Recruiting Is An Art, Not A Science

Picture yourself as a highly ranked, highly recruited, high school football player who is almost certainly going to be an incredible success story in college.

You can't wait for the huge crowds to embrace you, the national awards to surround you and the National Championships to just fall into your lap just like many of the lovely campus coeds did during your recruiting trips across the U.S.

In fact you probably have already heard that the Heisman Trophy is desperately waiting to be yours!

Well, stop the media hype machine for just a minute and ask yourself one simple question: "Why is it that so many highly talented players wind up their college careers as an epic fail?"

Well let me give you some of the specific reasons that so many of the ultra-talented players fail:

Academics: A, B, C, D...Uh, what comes after D?  Some players never get accepted and others flame out quickly when it comes to the main reason they are in college in the first place: getting an advanced education.  The conversation in college usually goes something like this:

Player: "Coach when you said I would actually have to go to class and study and pass a test I thought you were just kidding dawg!  You see in high school the teachers, well you know, they just looked the other way and gave me the grade.  And that kid I had take the SAT for me well he was cool with the $250 I gave him so I could make the millions later on."

Coach: "Well I tried to tell you there are all kind of rules about the academic stuff, like actually going to class, getting decent grades and eventually graduating. You see our fine institution of higher learning actually gets measured on these stats by the NCAA, and if we fail to meet certain standards then we can get penalized. Son, you are not helping us meet our goals."

Drugs: Puff, puff, pass.  Too often too many college athletes get caught up in the sordid underworld of drug use.  While alcohol, steroids, amphetamines, cocaine, pain killers and other prescription and over the counter drugs are often abused by young adults nothing takes the place of one and only king of illegal street drugs: marijuana. Well, at least for now it is still illegal in 48 states at last count, with Colorado and Washington recently legalizing the drug.

When you fall asleep in the drive through of a McDonald's not once but twice while waiting for your food then you know you got the buzz working for you.  Or is it against you, I forget?  But who cares anyway, just...puff, puff...and please, don't forget to pass.

Sense of Entitlement: You were a total stud in high school.  You rated five stars, fast cars, loose standards and faster and looser women and all that.  You wore #1, you got preferential treatment everywhere you went in your home town.  So you walk into the college head football coach's office after seeing the depth chart that was just released today and you say:

Player: "Uh, Coach there must be some mistake here, you see I am a starter at (name your position).  I wear #1, I am a five star stud and just what the hell is going on here?"

Coach: "Son, sit down here and let's talk about your attitude and lack of commitment to the..." as Johnny five star stands up, walks out, and then transfers to Memphis or Marshall or some other school like that.

Coaching Changes: Bobby five star was recruited by Head Coach A to play position X in a spread offense or position Y a 4-3 defense.  That all sounds well and good until Coach A gets fired in your second season and then Coach K comes in and decides that you should play position G in a pro-set offense or position Z in a 3-4 defense.  Or better yet, even though you were recruited as a running back, that all of a sudden you should play cornerback because it is a "position of need".

Bobby five star realizes he is totally screwed, figuratively and literally, and goes into a major sulk, gets benched, eventually gets suspended from the team or just transfers. Once again a five star failure has been born.

Lost sense of Ego: When you were in high school in Louisiana you were the big man on campus (BMOC). Everybody knew you from the name on your jersey since you were in Pop Warner football.  The high school chicks dug you, the guys wanted to be you, and the adults all respected you. 

Then, you go away to college. All of a sudden, nobody knows who you are.  The chicks are like: "Who is this freaky guy with the crawfish?" The fans are all saying: "Show me what you got home boy from the Bayou!"

Now you are stuck in an awful place like South Bend, IN and it is in the dead of Winter. All of a sudden reality sets in and you transfer to somwhere warm like Boca Raton.

There are many, many reasons the talented players fail each and every year. Those that I listed above are some of the most common ones.

Can you think of others?

Related articles

When Roach Meets Coach

Note To Recruits: U Snooze, U Lose

Dumb And Dumber

Penn State Football: James Franklin has been hired as new football Head Coach

Comments

[Schweaty Balls]

1

[dj moonbat]

College girls.

[CGNC]

Tres

[CGNC]

"Can you think of others?"

Injury.

Go Broncos

[Da U N Houston]

Great article! Of all the bs that is spoken on here these are the kind of publications that the kids and their parents should read b/c that right there is the TRUTH!!!!!

Another reason WOMEN - I seen personally are guys getting their girlfriend pregnant back home and she in his ear 24/7, so he literally loses it.

We had another dude who had a girl back home, then got one there and they both found out/knew, dude just lost it (for real)

Another: Homesick - some guys are just so attached to their mom or homeboys that they decide to transfer back home.

[Da U N Houston]

Clarification on "all the bs" not talking about article, but the b*tichin n moaning and bickering that goes on. KEEP. IT REAL

[KYcane]

Excellent perspective.

