Recruiting Tools (For College Football)

[BlueRaider]

With the current high school recruiting climate (Covid hold backs and transfer portal) it is more difficult than ever for high school kids to get recruited- especially the FCS/G5 kids. My question to everyone is what have your kids done to help them get recruited? Is there a certain service that is good compared to others? Most of those companies seem like money grabs more than helpful aids. Does your school do something specific to help their guys get recruited? Who are the best in the business? (obviously FD is the best in KY but they are also teeming with those kids so some of their stuff would be good to copy but most things wouldn't apply to other schools in the state)

[Westernside]

The WKC is putting a combine/showcase together, all their teams are sending top players of each team to the combine/showcase sometime this Spring. They are inviting College Coaches to attend.

[ChiefSmoke]

2 hours ago, BlueRaider said:

With the current high school recruiting climate (Covid hold backs and transfer portal) it is more difficult than ever for high school kids to get recruited- especially the FCS/G5 kids. My question to everyone is what have your kids done to help them get recruited? Is there a certain service that is good compared to others? Most of those companies seem like money grabs more than helpful aids. Does your school do something specific to help their guys get recruited? Who are the best in the business? (obviously FD is the best in KY but they are also teeming with those kids so some of their stuff would be good to copy but most things wouldn't apply to other schools in the state)

Certainly things change/evolve.... but the best way to get recruited is for your head coach to request getting your video EVALUATED by the collegiate staff. No head coach gets a guy a scholarship.  Back when video was scarce(before the 1970's) , a head coach at a prominent HS program COULD get a guy a scholarship. But, those days are over. In 2023, between video and camps on a college campus, if you can play, you will be found.  

Have also been told, it is a red flag if the contact is made by someone other than the HS head coach.. makes the college coach wonder.... "Why isn't the head coach of this guy contacting us? Is he a problem? Is he not very good?"

The separator....in my opinion, the head coach that is persistent and makes multiple calls, text, emails, until his player gets his video evaluated. That is a special coach and someone that I would want my son to play for. 

 

[TheConch]

Best way to be recruited:

1) Be your schools team captain. 
2) Meet with your head coach to discuss a plan, give all info coaches will ask about, and ask about an honest opinion of your game, what you need to work on.

3) Follow coaches on Twitter (message when allowed to communicate- of age/grade level/ and during non dead periods)

4) Make camp schedule. These “pay for play” all star games are worthless. These mega camps are worthless. Each summer, choose a smart camp schedule of the “One Day Prospect” camps that virtually all large schools put on. They are cheap, $30-$50 bucks and allow you to workout within your position. Don’t over schedule. 
5) Be persistent, never be “too good” for any coach, as they move up and down levels all the time.

6) If you can play, they’ll still find you. If you can’t play, it’s not what you know (how you okay), but who you know. 
7) It only takes one. One offer, one opportunity, and one chance to live out your dream. Enjoy the process because it gets tedious.

8 ) Make your Twitter accessible to coaches. Remember that what you like and retweet is visible to all. Your Twitter is often your first impression with college coaches. Make it clean, neat, and your contact info readily available in your bio along with height, weight, and position, class, and school. 
9) Stay up to date on your Hudl highlights. You should make 3 tapes each year. First half of season. 2nd half of season. And full season. 
 

Always put your best plays first. Coaches do not have the time to watch the full thing. You want to make a good first impression and load up the front end of it, and don’t have the luxury of making it “balanced throughout.” 
 

Do not put music on your tapes, or large graphics. Just simply a circle around your self and the clip, that is well cropped, and quick and to the point. 
11) Recruiting questionnaires. Most schools have a recruiting questionnaire on their football athletics page. Fill them all out. Fill them out until your hands cramp. Then wake up in the morning and do it again. They won’t always be seen, but some will respond with a generated response, others will respond to all. It is a great way to get your name in the database regardless if they respond or not. 
10) Email, email, email. You can find virtually every coaches email on their athletics website. Create a generic email template that you can sub out the school name and coaches name and add your highlight tape and your interest to learn more about their institution and would love the opportunity to speak with them. 
11) This should have been much higher, but maintain great grades. 
12) Make sure you are registered with NCAA clearinghouse. 
13) Communication with head coach throughout the year is paramount. You may hear from a coach via Twitter or email, and turns out, your head coach played ball with the defensive coordinator at the school and can help push a relationship together. Remember, it’s not what you know, but who you know. 
14) Be the best high school teammate possible. What your head coach says about you is crucial. 
15) Do not be all about recruiting. You must still produce on the field. You cannot let it consume you. Coaches want winners, the best way to get eyes on you is to be the best player, on the best team. Work your butt off each day, help your teammates get better, win games, go win state. 

