Michigan Football Recruiting: The Imperfect Ritual of Recruiting and the Associated Empirical Numbers
Posted at 6:00am — 6/3/2013
Michigan Football Recruiting: The Imperfect Ritual of Recruiting and the Associated Empirical Numbers
There are a few football recruits so good and so promising in the United States that they could be identified by brail. Clowney would be a good example. This pool is probably under fifty annually, perhaps as small as twenty. Then there is a large pool of between 250-350 recruits that are essentially up for discussion and sharp evaluation. There are differences, but it is up to college coaches to do some very diligent homework and make informed decisions.
There are some obvious underlying assumptions, highly supported, that must be discussed within the context of any such explanation of recruiting.
January 1,2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first quarter of the 2013 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsThe elite athletes are probably, fast, strong, or both, and most usually gravitate to power programs on the recruiting landscape. If a team can grab a bunch and develop them, the future is bright. In short, many of the major college football powerhouses are really becoming NFL free minor league preparation empires, and the pro guys love this cheap and effective arrangement. They have the same problem, a few elites and a ton of guys very similar to mull over during the draft.
That big crowd of 250-350 players is critical for perhaps all college programs that are not in the talent category of say an Alabama.
A team such as Michigan values traits that must be important in the recruiting process. In this big pool, Michigan is less concerned about some traveling combine writer giving arbitrary numbers of say 105 for one player and 167 for another at the same position. Although there are schools that start with the assumption the ratings are what they are for a reason.
Start with athletic talent that can translate to success at the next level. There are limitations to making an average athlete good enough to compete with the best. It rarely happens because the best also improve.
Then, a coach has to intelligently assess how the recruit will fit into the schemes and overall team system. This is the square peg-round hole age-old discussion.
January 1, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive coordinator Greg Mattison prior of the 2013 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsNext, some teams look at intangibles such as school loyalty, scholarship, commitment, and character. Scoffed at by some, these traits lead to long-term success, and remain important to certain universities.
Learning is harder to assess, but some players learn much faster than others. As a result, these players can contribute by the second year even if not elite talent, if all goes well. Perhaps a very good way to assess learning is to request the player to describe his current system and explain the underlying execution and philosophy. Another possible way is to take the recruit to the film room, show some clips, and seek an explanation. High school coaches may be precise in the honesty used to evaluate this part of a player’s make-up, but many are not. The more respected the program, the more likely honesty will prevail.
So, in this big pool, most NCAA Division One schools select a list based on criteria and pursue prospects. One recruit, higher ranked, may be a total mistake for one school, but a perfect fit for another. Some schools throw out a boggling number of offers hoping some high three star and four star recruits agree to come to the school. Sometimes this strategy works and sometimes it does not.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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