he or she is carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements;
(b) The individual may participate in limited on-court or on-field activities during practice (e.g., assist with drills, throw batting practice) or competition (e.g., assist with warm-up activities) involving student-athletes on a regular basis;
(c) The individual shall not provide instruction to student-athletes;
(d) The individual shall not participate in countable athletically related activities (e.g., practice player) except as permitted in Bylaw 11.01.7-(b); and
(e) In baseball, the individual shall forfeit any remaining eligibility in the sport at the institution at which the individual serves as a manager.
11.7.3 Non-coaching Staff Member with Sport-Specific Responsibilities. [A]
A non-coaching staff member with sport-specific responsibilities (e.g., director of operations, administrative assistant) is prohibited from participating in on-court or on-field activities (e.g., assist with drills, throw batting practice, signal plays) and is prohibited from participating with or observing student-athletes in the staff member's sport who are engaged in non-organized voluntary athletically related activities (e.g., pick-up games).
Limitations on the Number of Personnel
11.7.4 Bowl Subdivision Football. [FBS]
There shall be a limit of one head coach, nine assistant coaches and four graduate assistant coaches who may be employed by an institution in bowl subdivision football.
11.7.4.1.1 Weight or Strength Coach. [FBS]
A weight (strength and conditioning) coach may conduct flexibility, warm-up and physical conditioning activities prior to any game and prior to or during any practice or other organized activities without being included in the limitations on number of coaches. Not more than five weight or strength coaches are permitted to work with a football program in any capacity, including all workouts (required and voluntary), practices and game-related activities.
11.7.6 Limitations on Number of Coaches and Off-Campus Recruiters.
There shall be a limit on the number of coaches (other than graduate assistant coaches, student assistant assistant coaches and volunteer coaches) who may be employed by an institution and who may contact or evaluate prospective student-athletes off campus in each sport as follows:
Sport Limit
Baseball- 3
Basketball, Men's- 4
Basketball, Women's- 4
Beach Volleyball, Women's- 2
Football, Bowl Subdivision- 10
Golf, Men's- 2
Golf, Women's- 2
Gymnastics, Women's- 3
Soccer, Women's- 3
Softball- 3
Swimming and Diving, Men's- 3
Swimming and Diving, Women's- 3
Tennis, Men's- 2
Tennis, Women's- 2
Cross Country/Track and Field, Men's- 3
Cross Country/Track and Field, Women's- 3
Volleyball, Women's- 3
HEAD COACH RESPONSIBILITY
A few years ago, the NCAA adopted legislation which presumably makes each head coach responsible for the actions of all institutional staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach. It is the responsibility of the head coach to promote an atmosphere of compliance within their sport program and to monitor the activities of all institutional staff members involved with the sport program who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach.
To learn more about NCAA legislation pertaining to Head Coach Responsibility, please click HERE.