Here is one scenario that really gets under my skin: A college coach contacts the high school coach and says, "we are interested in Little Johnny, can you put us in touch with him?". The high school coach does not think Little Johnny can play college football and does nothing trying to get Little Johnny in contact with the college. The thing the high school coach does not understand is, the college coach saw Little Johnny at a camp and thinks he fits the college team's system, and is not evaluating Little Johnny based on what he has done in high school. Little Johnny never talks to the college coach. The college coach thinks Little Johnny must have not been interested and moves on to the next player.

Here is one scenario that really gets under my skin: A college coach contacts the high school coach and says, "we are interested in Little Johnny, can you put us in touch with him?". The high school coach does not think Little Johnny can play college football and does nothing trying to get Little Johnny in contact with the college. The thing the high school coach does not understand is, the college coach saw Little Johnny at a camp and thinks he fits the college team's system, and is not evaluating Little Johnny based on what he has done in high school. Little Johnny never talks to the college coach. The college coach thinks Little Johnny must have not been interested and moves on to the next player.

 

I really find it hard to believe that this scenario happens. It really takes zero effort and very little time for a coach to pass this info along. I guess though it happens more than I would think, since it has been mentioned in this thread a few times. I know my high school coach(es) worked hard to help me out even though it was fairly well known that I would be pursuing another sport. Also the coaches I know here in NKY do a lot for and are involved in the recruiting process for their players. I do however believe, a coach should be at least somewhat honest in their evaluation of a player if asked by a college coach. With limited money and space, if a high school coach consistently gives bad info to a college coach, that coach may be a little more hesitant to take a future kid based on that coaches recommendation

I really find it hard to believe that this scenario happens. It really takes zero effort and very little time for a coach to pass this info along. I guess though it happens more than I would think, since it has been mentioned in this thread a few times. I know my high school coach(es) worked hard to help me out even though it was fairly well known that I would be pursuing another sport. Also the coaches I know here in NKY do a lot for and are involved in the recruiting process for their players. I do however believe, a coach should be at least somewhat honest in their evaluation of a player if asked by a college coach. With limited money and space, if a high school coach consistently gives bad info to a college coach, that coach may be a little more hesitant to take a future kid based on that coaches recommendation

 

Happens alot more than you think.

I do however believe, a coach should be at least somewhat honest in their evaluation of a player if asked by a college coach. With limited money and space, if a high school coach consistently gives bad info to a college coach, that coach may be a little more hesitant to take a future kid based on that coaches recommendation

I agree with this, but at the same time, I think some high school coaches put too much stock in "their word" and are scared to give too many players a good recommendation fearing their word will be tarnished.

I agree with this, but at the same time, I think some high school coaches put too much stock in "their word" and are scared to give too many players a good recommendation fearing their word will be tarnished.

 

While still telling the truth, I always emphasize the positives and potential of a player. And, I think most HS coaches do the same. In the back of my mind, I am always thinking, "This guy may be the next Wayne Chrebet and I don't want him saying in 10 years....yeah, I am in the NFL but my HS coach thought I stunk."

While still telling the truth, I always emphasize the positives and potential of a player. And, I think most HS coaches do the same. In the back of my mind, I am always thinking, "This guy may be the next Wayne Chrebet and I don't want him saying in 10 years....yeah, I am in the NFL but my HS coach thought I stunk."

 

Agree completely Chief. I think there only a very small handful of coaches (I would say less than 5) that wouldn't do anything they could to promote their kids and pass info along if asked specifically by a college. At our school, we have hudl, and that does a ton for the kids. THEY highlight their best plays and the coach cleans up the highlight film and sends it to all the schools they have listed an interest in. If the player chooses not to mark their highlights, then it's assumed they do not want to play in college. There are computers in the locker room for kids to do this if they do not have internet at home...bottom line, it's their future, they have to want to go...it's the coaches job to help them in that process. That includes sending out those films, calling a coach, or passing along info. I will say that it is very much on the player to keep that relationship with a school going. It's like having a girlfriend. If you ignore her, dont return calls, and act interested, she will move on. Same thing with a college...you have to reciprocate the attention.

In terms of the all-state stuff...well, a coach may promote the heck out of his kid and that kid never get a single vote. Also, I believe if you only fill out a portion of the ballot it's not counted. Meaning if a coach fills out all spots but he can't think of or knows of a 5th offensive lineman that should be all state, then that ballot doesn't count. Would be curious to know how many were dismissed for being incomplete. I know this was the first year that you could send your ballot by email...wonder if some were lost in the mix that way as well??

Were the players any count at all? I ask this because, colleges coaches, especially the local small colleges will look at nothing, but rosters and the names of seniors to be, often times asking about them even though the coach has had the opportunity to see them. Sometimes the kid(s) they ask about in an email can't play dead, so of course the coaches aren't going to recommend them to the college recruiter as a player….however, I know several coaches who recommend these types of kids to the colleges as potential "student coaches" in some capacity.

 

Then again, you also have to wonder about the sources you are asking, too. Because, believe it or not…there are a lot of kids who might put out a front to you and others that they WANT to play college football, but deep down, they don't want to. So with that said, it's easier for them to tell you "Coach hasn't given me anything" than it is to tell you "I don't want to play college football." (^^^Fact)

 

I'm just giving a couple different real scenarios….

