Football Recruiting Is a Busy Time for Coaches and Athletes

Football recruiting is a busy time for coaches and athletes alike. While players are trying to win high school or college games, coaches are making weekly recruiting phone calls and planning official visits.

It is important for recruits to maintain communication with coaches and keep up to date with their academic progress and athletic development throughout the process. This can be done through a combination of in-person meetings, video conferences and phone calls. Additionally, it is important for athletes to regularly update their NCSA profile with new information such as an updated highlight video, an improved test score or a new transcript. This way, recruits can continue to demonstrate their interest in the program and remain competitive as they evaluate their options leading up to National Signing Day.

The recruiting process can be a long, complex and time-consuming affair. College coaches can only recruit so many athletes, so they must focus their efforts on the prospects who are most likely to fit into the program. Identifying prospects who are good fits both academically and athletically requires careful evaluation of a prospect’s current skillset, level of competition and potential for improvement, as well as consideration of their character traits, leadership experience and community involvement.

Once a coach has identified the prospects they want to recruit, it is crucial that they communicate effectively and offer personalized pitches. A strong recruitment strategy requires regular communication and frequent meetings with prospect families to ensure that recruits stay engaged and interested in the program. Using data analytics can help recruiters measure player performance metrics and evaluate game film, while interviewing and athletic testing provide insights into a recruit’s athletic abilities.

A strong recruitment strategy should also include a comprehensive list of recruiting goals. A targeted list of ten target schools and five reach schools provides an athletically and academically challenging goal for prospective students to strive for during the recruiting process. Regularly monitoring the academic and athletic progress of recruits can be achieved through the use of a system that tracks grades, test scores, practice attendance and physical training.

The last step in the recruiting process involves extending scholarship offers to prospective athletes and negotiating terms of commitment agreements. This can be accomplished through clear communication and personalized pitches, as well as by offering one-on-one guidance, instruction and drills to improve a prospect’s skill set and overall game performance.

College coaches are looking for a mix of speed, strength and talent in their recruiting classes. Some coaches, like Dana Holgorsen and Rich Rodriguez, are focused on finding explosive offensive players while others, such as Nick Saban, are primarily searching for defensive talent. However, most coaches are a hybrid of multiple styles. Regardless of a coach’s style, it is important for athletes to understand the unique recruiting needs of each school and find the best fit. This will help them get recruited at a higher rate and improve their chances of playing on a college football team.