Just a quick note to the Class of 2013 football players who are not being heavily recruited and still want to play college football. You need to get your name out there, and you need video to send or hand to the colleges.
Get your name out there. By now, most D-1 football programs know who they are really getting after and who is still out there to get after. Your high school coach is, obviously, really busy with game evaluations and game preparations. But, talk to him, or any other coach on the staff, about helping get your name out there. Ask them to make a call or send an email to the colleges that you like.
During the month of December, different coaches' associations hold "recruiting nights," which are really beneficial and provide contact information to the D-2 and D-3 colleges. These recruiting nights are good, but if you are really interested in playing college football at any level, I would be getting my name to the schools that you like during the season. I would, however, offer this advice -- "Dream big, but think realistic."
Video. I told a young sophomore here in Upper Sandusky to start working on a highlight video. Do not wait til the end of the season to begin. Being a sophomore, making a video is really early, but good. If you cannot edit the video now, go through and make note of the plays you want to include. At the end of the season, go through and edit the video. Then go back and take 25-30 of the best plays of all of the plays you have.
If you are a senior, work on the highlight video now and have it ready just after the season is completed. Do not worry about putting music or any other special affects to your video. One mark to identify you on the video is enough. I get highlight video with borders. company names, music, and all kinds of arrows. Looks nice for the scrapbook and family keepsakes, but not necessary for the college coach to evaluate you.
Beware of college recruiting services. Expensive and just how well do they evaluate you as a football player. Also, some of the online recruiting sites are more concerned about the higher profile player than the D-2 and D-3 prospect. Stands to reason, because the followers want to know about D-1 players and the more readers, the more money for the recruiting reporters. Being an former head football coach many years ago, I still think that all communication should go through a high school football coach.
Finally, game day visits. Everybody, I would guess, would like to attend a major college football game. Honestly, that is probably easier to arrange than people think. Also, I have had high school coaches boast to me that their prospect has to been to a number of major college "Saturday games." Really good experience, but not nearly nearly as important as one might think. My point is that being a guest at a Saturday game is not that hard to arrange.
If you are not a D-1 guy, visit Ashland, Ohio Dominican, Tiffin, or Findlay on a Saturday game day. Good D-2 programs in Ohio. D-3 schools like, Ohio Northern, Capital, and Baldwin Wallace play really good football. See the level of play and I bet it might surprise you.
The best in your efforts. A basketball coach here in Upper Sandusky once told me that "Big is not always better," when selecting a college. The coach was just trying to impress me to thinking that he was next John Wooden, but his comment is very true. Of course, his son went on to do very well at Ohio State University.
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