One also has to wonder what the parents, parent, grandparent, coaches etc. are teaching these young athletes about what its going to take to become a responsible adult.

[Canesteeler]

Recruiting is a whoreish process.

[RCCF]

I dont want kids at the "U" that want to be lawyers. I want kids that NEED lawyers, LOL>

This Was HIL.arious

RCCF

[raizecane]

Yo Yo Ma

[TJL]

CGNA-sad!

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/horse-rider-killed-in-wellington-accident-identifi/nc9GR/

[CGNC]

Thanks to Franklin's participation, a Miami Hurricane has now reached the Super Bowl for the 14th time in 15 years. It's a remarkable streak that reaches back to 2000, when an astounding six UM products participated in the big game.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/02/3908245/broncos-lineman-orlando-franklin.html#storylink=cpy

[SOUP]

Yo Yo Ma

Posted by: raizecane | February 02, 2014 at 10:45 AM

The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola and double bass.

The cello is used as a solo instrument, as well as in chamber music ensembles, string orchestras, and as a member of the string section of symphony orchestras. It is the second-largest bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, the double bass being the largest.

Cellos were derived from other mid- to large-sized bowed instruments in the 16th century, such as the viola da gamba, and the generally smaller and squarer viola da braccio, and such instruments made by members of the Amati family of luthiers.

The invention of wire-wrapped strings in Bologna gave the cello greater versatility. By the 18th century, the cello had largely replaced other mid-sized bowed instruments.

A person who plays the cello is called a cellist.

[CGNC]

TJL - yes it is. Jumping is so very dangerous.

[CGNC]

And I learned something about the cello today too. LOL

[SOUP]

Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is an American[1] cellist. He was a child prodigy and was performing by age five. He completed a Bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1976. He has played as a soloist with many major orchestras. His 75 albums have received fifteen Grammy Awards.

In addition to recordings of the standard Classical repertoire, he has recorded American bluegrass music; traditional Chinese melodies; the tangos of Argentinian composer Ástor Piazzolla; Brazilian music; and a collaboration with Bobby McFerrin.

Ma's primary performance instrument is a Montagnana cello built in 1733 valued at US$2.5 million.

He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2001,[2] Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, and the Polar Music Prize in 2012.

WATCH THIS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIvD0RgaGmU

[SOUP]

Dallas Jackson ‏@DallasAJackson 26m

The #SuperBowlXLVIII @Broncos have ONE player who was a five-star in high school and 23 that were 2-star or unranked: http://bit.ly/1dKjLom

#StarStruck

[LA3]

Let's GO CANES!

5,4,3,2,1.......wait for it....wait for it.

Let's GO CANES!

[SOUP]

Andrea Amati (ca. 1505 – ca. 1578) designed and created the violin, viola and cello known as the "violin family". He standardized the basic form, shape, size, materials and method of construction. Makers from near by Brescia experimented, such as Gasparo da Salò, Micheli, Zanetto and Pellegrino but it was Andrea Amati in Cremona Italy, who gave the modern violin family their definitive profile. The first violin was ordered by Lorenzo De Medici in 1555. His letter to Amati stated the instrument was to be "made of the highest quality materials like that of a lute, but simple to play". The first violin was intended to be used by illiterate musicians, so the design was simple and easy to play. What became of this first violin is not known. A number of his instruments survive dating between 1538 (Amati made the first Cello called 'The King' in 1538 [1]) and 1574. The largest number these are from 1560, a set for an entire orchestra of 38 ordered by Catherine De Medici the regent queen of France and bear hand painted royal French decorations in gold including the motto and coat of arms of her son Charles IX of France. Of these 38 instruments ordered, Amati created violins of two sizes, violas of two sizes and large sized cellos. They were in use until the French revolution of 1789 and only 14 of these instruments survived. His work is marked by selection of the finest materials, great elegance in execution, soft clear amber soft translucent varnish and an in depth use of acoustic and geometrical principles in design.

[SOUP]

Domenico Montagnana (24 June 1686 – 6 March 1750)[1] was an Italian master luthier based in Venice, Italy. He is regarded as one of the world's finest violin and cello makers of his time.

His pieces, particularly his cellos, are extremely sought after by orchestras, notable musicians or collectors, and many form parts of collections in museums. Prices for authentic pieces can reach millions of US dollars at auction.

Many of his pieces are still in circulation, used by famous musicians or are part of public or private collections. Artists who play or have played on Montagnanas include Stephen Kates, Lionel Tertis, Lynn Harrell, Mischa Maisky, Truls Mørk, Alfred Wallenstein, Josef Roismann, Steven Isserlis, and Yo-Yo Ma.

