RANDOM STUFF

Offers

I won’t go on anymore about how different the offer process is from when I played high school ball back in the rocking late 80’s- it’s very different –I will say that. What you need to know is the process is drastically different for 1A schools and 1AA/D2 programs. 1A schools offer much earlier and offer way more players than they have scholarships available, some offer 250+ scholarships and have say 26 to give out for that recruiting class. This is based on what we saw this year and as I have said the recruiting process is always changing and next year it could be different. 1AA programs in general offers players much later, late in a players senior year or even after their senior year is over, D2 after a players senior year. There are exceptions but that was the process as we saw it this year.

I don’t have the data to back it up, but I would say somewhere around 80-85% of 1A offers are handed out by the end of the spring evaluation period (end of May) of a players junior year. So based on that, if one does not have a 1A scholarship offer going into your senior year you should be looking at 1AA and D2 programs . Yes there is an outside shot in some cases that you get a late offer from a 1A program, but the odds are against it and you are a backup plan for schools. “ So are you saying my senior year is irrelevant to 1A programs?”. I won’t go that far but honestly its not that far off. It’s simple math. Yes there are players that come from out of nowhere or tear it up their senior year and some get 1A offers- it’s just rare- very rare. I have found that most college football coaches/recruiters don’t want to make a “reach”- they don’t want to find the “diamond in the rough- under the radar player”. They would rather play it safe. Do I agree with this strategy no- but I’m not the one making offers- each college has its own recruiting game plan this is just my observations having helped many prospects and talked to many college football coaches. So players and parents need to look at these numbers and get realistic and focus on the schools that want you to go there. Personally I would rather go to a school where I am there first or 2nd choice rather than their 20th at my position. If you have not gotten a 1A offer by the start of your senior year chances are these 1A programs have offered as many as 15-20 players at your position already- so you have a long way to go to be considered for an offer.

As I stated 1AA recruiting is different. Some programs do offer some players during their junior year but not many. Most offer during or after a player’s senior year. There seems to be a school of thought/recruiting strategy among some 1AA college recruiters that I think is a bad one – but it seems quite common. That they wait “to see what shakes out” with the 1A schools. In other words try and pick up the guys that don’t get 1A offers. I am not a recruiting coordinator if I was this would be my strategy. I would offer all the best players without 1A offers during the summer going into their senior year. I would “recruit them”- as in actually trying to convince them to go to your school- convince them it’s a good option, rather than wait to see what happens with other schools. I believe many players would commit to those 1AA schools. A good recruiter would convince a player- “hey your number 1 with us- you will have a chance to play early – with those 1A schools- you are a last resort back up if everything falls apart- they don’t really want you to go there or they would have offered you already” . Everyone thinks differently, including parents. I have found in many cases it’s not the players themselves who are unrealistic but the parents holding on to some dream for their son to run through the tunnel in front of 80,000 fans. That’s great if it happens, but don’t cling onto that so much to the point where going to a school other than a 1A school is a loss. That kind of thinking to me is absurd- for grownups- for 17, 18 year old kids it’s not that crazy but for parents its absurd in my book. I have news for people- 1AA and D2 football is very good football. You have to be an outstanding football player to play either 1AA or D2. D3 football is also very competitive and all are a drastic step up from high school football. Every player playing college football was all conference all this and all that- rushed for 1000 yards –had 100 tackles. To play college football you have to be an outstanding high school football player and also have the measurables (height, weight, forty) that schools are looking for. While I say height, weight, forty are not everything- to college coaches they are very important. If you don’t fit in within the numbers at your position- you have to “jump out” on film- you have to dominate- not just play well- dominate to be considered.

