Recruiting is a GAME

After having gone through the recruiting process myself at the lower level, the older I get the more I realize how much recruiting is a game.  By that I mean coaches at the scholarship level have to do what they can to lead on as many prospects as they can to land the best talent that they can.  For example, say the University of Illinois is looking to add two running backs in their recruiting class.  For this to happen, they have to have a number of different levels of recruits.  There could be around five top tier players throughout the entire country that the team has already offered.  If they can land commitments from these top rated athletes, they would surely take them if possible.  But if those options fall through, the team will not have but all of their eggs in one basket. 

That is why the coaches will have a set of fall back recruits.  These fall back recruits could be at different levels but it is important that they are there in case things don’t work out so well with the top rated players.  The coaches will tell these fall back recruits to stay in touch over phone and email as well as requesting video early in their senior seasons.  While these coaches will look at this video in case the players improved, they are definitely not among the top tier of recruits. 

The coaches at this major university need to do whatever they can to keep those fallback recruits in play.  It could include hinting at a scholarship or just flat out telling them to take their time.  These coaches are playing a game and it will definitely show at this period of time.  I have seen examples were a 7-footer on the basketball court had a great in-state offer from a very solid mid major program.  Instead of taking that scholarship, he decided to listen to the high major coach in-state who told him to wait patiently.  The mid-major offer disappeared and he had to go to a lower ranked program that was much farther away from home. 

Again, let me stress that good things can happen to fallback recruits.  I have seen players get offers from the school they wanted to late on Signing Day eve.  Some have taken them up and others decided not to.  Also walk on situations are also possible at a lot of schools.  But these recruits have to know that if a school like Illinois was able to land two of those top five running backs, don’t expect to receive much more recruiting attention from the team.  It may be as a walk on but a chance to receive a scholarship has really been hurt. 

So if a college coach is telling you to wait and be patient, try to ask him question about how many other players they have offered and where you sit on their chart.  Don’t expect these coaches to be 100% honest with their answer because they need to lead you on in this process to keep their job.  That is why it is essential for everyone involved to know that recruiting is a game.  And if played properly as well, being able to use offers and situations at other schools could also help you land at your dream school.