And finally, 16) Understand that any level of football at the next level is a blessing. Tens of thousands of high school football players, a very very small percentage of them will go onto the next level. 
 

FBS, FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA. It’s all a blessing. Recruiting is fun, it’s nice to be wanted, it’s nice to be loved, but remember it’s a business in college. Go where you are loved, not the biggest brand. Find the right fit, don’t care about the opinions of others.  Parents and student athletes, enjoy the ride. 

[TheConch]

 

[HedgeHog8]

16 hours ago, TheConch said:

Best way to be recruited:

1) Be your schools team captain. 
2) Meet with your head coach to discuss a plan, give all info coaches will ask about, and ask about an honest opinion of your game, what you need to work on.

3) Follow coaches on Twitter (message when allowed to communicate- of age/grade level/ and during non dead periods)

4) Make camp schedule. These “pay for play” all star games are worthless. These mega camps are worthless. Each summer, choose a smart camp schedule of the “One Day Prospect” camps that virtually all large schools put on. They are cheap, $30-$50 bucks and allow you to workout within your position. Don’t over schedule. 
5) Be persistent, never be “too good” for any coach, as they move up and down levels all the time.

6) If you can play, they’ll still find you. If you can’t play, it’s not what you know (how you okay), but who you know. 
7) It only takes one. One offer, one opportunity, and one chance to live out your dream. Enjoy the process because it gets tedious.

8 ) Make your Twitter accessible to coaches. Remember that what you like and retweet is visible to all. Your Twitter is often your first impression with college coaches. Make it clean, neat, and your contact info readily available in your bio along with height, weight, and position, class, and school. 
9) Stay up to date on your Hudl highlights. You should make 3 tapes each year. First half of season. 2nd half of season. And full season. 
 

Always put your best plays first. Coaches do not have the time to watch the full thing. You want to make a good first impression and load up the front end of it, and don’t have the luxury of making it “balanced throughout.” 
 

Do not put music on your tapes, or large graphics. Just simply a circle around your self and the clip, that is well cropped, and quick and to the point. 
11) Recruiting questionnaires. Most schools have a recruiting questionnaire on their football athletics page. Fill them all out. Fill them out until your hands cramp. Then wake up in the morning and do it again. They won’t always be seen, but some will respond with a generated response, others will respond to all. It is a great way to get your name in the database regardless if they respond or not. 
10) Email, email, email. You can find virtually every coaches email on their athletics website. Create a generic email template that you can sub out the school name and coaches name and add your highlight tape and your interest to learn more about their institution and would love the opportunity to speak with them. 
11) This should have been much higher, but maintain great grades. 
12) Make sure you are registered with NCAA clearinghouse. 
13) Communication with head coach throughout the year is paramount. You may hear from a coach via Twitter or email, and turns out, your head coach played ball with the defensive coordinator at the school and can help push a relationship together. Remember, it’s not what you know, but who you know. 
14) Be the best high school teammate possible. What your head coach says about you is crucial. 
15) Do not be all about recruiting. You must still produce on the field. You cannot let it consume you. Coaches want winners, the best way to get eyes on you is to be the best player, on the best team. Work your butt off each day, help your teammates get better, win games, go win state. 

And finally, 16) Understand that any level of football at the next level is a blessing. Tens of thousands of high school football players, a very very small percentage of them will go onto the next level. 
 

FBS, FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA. It’s all a blessing. Recruiting is fun, it’s nice to be wanted, it’s nice to be loved, but remember it’s a business in college. Go where you are loved, not the biggest brand. Find the right fit, don’t care about the opinions of others.  Parents and student athletes, enjoy the ride. 

Great list. I would add the NAIA Clearinghouse too. There is championship football played in KY. And great kids can play 3-4 years at that level. A lot more football. Don't cross off the small schools, because not everyone fits at a HUGE university. I didn't.

[TheConch]

24 minutes ago, HedgeHog8 said:

Great list. I would add the NAIA Clearinghouse too. There is championship football played in KY. And great kids can play 3-4 years at that level. A lot more football. Don't cross off the small schools, because not everyone fits at a HUGE university. I didn't.

Wasn’t aware of NAIA clearinghouse, thanks for the info. Definitely add that to the list! 

[Jack of all Trades]

1 hour ago, HedgeHog8 said:

Great list. I would add the NAIA Clearinghouse too. There is championship football played in KY. And great kids can play 3-4 years at that level. A lot more football. Don't cross off the small schools, because not everyone fits at a HUGE university. I didn't.

I will add to this.  My son could have gone the larger school route as a walk on and hope for a chance to play or go smaller and get opportunity to play immediately.  Turns out started right away and had a great 4 years at Lindsey Wilson.  Unfortunately for him, his eligibility was up one year too soon as they won the Nati the following year.

[HedgeHog8]

36 minutes ago, Jack of all Trades said:

I will add to this.  My son could have gone the larger school route as a walk on and hope for a chance to play or go smaller and get opportunity to play immediately.  Turns out started right away and had a great 4 years at Lindsey Wilson.  Unfortunately for him, his eligibility was up one year too soon as they won the Nati the following year.

One thing I tell kids all the time, don't wish for Alabama and Clemson and then be disappointed when someone like App. state comes a knocking! I tell them to start small and dream one level higher as their recruiting journey. DII and NAIA is scholarship football and that is where we start. Work hard and put yourself out there for bigger/better looks. Nothing is wrong with a free (or discounted) college education from any institution, especially if you get to play football in the process.

[rjs4470]

47 minutes ago, HedgeHog8 said:

One thing I tell kids all the time, don't wish for Alabama and Clemson and then be disappointed when someone like App. state comes a knocking! I tell them to start small and dream one level higher as their recruiting journey. DII and NAIA is scholarship football and that is where we start. Work hard and put yourself out there for bigger/better looks. Nothing is wrong with a free (or discounted) college education from any institution, especially if you get to play football in the process.

Kids also need to be realistic. If you were just an average or even good football player in HS, you're going to have a hard time getting on the field in college at ANY level. Even D3/NAIA schools are very competitive, and often the pitch they give you is just to get you on campus...often football is an enrollment driver for these schools. And, that "free ride" they are offering includes lots of loans. So many kids get sold a chance to live out dream and end up back home with lots of loans and no closer to a degree. That's why its important you decision also includes what is best for you academically, socially and financially, not just what the best fit might be for you football wise. Realistically, most don't end up playing four years of football, and even fewer end up getting all four years of school even partially paid for.

[HedgeHog8]

27 minutes ago, rjs4470 said:

Kids also need to be realistic. If you were just an average or even good football player in HS, you're going to have a hard time getting on the field in college at ANY level. Even D3/NAIA schools are very competitive, and often the pitch they give you is just to get you on campus...often football is an enrollment driver for these schools. And, that "free ride" they are offering includes lots of loans. So many kids get sold a chance to live out dream and end up back home with lots of loans and no closer to a degree. That's why its important you decision also includes what is best for you academically, socially and financially, not just what the best fit might be for you football wise. Realistically, most don't end up playing four years of football, and even fewer end up getting all four years of school even partially paid for.

One thing that does a really good job is actually visiting with the college and seeing the athletes that are at those colleges. So, go out and visit colleges, especially during spring practices. Get in the locker rooms. Kids aren't dumb, they can figure out whether they could see themselves as the starter or the towel boy for those teams. If you never stand in a room full of DI athletes, you'll never understand what it takes to play on that level. 

What could be harder is Mom/Dad realizing where a kid might end up. Its hard to swallow that their golden boy is only 10k or 18k, not 24k gold, still valuable but not made of the right stuff to play at the highest levels. Most will never take a HS coaches word for it, so they have to experience it for themselves. 

And, like stated above, its about the fit not the brand. Try it on before you buy it. Visit visit visit with colleges until you find the best one for you. It may or may not be about football in the end.

[Ruffy38]

Totally agree with getting on campuses. One of the best thing I did for my son last year (going into his Freshman season) was taking him to a 1 day camp at U of L last year. The age group was 9th grade-some Jr college athletes. The first thing he said to me was "these guys are fast fast."

I knew he wouldn't go in and do great but I wanted him to get a taste of what his talent level needed to be to get where he wants. 

[theguru]

Lots of good reads on this topic:

 

[Mr. Sixer]

Great points made by all.  There are several factors that go into recruiting as I've been through it with 4 sons and learned something new with each one but what I tell all student-athletes is "go where you're wanted".  It's ok to have a couple of "dream schools" but don't stick your nose up at those schools at a lower level if they are willing to pay for your education AND you get to play the sport you love.

One thing that can be true a the vast amount of time but is also a myth at times is the notion that "if you can play, they'll find you".  This is not always the case as I have seen players who were victims of this when they were clearly ballers that could play but possibly because of the location of their school or where they played just simply got overlooked.  All in all you've got to be able to play and have the measurables schools, especially big schools, are looking for but there are some diamonds in the rough that get overlooked.

Great info by all.