So one could read this and get discouraged. That’s not my point. In fact I am saying 1AA, D2, D3, NAIA football are all very good football. Many are outstanding academic schools; many offer full or partial scholarships. To get a scholarship to play football at any level is a great thing- don’t consider it a loss if it’s not at the 1A level. My advice to players is work out hard in the off season and carry that over onto the field and play as hard as you can. If you do that you can be happy and look in the mirror and say I gave it all I had. Then you look at what opportunities are available after college coaches evaluate your film. So I stress to people, players and parents don’t get hung up on the 1A thing. Think about the big picture. 5 minutes after you graduate from college no one cares if you played 1A or 1AA or D2. It’s an ego thing- the sooner you can get over it the better. If you can go to college and play football and get some kind of scholarship to do so that’s great- it’s rare- be happy about it.

Another huge waste of time and energy- comparing yourself or your son to other players. Again I don’t fault 17, 18 year old kids so much for this, but I can’t tell you how many parents go on and on about “well Johnny Smith is going D1 and my son is way better than him- my son ran for more yards-made more tackles everyone knows he’s better”. The only opinion that matters is that of the college football coach evaluating your son on film. “FILMS DON’T LIE” is an expression you will hear. Parents need to stop wasting time playing the blame game. Contrary to what some think- players are not offered scholarships because of who they know- who their parents are friends with- if they are their coach’s favorite. College coaches could care less about any of that- they only offer scholarships to players who they think can come in and play and help their program. If you get your films out in front of college coaches early they will evaluate you- FILMS DON’T LIE.

Working Out

There are so many specialized training programs, speed camps, high tech workout facilities today. I’m skeptical of most of them- weather they are worth the money. Call me old school- but if I when I was in high school if I asked my old man if he would pay for me to go to “speed school” or pay to have someone help me lift weights he would have laughed at me. If you don’t know how to lift weights by your sophomore year in high school- yeah maybe you do need some outside help you are way behind. Now I know someone in those industries can say ‘well we have proven to knock 2 ticks off guys forty times with our program”. That’s great- for how much money and could the player have done that on his own doing drills he could find on the internet for free or in a book or talking to a former football player or coach- my sense is probably. I believe one can get the same results lifting weights in your garage, running sprints, running hills, running stadium steps, jumping rope. If you work like an animal doing that you will get stronger and faster. It all comes down to how hard you are willing to work- that’s something that has not changed over the years and will never change. I am not a personal trainer. I did play division 1 college football and have done a lot of different workout programs both lifting and running over the years, had good strength coaches, I so I feel I speak with some experience here.

I read a quote from a 10 time Pro Bowl linebacker in a workout magazine that I thought was great and, in my opinion sums it all up. He’s been a top player for years, yet still works out like he has something to prove. He said “I was never the biggest, the fastest, the strongest. The only bread and butter I had was work. At the end of the day, it’s all about hard work. And if you outwork me, you’re a hell of a man”

I think that’s the attitude one needs to play college football. Maximize and reach your potential by working your tail off. Than carry that over onto the field and get it done. Weather your potential is 1A, 1AA , D2, D3, all the off season training is to improve your on field performance- that’s what matters the most-PERFORMANCE. You can be a combine warrior but if you don’t get it done on the field none of that matters.

COMBINES

Real quick on this one. Without a doubt the biggest waste of time and money out there. Go have your high school coach time you in a forty, shuttle, vertical and lifting, have him verify the numbers- that’s all you need. I am amazed that combines not only still exist but are popping up left and right. How many times can you be tested? What do the people holding these events do with the numbers? Do college coaches care- do they pay attention to it? Do they even trust the times or numbers? My sense is they don’t care –they don’t pay attention to these events and it’s a massive waste of time and money.
What is a SHOWCASE by the way? Sounds like a fashion event where you walk the runway. What happened to “football camp”? I think if you pay to go to these things demand you get something out of it. Learn some things that can help you be a better football player. If events offer you “college exposure”- demand to know exactly what that means as its very vague. At our camps I tell people exactly what it means and we follow through on it. Ask them do they send reports to college coaches about the event. How many coaches? What levels? Only 1A or all levels? There are a lot of camps, combines, “Showcases”, my advice is do some research on them before you decide which if any to attend.

ìWinning isn't everything, but it beats anything that comes in second.î - Paul "Bear" Bryant