 

I Spoke to the college coach about these players and told them what I did see and I also e-mailed him info on them. The kids I spoke to at the time were the top players at this school(or close to the top) and they all expressed interest in going to college.

 

I only spoke briefly to them,because I was writing a game report for this site.

Agree completely Chief. I think there only a very small handful of coaches (I would say less than 5) that wouldn't do anything they could to promote their kids and pass info along if asked specifically by a college.

I think you are grossly underestimating the number. Like many, I think you correlate quality on the field coaching with quality administrative work. I know several coaches that neglect assisting players with recruiting that would shock you if I named their names (but I will not).

 

For the record, I say the number is around 50%. Just like less the 50% of coaches bothered to vote for All-State.

While still telling the truth, I always emphasize the positives and potential of a player. And, I think most HS coaches do the same. In the back of my mind, I am always thinking, "This guy may be the next Wayne Chrebet and I don't want him saying in 10 years....yeah, I am in the NFL but my HS coach thought I stunk."

And that is all a player can ask for. I just wish you were the standard instead of the exception.

I think you are grossly underestimating the number. Like many, I think you correlate quality on the field coaching with quality administrative work. I know several coaches that neglect assisting players with recruiting that would shock you if I named their names (but I will not).

 

For the record, I say the number is around 50%. Just like less the 50% of coaches bothered to vote for All-State.

 

How much of the recruiting responsibilities falls on the coach and how much of it is on the parent/student?

How much of the recruiting responsibilities falls on the coach and how much of it is on the parent/student?

 

Both have a significant role and need to follow through on their part. Even if a student-athlete doesn't have a lot of support at home, the ones that genuinely want to play at the next level will follow through on returning questionnaires, fixing their highlight video, etc.

 

If I have a player that has not returned questionnaires after having them for several weeks, that tells me he really doesn't want to play college football- which is fine with me. I just want them to get their education and be a successful adult. Many kids that play in a structured program in HS don't want to make the huge commitment required for college football, and that is ok with me. They understand what they would be getting into and would rather not do so.

 

Usually what I experience is many of my guys don't want to play college football, but they think they are letting me down if they don't. I have to tell them that I am ok with them not playing and there is nothing wrong with that, I am not disappointed in them, etc.

 

The bottom line is that the guys that really want to play and are serious follow through. And, yes, the HS coach needs to do his part in being a liaison between the college program and the counselors at his HS, feedback on the student-athlete, etc.

How much of the recruiting responsibilities falls on the coach and how much of it is on the parent/student?

In my opinion, the parent/student has the greater responsibility. The parent/student have the greatest amount of work and have to spend some money. They have to fill out questionnaires, email the coaches, call the coaches, visit the colleges/coaches and take a vested interest in the process. The bulk of the responsibility is definitely, without question, on the student/athlete.

 

With that said, the high school coach has very little to do with the process, but their small part is paramount. When asked about a player by a college, they have to respond. They need to recommend players for post season awards and games. This gets the players much more exposure. And they need to speak with players about college.

 

And, it would be nice if the high school coach would help with making and distributing highlight videos and counseling the players about what they need to do and maybe pointing them in the right direction during the recruiting process. Likewise, it would be nice if the coach would speak with the players about what level of college football the coach thinks would best suit the player. But, all this is bonus in my mind.

If I have a player that has not returned questionnaires after having them for several weeks, that tells me he really doesn't want to play college football- which is fine with me. I just want them to get their education and be a successful adult. Many kids that play in a structured program in HS don't want to make the huge commitment required for college football, and that is ok with me. They understand what they would be getting into and would rather not do so.

 

Usually what I experience is many of my guys don't want to play college football, but they think they are letting me down if they don't. I have to tell them that I am ok with them not playing and there is nothing wrong with that, I am not disappointed in them, etc.

 

The bottom line is that the guys that really want to play and are serious follow through. And, yes, the HS coach needs to do his part in being a liaison between the college program and the counselors at his HS, feedback on the student-athlete, etc.

I agree with you that this is the case many times. Not all players want to play college football, and I understand and respect that.

Most of what we do to promote our kids is through hudl, but we also host a small-college combine, have individual meetings with kids, and we have one day every week of our off-season program set aside for academic/ACT/college prep work.

 

This is striking to me though: every year I offer to have a sit-down meeting with kids AND parents to map out what they should be doing to prepare for getting recruited. I'll spend as much time as is needed to answer all questions and always offer to meet at times good for the parents--these meetings usually last 30-45 minutes. In the last 10 years I've been contacted by exactly TWELVE players' parents to take the time to meet.

 

Chief Smoke is right -- it should be the case where BOTH have a significant role, but I often find that parents expect that the coach will be their kid's (and all their other players wanting to play in college) "agent." Some I know really seem surprised at the part of my opening season parent meeting where I stress that only about 25-30 kids in the ENTIRE STATE of Kentucky will be offered a full football scholarship and that the best hope of almost every good high school player is to get a partial scholarship (usually 3000-5,000) to a small school they'll never see play on TV that has a total cost of $35,000 or more.

Most of what we do to promote our kids is through hudl, but we also host a small-college combine, have individual meetings with kids, and we have one day every week of our off-season program set aside for academic/ACT/college prep work.

What you do with your combine is excellent. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. My son went to many events: combines, camps and clinics. He received more contacts and interest from your combine then any other single event he attended.

 

I really wish more coaches would hold combines such as yours around the state.