If you learned one thing about recruiting from me on this blog it’s that self awareness can be your biggest asset or your biggest weakness.\u00a0 Failing to have it will undoubtedly lead to you making a series of bad decisions that will likely turn your college football career (if you even have one) into a nightmare.<\/p>\n
In that same vain,\u00a0 today’s discussion in this blog post is directly related to having good self awareness.\u00a0 Football is a sport where quitting is frowned upon.\u00a0 A never say die attitude is needed in training and certainly on Friday nights when things aren’t going your way.\u00a0 It’s a strong life lesson that every football player should stuff in their pocket and carry with them.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 there is quitting and there is steering yourself in the right direction.<\/p>\n
When recruiting starts for a high school football player whether that is actual offers or the desire to obtain offers,\u00a0 everyone has their favorite school.\u00a0 Everyone also starts off wanting to play big time football and why not.\u00a0 Growing up you may have dreamed of playing on TV in the big games that you saw on CBS, ABC or ESPN.\u00a0 To you,\u00a0 that is college football but in reality college football is much more than that.<\/p>\n
College football is also Yale vs. Harvard,\u00a0 North Dakota St. vs. Georgia Southern and Mount Union vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater.\u00a0 In other words,\u00a0 on college campuses across America on a Saturday in the Fall,\u00a0 football is being played.\u00a0 Just because Lee Corso and friends are not at your school putting on mascot hats in pre-game doesn’t mean it’s not college football.\u00a0 I’m here to tell you that you can enjoy a college football experience at Grambling just as much or even more that you do an experience at Clemson.<\/p>\n
In the beginning of your college football scholarship journey,\u00a0 it’s fine to pursue the big name schools that everyone is gunning for.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 it is important to know when the gig is up and it’s time to set your sights on a different set of schools.\u00a0 Even if you are being pursued by Power 5 schools but not necessarily by the one(s) you had in mind,\u00a0 it’s time to know when when to fold ’em and get focused on the ones that really want you.<\/p>\n
Every recruiting cycle is filled with guys who forced the issue by pursuing the big time schools too long or waiting too long to get the proper attention from their all time favorite.\u00a0 What results is being left at the altar by all schools or a decision being made to go to a school that doesn’t really want you and is not a good fit.<\/p>\n
So,\u00a0 how do you avoid this.\u00a0 First and foremost you are going to need that all important thing,\u00a0 self awareness.\u00a0 Be honest about your current skill level,\u00a0 attributes and ability to contribute.\u00a0 It’s ok to believe in your potential but realize that potential doesn’t last long when you arrive on a college campus.<\/p>\n
Over the last couple of decades,\u00a0 the speed at which players move through a college program has escalated at a blinding pace.\u00a0 Whether it has been more and more players declaring early,\u00a0 dropping out or hitting the transfer portal,\u00a0 things happen quickly for athletes in college football programs.\u00a0 You know what else happens quickly?\u00a0 Recruitment of your replacement.\u00a0 Even when you are great,\u00a0 coaches are looking for your replacement after year one.\u00a0 They figure you will be leaving in another year and a half.\u00a0 Sometimes they get your replacement on campus,\u00a0 you get an injury and there goes your replacement in there doing things to make them forget you.<\/p>\n
With things happening at a more rapid pace,\u00a0 your decisions must come quicker and be more precise.\u00a0 High school football players who recognize early where they stand in the whole recruiting puzzle are the ones who land the limited amount of scholarships that are available.\u00a0 Here are some tips to help you realize where you stand.<\/p>\n
First,\u00a0 honestly assess what kind of interest the schools you are interested in are showing you.\u00a0 If you have been playing varsity football for over a year and you have not received an offer from those top tier schools,\u00a0 start thinking about the level or two below that.\u00a0 If you’ve completed two varsity seasons (sophomore and junior) and those schools have not offered then it’s time to get serious about the smaller D1’s and D2’s.\u00a0 Secure your place.\u00a0 If you happen to blow up as a senior and they come calling then you can take a look at the situation then.\u00a0 It still may not be in your best interest to accept the offer.\u00a0 \u00a0Power 5 football programs try to sew up their classes by the end of the players’ junior seasons for the following season.\u00a0 This often means they have been actively pursuing the prospect for a year or two (sometimes more).<\/p>\n