Ash
1/21/2007, 10:19 AM
like college bball. It would reduce the cheating and craziness that transpires in recruiting. At least, that's what Bill Curry (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=curry_bill&id=2736026) believes.
I wondered what some of the recruitniks around here thought about this:
Small change could help recruiting madness
By Bill Curry
[snip]
Since the overkill and various other evil aspects of this subject are well-documented, let us talk specifics and solutions. Can anything be done? Do we continue to badger, harass, evaluate, and exploit large, fast, smart teenage males until we destroy some of them along with the entire process? Three personal experiences will lead to a conclusion. Each is illustrative of large segments of the "recruited athlete" population.
[snip]
Real cases
Case 1: Philip Doyle was a great player we recruited to Alabama in 1987. He became an All-American place-kicker for the Tide after a sterling career in high school. He was very heavily sought after. Thinking we had been clever and effective in our recruiting efforts, I asked him when he had known he was coming to Tuscaloosa. I will never forget his answer.
A Change Of Plans
The 2006 season is in the books. It was a nearly flawless ending for national champ Florida. Boise State can celebrate a perfect season. But not everything in college football is ideal. What could use a change? Here's what five ESPN.com writers and/or analysts would like to see changed in the game:
Philip smiled and said, "Oh, when I was about 10 years old." It had mattered not at all how many recruiting trips he had made, nor who was coaching at his favorite school. Philip had known all along.
Case 2: This young man, who will remain nameless, was a great prospect, an early verbal commitment, whose mom called me in the summer before his senior year in high school. She asked, "What should he bring? Will he need sheets, towels and an alarm clock?" I was thrilled and told her we would be sending plenty of communications about his needs. He helped us by calling other great prospects and urging them to join him. We were in touch until the week before the national signing. He disappeared from school for a week, was seen carrying a new television into a new home and signed with another school. Housing papers are public information, so we checked the records, and all was in order. He might have simply changed his mind. Right?
Case 3: A good player, also to be anonymous, transferred to another state after his junior season in high school. After spring practice, he became a hot commodity, recruited by several prominent schools. He was courted, took unofficial visits and committed to his favorite program. He and his parents were delighted until the coaches at the school received commitments from three other players at his position, all equal to or better than our subject. Now his father is contacting me, saying "We are confused. What should we do?" I asked by e-mail whether promises had been broken. He has not responded to my question.
Early signing
The fundamental flaw in the football recruiting system is the entire idea of a "verbal" commitment from a teenager. One of our wisest coaches, Jack Fligg, always reminded our staffs of the facts. Each year about this time, he counseled, "Remember men, verbal commitments mean we have a chance to sign them. That is all."
Basketball has addressed the issue with an early signing date. To my knowledge, it has worked reasonably well. Football needs to do the same. I have believed that for a long time, but called upon a real expert for the timing. Georgia Tech assistant athletic director Larry New was one of the finest recruiters and coaches I ever employed. I called him this week, and he was enthusiastic.
"Around the third week of July, after the college football camps, and before the opening of high school training camps, there should be an early signing opportunity," New said. "Most of the kids know by then, and it would eliminate so much of the craziness."
Good advice. Although the recruiting services, the rumormongers and the cheaters will detest it, the families, student-athletes and coaches will breathe a huge sigh of relief. Then the coaches can press on with the business of teaching our teens how to be team members, leaders, good students and winners on the field.
I wondered what some of the recruitniks around here thought about this:
Small change could help recruiting madness
By Bill Curry
[snip]
Since the overkill and various other evil aspects of this subject are well-documented, let us talk specifics and solutions. Can anything be done? Do we continue to badger, harass, evaluate, and exploit large, fast, smart teenage males until we destroy some of them along with the entire process? Three personal experiences will lead to a conclusion. Each is illustrative of large segments of the "recruited athlete" population.
[snip]
Real cases
Case 1: Philip Doyle was a great player we recruited to Alabama in 1987. He became an All-American place-kicker for the Tide after a sterling career in high school. He was very heavily sought after. Thinking we had been clever and effective in our recruiting efforts, I asked him when he had known he was coming to Tuscaloosa. I will never forget his answer.
A Change Of Plans
The 2006 season is in the books. It was a nearly flawless ending for national champ Florida. Boise State can celebrate a perfect season. But not everything in college football is ideal. What could use a change? Here's what five ESPN.com writers and/or analysts would like to see changed in the game:
Philip smiled and said, "Oh, when I was about 10 years old." It had mattered not at all how many recruiting trips he had made, nor who was coaching at his favorite school. Philip had known all along.
Case 2: This young man, who will remain nameless, was a great prospect, an early verbal commitment, whose mom called me in the summer before his senior year in high school. She asked, "What should he bring? Will he need sheets, towels and an alarm clock?" I was thrilled and told her we would be sending plenty of communications about his needs. He helped us by calling other great prospects and urging them to join him. We were in touch until the week before the national signing. He disappeared from school for a week, was seen carrying a new television into a new home and signed with another school. Housing papers are public information, so we checked the records, and all was in order. He might have simply changed his mind. Right?
Case 3: A good player, also to be anonymous, transferred to another state after his junior season in high school. After spring practice, he became a hot commodity, recruited by several prominent schools. He was courted, took unofficial visits and committed to his favorite program. He and his parents were delighted until the coaches at the school received commitments from three other players at his position, all equal to or better than our subject. Now his father is contacting me, saying "We are confused. What should we do?" I asked by e-mail whether promises had been broken. He has not responded to my question.
Early signing
The fundamental flaw in the football recruiting system is the entire idea of a "verbal" commitment from a teenager. One of our wisest coaches, Jack Fligg, always reminded our staffs of the facts. Each year about this time, he counseled, "Remember men, verbal commitments mean we have a chance to sign them. That is all."
Basketball has addressed the issue with an early signing date. To my knowledge, it has worked reasonably well. Football needs to do the same. I have believed that for a long time, but called upon a real expert for the timing. Georgia Tech assistant athletic director Larry New was one of the finest recruiters and coaches I ever employed. I called him this week, and he was enthusiastic.
"Around the third week of July, after the college football camps, and before the opening of high school training camps, there should be an early signing opportunity," New said. "Most of the kids know by then, and it would eliminate so much of the craziness."
Good advice. Although the recruiting services, the rumormongers and the cheaters will detest it, the families, student-athletes and coaches will breathe a huge sigh of relief. Then the coaches can press on with the business of teaching our teens how to be team members, leaders, good students and winners on the field.