[herbieibis]

Soup,
The pro coaching is better plus those dudes are now playing for the loot. To win in college you have to have some stars, you won't win with a bunch of 2 and 3 star players, not no ship anyway! It's sort of funny how a lot of those kids that were good or great college players end up doing nothing in the pros.

[SOUP]

What’s UM getting in Brad Kaaya, rated the nation’s No. 8 quarterback prospect?

“The whole package,” said Ed Croson, his coach at Chaminade High in West Hills, Cal. “Big arm. Good size [6-4]. We ran a no-huddle the whole game and he’s quick making pre-snap reads, figuring out where to throw. He’s not a runner but he moves around and gets rid of it. Best quarterback in California.”

What he's not, Croson said, is "a rah-rah leader," choosing instead to lead with his actions. Croson said in some ways, Kaaya reminds him of former NFL quarterback Erik Kramer, who Croson also coached.

Ryan Williams remains the front-runner to start in 2014, but the Kaaya/Kevin Olsen battle in 2015 and 2016 should be fascinating.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2014/02/evaluators-on-what-marlins-are-getting-with-4-new-starters-dolphins-um-heat-chatter.html#storylink=cpy

[Old Skool]

Soup
Quit making so much sense. You're taking away all the drama.

[SOUP]

Skool...I was taught a LONG time ago to tell people to:

"Save the drama for yo Mama!"

Homey don't play that.

[SOUP]

WHO KNEW?

Dan Morgan, Assistant Director of Pro Personnel
Seattle Seahawks

[Keoki]

Alfred and staff better produce this year or they are on a very hot seat IMO. 4 years is the telling make because all of these players are his and so is their DEVELOPMENT.

F' the Turds & $EC!
GO CANES!!!

[BEERicane]

I still think of AG gets more than 7 wins next year it would be a successful season, especially if RW is the QB.

[dj moonbat]

I still think of AG gets more than 7 wins next year it would be a successful season, especially if RW is the QB.

Posted by: BEERicane | February 02, 2014 at 12:13 PM

Heck, if all the kids are on the path to graduation, I think we should all be terribly proud.

[Surfercane]

Beer - Canes will win more than 7 games next year period! Try more like 10!

[SOUP]

I still think of AG gets more than 7 wins next year it would be a successful season, especially if RW is the QB.

Posted by: BEERicane | February 02, 2014 at 12:13 PM

I believe that 9 wins is the FLOOR, seven is unacceptable, and 10 or more is gravy next year. After that we should be back to 10-11 win seasons over the next two years and then we finally beat FSU and go to the BCS title game.

[Dude on a Pale Horse]

There will never be a hot seat for Golden so long as he keeps our nose clean and gets to 7 wins and bowl appearances. No one cares about winning titles anymore at The U.

[Ohio_Cane]

Treon Harris might just flip... Feeling good about this!!

Posted by: UMike | February 02, 2014 at 08:03 AM
-----------------------------------------

This looks like a gut feeling pick. If so, I like it. Hope he does, but I don't think I'm gonna be confident enough to pick him to UM. I could list reasons like I did with Dalvin tho.

[SOUP]

Bruce Feldman ‏@BFeldmanCBS 22m

Pete Carroll is coaching in the Super Bowl today, proving as @michaelgervais says: "The science of optimism is real." Great message there.

[Ohio_Cane]

Dude, if golden doesn't win 9+ games every year, everyone will be calling for his head. Boosters, board, fans, etc.

Hell, look at this year. We had 9 wins and there were plenty of people wanting him fired along with D'No

[SOUP]

No one cares about winning titles anymore at The U.

Posted by: The Dude | February 02, 2014 at 01:04 PM

That statement is not true.

There may be SOME who care less about winning titles but there are still plenty MORE that do at The U.

And the head coach regardeless of who it is or when it is and ALL of the players will ALWAYS want to win a title because that is what coaches and players do.

[SOUP]

Hurricanes Football ‏@MiamiHurricanes 50m

Per STATS Inc, Miami (91) ranks second all-time with most combined Super Bowl games played, trails only USC (92). #SuperBowlU

[SOUP]

Denver 30, Seattle 24

[dj moonbat]

Hell, look at this year. We had 9 wins and there were plenty of people wanting him fired along with D'No

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | February 02, 2014 at 01:08 PM

And the only thing that stopped those malcontents was. . .everybody with decision-making authority at UM.

[YooperCane]

Different generation of kids coming in for sure. The work ethics of players from a time ago was a different mind set. They had a different attitude towards coming in to a major program. They knew it was about the team and not about being selfish with the "its all about me mentality" They brought in a work ethic of Im gonna work my ass off and im gonna get it done no matter what it takes to make my team and the program successful. I see it in the work environment when young kids now a days want to reap the benefits and rewards now and dont want to put in the work it takes to get that reward. They want instant gratification, they want all the glory and kudos but dont want to put in the required work to earn that right. If winning was easy, even losers would do it. Go to work to work! Just my two cents for whatever its worth. Go Canes!

