OK, finally a chance to vent on my perception of recruiting. Yes, I’ve been there. I’ve personally witnessed the recruiting visits to Ohio State, Boston College, and North Carolina. And yes, I would have very much enjoyed visiting San Diego State (what 18 year old would not want to do that?), but my Mom vetoed that one. I’m still bitter about that, but that is another story!
I chose Ohio State. It was the right decision for me, and I think things worked out OK for me. I lettered 4 years (6 if you count baseball), and I started for 3 seasons. And most importantly, I got my degree and a few scholar athlete awards to go with it. I truly enjoyed my scholastic experience as much as my athletic endeavors at Ohio State.
I was one of the statistics that fall in the left column of not being part of the attrition that can be college football. I believe that only 12 members of my recruiting class of 1986 (approximately 26 members) that played their entire career at Ohio State and graduated. That number could have grown if some of the fellas came back to get their degree, but I’m guessing that number is small.
Recruit Retention!
My point is this. The recruiting hype drives me nuts! I get excited too, but it’s not about signing day or how many TD’s this kid scored in high school, it’s about whether or not he stays. The attrition rate is high, and it is real. The real challenge to today’s coaches at Ohio State and other schools, is RETAINING these student athletes (or athlete student in some cases…another blog down the line!).
Attrition!!
The reality is that kids drop out or transfer for many reasons. They find out that they cant compete, so they transfer to a smaller school so they can play; or they get caught up in High Street (or whatever they do now to party!) and lose focus on the task at hand, and they disappear from the team; or they don’t get it done in the classroom, and they are not eligible; and of course there are the NFL early jumpers (cant blame them, I’d take the $ and run if it were me…and don’t tell me you would not either! I’m sick of hearing the quotes of he should stay in school! You can always come back and get your degree, but you cant always make 7 figures.) Once again, I digress. I’m sure I can come up with other reasons why recruits don’t end up playing 4 to 5 years, or why they don’t get their degrees, but I think you get the point.
Back to the RETENTION ISSUE, just like I focus on TENANT RETENTION for the Landlords that I represent. Keeping these student athletes in school and on the field is the REAL challenge. I commend the Buckeye coaching staff for the job they do. It’s not easy, but Jim Tressel and his staff are in the business of grooming quality young men, as well as quality football players. This is not hype. This is real. Some of the kids probably think it is quirky, but to does it makes a huge difference. They walk out of the Woody Hayes for the last time with a deep respect for Ohio State, for the football program, for their coaches, for the Ohio State tradition, etc.
Overcooked MEDIA Hype
I blame the media for overhyping some of the prospects that come to Ohio State (and other schools for that matter). I’m a member of the media, and I know its true! Overhyping causes unrealistic expectations that don’t fit.
Take Justin Zwick for that matter. He had a ton of hype out of high school. He came from a passing offense, where they featured the QB, and he had gaudy stats. The media blew that way out of proportion and made him the 2nd coming at Ohio State all because his stats were atypical. He did not deserve that albatross. He did not ask for this, but the media TAGGED him like a cow. How could he possibly live up to all that hype?
I do commend Justin for slugging it out, and for having a fine career at Ohio State when he played. He got stuck behind a Heisman winner, what are you supposed to do? If I was competing against Troy (time warp), I have a feeling I would have been riding the pine. I’m confident in my abilities, but I was not Houdini in the backfield!
Under the RADAR
And how about the guys that fly under the radar….like Troy Smith. Does anyone remember a lot of hype for Troy. I don’t. We all know that Glenville sends a bunch of great athletes to Ohio State, but could anybody have guessed we had a heisman winner on our hands, and a QB that would dominate Michigan for 3 consecutive years. Come on Troy, do you have any idea how good you played vs Michigan?? And to do it 3 years in a row…unreal!
If I recall, Eddie George did not carry a lot of hype. I know Bill Conley worked very hard on getting Eddie to come to Ohio State, but Bill might have been the only one who believed that Eddie had a bright future.
TOO Much Hype?
In the final analysis, the hype over recruiting drives me nuts. I cant get that excited over it, but I do understand that it represents the passion that people in Ohio have in regard to Ohio State Football. People are passionate in the Buckeye Nation, and that is a great thing. I will choose to wait for the next few years to evaluate the merits of each recruiting class, and not get too caught up in what I think they will do in the very near future.
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Filed under: Football by Greg Frey
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