This week the college football recruiters have been out. I’ve talked to some in person, others by phone. When we speak about specific players, I’m getting asked more and more about what the parents are like. Specifically “are they crazy”. Recruiters laugh at some of the social media habits of high school players and parents. If you think it’s a good idea to beg for college attention on Twitter, you might want to back away from the keyboard, you’re probably doing more harm than good…
One of the top in-state names in the 2020 class is still talking with other schools even though he’s given his verbal to a big-time program. Smart. I have no problem with that. In the next two weeks, there’s going to be lot’s of coaches moving around. No problem with talking even after giving a verbal…
Stat padders are becoming more and more of a question. You think you’re stats are all that matters? Good luck with that. Posting up a highlight on Hudl the morning after your team lost and put down as a headline, “look at me during last night’s game”. Embarrassing…
One of the top statistical position players in the state, has a G.P.A. under 3.0 he’s scrambling, but the dad is smart and open to JUCO and NAIA options. Keep playing until they take the jersey away for good. Don’t believe in Junior College as an option? Go look up Bryce Perkins, Aaron Rodgers, Larry Allen, DeDe Westbrook, Lagerette Blount, Keyshawn Johnson, Jaelen Strong, Corey Dillon, etc, etc, etc, etc(get the point) etc, etc. The parents that worry about what the neighbor next door or at a dinner party will say about their kid going to a JUCO need to get over themselves. It’s about the kid, not you…
I had a varsity coach from a well-known program tell me today that he’s going to have at least 15 of his seniors continue to play football after high school. Yet, he has some parents who are upset that their kid isn’t being called out of class when a Pac-12 or SEC school is on campus. Yes, the upset parent has a son who’s 6″0, rather than the 6″4 kid who the recruiters want to meet. Crazy…
Heard a good one from a college recruiter out of a Power 5 Conference about the height of a player he was stopping in to see. “When I meet this kid, if he looks at me eye to eye, we aren’t offering him. I need to look up at him”. One of the oldest tricks in the football recruiting book is to have players in their thickest shoes or boots along with thick socks. Every last inch helps…
What I have found through the last 33 years in this space are the ones who can play, get recruited without any help from crazy dad. There are exceptions, but by-in-large, the player who handles the recruitment on his own with his parents being respected during the process, is the one who usually comes out of this stage just fine. Of course there’s always the dad or mom trying to PR the kid through high school. I’m not good with that at all, but there’s plenty of places those folks can go to get their wish…
I spoke with a half-dozen sane, normal parents by email and text today about the recruiting process. It’s refreshing to hear with them. I’m sure the college recruiters feel the same way…
