2 hours ago, BlueRaider said:

In the past I would have agreed with this but now recruiting is so much about self-promotion. Colleges are looking at kids on twitter to see who they are being offered by and if someone in their conference offers a kid then they are more likely to go check him out and then offer him. The more kids can say they have been offered, the larger their chance for drawing more attention...

 

I think there are some high school coaches who know this as well and have a good network with college coaches, and they ask the colleges to "fake offer" kids (purely to help a kid's recruiting with another school). In return they will keep pushing their best athletes toward that college in the future. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. 

On the first paragraph I understand and on the second what a shame.  I also think that in both cases the children are pawns to varying degrees.  It becomes a "game" and the kids are the product. 

12 hours ago, BlueRaider said:

In the past I would have agreed with this but now recruiting is so much about self-promotion. Colleges are looking at kids on twitter to see who they are being offered by and if someone in their conference offers a kid then they are more likely to go check him out and then offer him. The more kids can say they have been offered, the larger their chance for drawing more attention...

 

I think there are some high school coaches who know this as well and have a good network with college coaches, and they ask the colleges to "fake offer" kids (purely to help a kid's recruiting with another school). In return they will keep pushing their best athletes toward that college in the future. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. 

It’s a dirty business and coaches aren’t the only ones who have the contacts/resources to get players “fake offers”. Parents and trainers are able to do this also. When a college scholarship is on the line strange things can happen and some people will do whatever it takes. 
And college coaches have to care about winning or their job goes away. Money at the bottom line of all of this.

This really isn't anything new.  I attended the University of Evansville in the mid 90's.  At the time their football program was DII - non scholarship.  (At least as long as you were overlook the academic scholarships given out to students with marginal academic prowess who just happened to be exceptional athletes.)  I think the typical football recruiting class was about 75 to 100 students, all desperate to do anything to not have to admit that their dreams of continuing their football careers were all but over.  

I'd guess that about half of them would quit within the first month of practice with the other half doing the same at the conclusion of the season.  However, it seemed that about 75% of them would continue to be enrolled going into their sophomore year.  Ultimately a large percentage of the male students arrived on campus due to football.  

I few years after I graduated the powers that be at UE made the decision to drop the football program.  If I recall correctly they used Title IX as an excuse, which never made seems to me given that the football program was non-scholarship (allegedly).  

Upon the eliminate of the football program, overall enrollment particularly male enrollment began to drop.  This situation never really reversed itself, and is at the point that within the last few years they have began to eliminate academic programs as well.   I know a lot of people that only have one question when the university reaches out for fundraising or donations.  As long as the football team doesn't exist, neither does the school in a lot of their minds.  

Even 30 years ago at one of the lowest levels of NCAA sports, schools were using the promise of a roster spot as a means to increase enrollment.  

 

I used to get pretty upset with a school in situations were they would pull a scholarship offer, however, it no longer bothers me.  Both sides are guilty but in today's recruiting culture, the terms offer and commitment are virtually meaningless.  I guess the biggest thing that changed my mind was after I saw where kids would be committed to one school and then on signing day would sign a LOI with another school.  Only to later find out that the kid had been a silent commit to the other school all along.  Once it became apparent that some kids were using the schools as well I just figured all was fair from that point forward.  

On another somewhat related topic, while NIL will definitely benefit some student athletes, I fully believe that in the long run it will ultimately end up harming more than it helps. 

As it was originally understood, at least by me, allowing a student to take advantage of opportunities as they became available, is one thing.  But how these seems to have been implemented with having collectives and such that the school is expected to more or less buy the services of players, is quite another.  This will only increase the dominance of the top tier schools.  Lower tier schools without the resources to compete financially will only widen the gap between the halves and have nots.  I would expect that we will see the eliminate of several lower level programs as they just won't be able to provide what many student athletes will come to feel that they are entitled to.  

I think NIL will probably benefit about 5% of the student athletes in the NCAA, with the remainder seeing no benefit as a best case scenario.   

 

 

Recruiting can be stressful and often times, it doesn't make any sense.  But, it's important to remember it's business, plain and simple.  Best advice it try to enjoy it as best as you can.  The free games you get to attend, friendships you make with other kids at camps going through the same grind and other opportunities you get because of football and recruiting are a blessing.  It's also important to never forget who your circle is and the people who have your back.  Keep three things in mind and you'll be ok:

1)  Don't believe most of what you hear or what you're told unless it's from your true circle that you can trust.

2)  Don't take anything personal.  You'll wind up angry and bitter and that's no way of being.

3)  NEVER, NEVER, NEVER shut down your recruitment.  Just like colleges might move on to the next best thing, there might be a better offer/situation out there waiting for you.  Until you actually sign, your recruitment should ALWAYS be open.