[LA3]

Maybe STARS do matter....did not realize he was so damn young.

Kc McDermott recruit scouting report: Elite offensive tackle

McDermott is a mountain of an offensive tackle, and he's still only in high school. The West Palm Beach (Fla.) Palm Beach Central star stands 6'6 and weighs in at 285 pounds, and is rated by each of the four major recruiting services as one of the top six offensive tackles in the 2014 recruiting class. McDermott is a five-star recruit according to Scout, and is rated as a four-star recruit by 247, Rivals, and ESPN. Each of the four services have McDermott rated among the top 54 players in the entire 2014 recruiting class, and he's considered one of the top 10 recruits in the state of Florida in this cycle. Considering the depth of talent in the state, that's quite an accomplishment.

McDermott has a long list of offers from some of the biggest programs from across the country. As of late December, he holds offers from Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, amongst others.

Bud Elliott, National Recruiting Analyst: McDermott is an excellent prospect. Perhaps most impressive is that he does not even turn 18 years old until right before he will begin his senior season at the University of Miami. He has a strong lineage, with two older brothers having played college football at the BCS level.

The best word to describe McDermott's game is balance. He has excellent balance throughout his stance and in his movements, allowing him to consistently deliver a good strike.

[BEERicane]

I believe that 9 wins is the FLOOR, seven is unacceptable, and 10 or more is gravy next year. After that we should be back to 10-11 win seasons over the next two years and then we finally beat FSU and go to the BCS title game.

Posted by: SOUP | February 02, 2014 at 01:03 PM

I sure hope you are right. I just don't see it with a Sr, first year starting QB who will be strapped with having to make up for a porous D let alone score enough for his side of the ball alone. Plus, he does not have a guarantee at RB next year at all (lots of questions to be answered at that position given the injuries). The schedule is not favorable looking. I just think it'll be a long year. Please help me see your rosy outlook. I'm usually very optimistic heading into the year, but something about next year just had me down. I need help getting up.

[LA3]

SB Nation....

Miami didn't officially host any major commitments over the weekend, but Cameron Underwood of State of The U told me that former Miami commitment Travonte Valentine, the tremendous defensive tackle recruit, did stop by for an unofficial visit to hang out with some of the current players. Valentine seems to be torn between LSU and Miami, and this will be an interesting fight until National Signing Day as both programs have major needs at defensive tackle. Valentine will visit LSU and Miami on successive weekends, with the Hurricanes getting the final visit before National Signing Day.

[SOUP]

$13 for a hot dog, $12 for beer. The Super Bowl concession prices are nuts!

#StayingHome

[Go Canes]

Saying no one cares about winning titles at the U is silly.

[Ohio_Cane]

From CIS:

According to Shodell of cs he spoke to Valentine's Mom this morning and she told him that he is very confused and will restart reevaluating between the two schools. Right now it's 50% to each school.

[BEERicane]

TV. Cane.

[YooperCane]

OC, I like that we are 50/50 coming into the home stretch for TV...Would be a nice surprise on NSD for sure :)

[LA3]

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE RING! Well, NC ring'S.
What HC, Asst Coach, AD, or anyone assocaited with a TOP program would not have NC as a goal....or one of the stated goals each year.

At the U, win Coastal, win ACC, win NC!
Simple stuff.

Top to bottom....2* to AD, walk on to HC, IF you don't want to be the BEST, then you need to step with the rest! RINGS MATTER!

At lower programs....it might be ok to be "competitive" and hope for 7 wins.

[LA3]

Warren Sapp asks Michael Strahan to forgive him for the insults prior to Hall of Fame vote....

Hate him or love him.....Takes a MAN to admit mistake!!!!

"I hugged him and wouldn’t let him go," Sapp, an NFL Network analyst, said during NFL Game Day on Sunday. “I said, ‘Please forgive me.’ I said, ‘Dumb Lex Luthor came to the city of Gotham and pulled Superman’s cape. How foolish could I have been, my man? Please forgive me.

"And if he tells the story any different that, he’s lying to you, America, because I sure did apologize. I’m going to beg for forgiveness because there’s a party in Canton, and I promise you, I’m not going to miss it."

Maybe we Spacers could use some of this....mistakes happen....sometime things don't turn out....does it MATTER who is right or better?!

Live and Let Live....Canes fans are CANES!

[NativeCane]

The invention of wire-wrapped strings in Bologna gave the cello greater versatility. By the 18th century, the cello had largely replaced other mid-sized bowed instruments.A person who plays the cello is called a cellist.Posted by: SOUP | February 02, 2014 at 11:00 AM

I am certainly glad that Martin bronze wound guitar strings arent in Bologna, that stuff is slick and Im sure would decrease versatility! LOL

Go Canes!!!