Question for Coach205

[Bornthrilla]

I've always wondered how the college recruiting process worked behind the scenes.

Is there any way you can explain (without giving away too many secrets of course) what happens from the moment you identify a potential prospect to the moment they actually fax in their letter of intent on Signing Day.

I'm sure a lot of readers would like to know what really goes on with that process and how much work you guys have to put in.

[bearpride09]

well im new to this site an i dont know if being up here is against the ncaa rules or not but i am an offered recruit an i could tell you more info if you need it... But i was really wondering if you could tell me more about the school an its environment..

[Maxell]

Start here:

www.ncat.edu
www.ncataggies.com

[Bornthrilla]

Welcome to the site bearpride09.

I'm not sure about the NCAA rules either. Just to be safe, don't disclose your real name or what school you currently attend.

In my humble opinion, A&T is the greatest university on the planet. Great academics, close-knit campus environment, located in a comfortable city and plenty of beautiful women. The A&T football program sucks right now, but it does have probably the best fan support, pound for pound, of any school in the nation. Without a doubt, this is the greatest college fan website that has ever been created. If you came here and were a decent player I would personally make sure you have as much hype as any Heisman Trophy candidate. (Ask Derek Gould)

Question: what position do you play and what are some of your accomplishments?

[coach205]

Basics

Spring Recruiting 4 weeks end of April middle of May. Identify Junior recruits. Big dogs are offered early. Only one phone call allowed in Spring. Get film and early transcripts. Make Contacts. Dead in the summer.

September 1 calling can start and also allowed to go to games. Still can't talk to student athlete face to face off campus. You basically talk to him on the phone and make sure he sees you when you go to his game. Get everybody to talk to him on the phone though Head Coach, Coordinator, Position Coach and sometimes even A.D. The one way you can talk face to face is to get the student athlete to come on an unofficial visit to a home game.

December 1 Evaluation and full contact period. This is when you set up Home visits and go into the student athletes home. Recruiting coach goes in first by himself. Then later with Head Coach and Coordinator. It is this time also you set up official visits for January. Also with smaller schools you try to be the first one in because that's used a lot by smaller schools. When it comes down to crunch time they ask the student athlete "Who was the first one in your home."

If you do a good job sometimes you get an early commitment but for the most part dealing with lower level schools you won't get many commitments without an official visits. Official Visits as you all know are the most important. You must show off everything your school, facilities, GIRLS?, all that stuff. After the official visit is when most guys will commit. Then you must hold on. Because it's funny when you get a student athlete commited they all of sudden get hot with other schools and you have to hold on til signing day.

Now that you can't be at the school when the student athlete signs his letter of intent. He could basically have 10 or more letter of intents in front of him on signing day. So really until the fax comes cross you don't know if the kid will sign or not. Because we have lost some on signing day before and had no idea other schools were even in the mix.

This is just a basic synopsis of recruiting a student athlete. There is a lot more involved. mailings, letters, etc.... a lot of stuff that is way to much for me to type. Hell this was way too much to much for me to type already. I hope this sheds a little light for you guys on recruiting.

[Bornthrilla]

Man, that is some great info.

I bet it is a major heartbreaker when you have worked your tail off to recruit a kid and that fax doesn't come in on Signing Day.

[aggiejazz]

Thanks 205

Thrilla, a suggestion, I think it would be great to have a few sections that deal with rules on recruiting (football and basketball) and actual athletic budgets - even though sometimes those numbers are suspect because line items aren't given so we don't actually know how much was spent on what items. Any time someone will has a question on recruiting or how we recruit they can always go to that section.

[Bornthrilla]

What do you mean by "sections"? Are you talking about creating different forums for those topics on this message board?

[aggiejazz]

Jan 2, 2009 14:05:55 GMT -5 Bornthrilla said:

What do you mean by "sections"? Are you talking creating different forums for those topics on this message board?

Yes, unless it will take up too much space or make your forum format too cluttered.

[Bornthrilla]

Nah. That's a good idea. I'll see what I can do.

[bearpride09]

Question: what position do you play and what are some of your accomplishments?
Well im an offensive lineman, 6'3.5" 295 an i can play everything on the line except longsnapper. I prefer guard bkuz i like to pull. But i was an all-conference this season. I averaged about 13 pancakes a game not including knockdowns an graded out 92%blocking i lost alot of my big school recruiting when i tore my acl my junior season, an ecu an duke took their offers back and gave them to other recruits. But i was wondering if you know where i could see some more actual film of this school.

[Bornthrilla]

Uhhh ... well, you don't wanna see any film of our offense last season - especially our offensive line. Just go purchase the Saw box series on DVD and that will give you an idea of how painful it was to watch our offense in 08.

However, here is a video you should check out from one of our basketball games:




And here is a video of how our fans celebrated when the football team finally broke its losing streak:



If you come to A&T and help this football program win again, that's is the type of fan support you can count on.

[bearpride09]

LOL i doubt yall could be that bad, but do you guys cover basketball? Im comming up on 1 of my officials on the 16 an 17th an hopefully Coach rags will convince me to come bkuz those are some hot videos.. I really wanna commit but im scared of the coaching situation.. I do wanna win tho an i dont wanna sign my life away to a losing program sir..you feel me?

[Bornthrilla]

Man, you sound like you have your head on straight. That is good to hear. O-lineman are supposed to be the smartest cats on the team.

I won't even try to BS you: this football program sucks right now, but that does not mean it is destined to suck in the future. And that does not mean the overall university sucks, which is the main thing you should be researching when making you decision on where to go to school.

All I can tell you is that I graduated from A&T and it has made me the man I am today. You can ask anyone around here and they will tell you that I am one of the four or five smartest people on this planet. That is a fact. BTW: I was even fortunate enough to meet my wife at a A&T football game.

Also, if you do come here you will be welcomed into the A&T family with open arms. You will instantly become a member of the Aggie Nation and there is nothing in life quite as good as that. You will forever share a connection with people who have become astronauts, doctors, civil rights leaders, entrepreneurs, NFL hall of famers, BDF leaders, etc.

And ask yourself: how many teams that have been as sorry as we've been over the last 5 years can boast fans who are this passionate or a fan site this great? Zero.

If you come to A&T and work hard (that's the key) it could be the best decision you ever made.

[Bornthrilla]

And here are two more reasons to come to A&T:






.






.




.

exhibit A:




exhibit B: