Are you on the moral high ground if you send out fewer offers?

[CP87]

I play the game up to a point. I try to make my content as enticing as possible on social media or when posting on here with headlines or tag lines. We have to pay the bills.

Thanks for the kind words and being here. That goes for most of you.

OK. Now back to work.

First give us the list of those whose presence you are not thankful for.

 

[westender]

It matters in the sense of if a school is as cavalier about throwing them out like TN is then how committed are they of sticking to it on their end if you commit early? I'd be curious to know how many schools yank offers away from kids as they begin having others commit behind em if they are getting someone better.

Iowa isn't immune to that a few years ago Iowa had offers out to and commitments from 3 different qbs. But yet as signing day got closer yanked one of them from that Benneventi kid from IL I believe after he had a subpar SR year compared to the other 2. Put yourself in that kids shoes... It's for things like that happening that don't allow for me to blame the kids one bit in changing their minds. The fact that schools can and do do that has to be in the back of all these kids minds too. Do what's best for you and don't look back

I believe when you are offering younger and younger kids there are stipulations on the offers to those kids as to grades and performance for remainder of high school years.

 

[westender]

So most years a school would accept low 20s for numbers and you send out 440 offers????? C'mon man!

 

[westender]

They must have underlings below the coaches too... There isn't enough time in the day for as you said the coaching staffs being able to have any regular communication with that many kids plus taking care of who all they already have is impossible.

This is an area where Alabama and huge budget schools have a distinct advantage in numbers of people on staff.

 

[westender]

Hey the Clones are #10 in the country!!!! And remember they called one of our recruits garbage. Can't wait to see him kicking ass against them in a couple years.

 

[westender]

I guess Alabama must be praying a lot. What a stupid tweet.

Guessing Bama can pull offers or does. Since they basically have an unlimited staff and want to even allow DJ Durkin around the program they can maintain better contacts with more recruits.

 

[westender]

I try to be as objective as I can. And I really respect Iowa's approach when it comes to recruiting, overall.

That said, I do not think it should push this narrative that because it offers fewer kids it's better. Recruiting is a complicated equation with changing variables. An offer today, might not be an offer tomorrow.

It's a business. Schools just need to be morally and ethically responsible in pursuing prospects just like other aspects of the program. Same goes for prospects.

We all know that there are rogues on both sides but there's no need to paint with a broad bush on this one

I would counter that me offering fewer means I am more into you than a place offering 3 times as many guys at the same position and all the while whispering the same sweet nothings to all those guys. He has a valid angle in the way to portray that to recruits.

 

[westender]

If I were a recruit I would definitely be looking at who else is being offered at the same position. Certainly has to be some schools that will yank offers if a more preferred recruit commits if you are not the #1 pick on their board.

 

[ohhawk]

Offer letters by themselves aren't guilty of much.........maybe good marketing to get your school's name out there and "associated" with some of the better talent. Probably allows a fall back position for a program if their top picks falter and they need to move down the selection list. At least they're not starting totally "cold" as they did send an offer letter. In my opinion it's what can follow and how a program handles a different scenarios that could arise with a recruit from these letters that may determine moral high or low ground.

Offer letters are not standardized. Schools can include or exclude a variety of language. I'm sure some are written clearly with no room for misinterpretation while others allow some wiggle room if needed.

I'm not sure K. Bell is that wise to send out a blurb about "Spray & Pray". Opposing programs could say we use a "Poke & Hope" approach. Which is better? I wouldn't know.

 

[4thngoal]

Or look at it this way, if a school that offers 400, offers you, like I said, it's like advertising in the paper and radio that you are hiring. If a school offers you and doesn't offer as many, it's more like the draft. I know they all say it's about the right fit, family atmosphere ect, but if you can't see that's a load of bs, because they are offering just about everyone and anyone to come join their "family".

 

[THawk122]

Hey the Clones are #10 in the country!!!! And remember they called one of our recruits garbage. Can't wait to see him kicking ass against them in a couple years.

ISU is only ranked like 3 spots behind us, so its either working for them or it's not working for us

 

[westender]

ISU is only ranked like 3 spots behind us, so its either working for them or it's not working for us

3 - 0 against Coach Wonder in Ames. I'd say it has been working.

 

[THawk122]

Were also ranked 10th in the BIG so if one our of 12 game means that much then yeah I'd say its working

 

[Ree4]

I never said it was bad what ISU does. I have no idea if it helps them, hurts them, or is in fact doesn't matter one way or another. I am just saying if you CHOOSE to operate in one or the other extreme, then at least try to use it to your advantage. For instance:

Recruit: Coach Campbell, why is it that you have offered 400 kids in this class, why should I want to come and play for you if you don't value me that much?

Coach Campbell: That isn't true at all that we don't value you, we very much want you to be apart of our program. We are simply trying to build the very best championship caliber program that we can, and that means we are offering the best HS players in the country an opportunity to be apart of our program. We view you as one of the best HS players in the country and that is why we have offered you that opportunity at well.

In the end, like Rob said I doubt it make much difference one way or another, kids are probably putting personal relationship over how many kids are offered (high or low numbers) anyway.

You're exactly right on this. This is what sales is. You want to differentiate yourself from the competition, but before you mention it/sell it you should gauge whether or not the recruit would actually care. As to mentioning it on the radio? I think it's just a way to be snarky and poke ISU, adding to the rivalry

 

[RobHowe]

 

[NCHawker]

This is just another "shiny object" Iowa uses to distract from the fact that their recruiting is highly mediocre. So you made less offers than 90% of the FBS? Good for you. If that results in a class ranked near 40, do you think that was a successful strategy?

I'm not convinced that extending more offers would improve their recruiting.

 

[smitharooney]

There definitely seems to be an advantage to being a first offer. But if you are only the first offer because you offer everyone under the sun, does it really count as a first offer? Can recruits recognize that? Should Iowa use that as negative-recruiting against other schools (notably Neb, ISU, Minn)?

It is an interesting dilemma. Would you rather see Iowa go the Nebraska route, or maintain their current practice of deliberate evaluation prior to an offer?

Not surprised that Northwestern and Stanford are near the bottom because of their academic standards that kids would have to adhere to. Tougher to find kids who fit your mold. Tennessee on the other hand must not care if you can spell football

 

[4thngoal]

It's like KF said, it's like looking at a woman and being like yep, without even getting to know her. How serious can you be?
So you ask her out, (offer), buy her dinner (get to know her a little) who knows, next thing you know she could be throwing bricks through your window. Right Rob??
If you are a little more choosy, maybe you don't have to replace as many windows, because maybe they fit what you are looking for a little better.
But hey what do I know.

 

[taffaej]

If I was coach I would be looking at my needs and then offering every 4 and 5 star kid an offer, odds are in my favor that a dozen or more kids take interest. I would work on those kids while continue my two and three star back up efforts. Worse case scenario is I waste a few stamps and still end up with my traditional 9th in the Big Ten recruiting class.

 

[LurkinGopher]

Well, no surprise that Minnesota sent out 303 (top 20%). We know PJ can be cheesy like a used car salesman, but hear me out. Minnesota and many others are offering 5 and 4 star kids they probably won't get, but if you don't shoot you don't score. You take that same approach with targeted 3 star kids and before you know it, you're at 303. Making an offer will hopefully get you in the kid's consideration set. Then, you hope for a visit and a sit down with the dynamic PJ. Some kids will be turned off by his over the top pitch and boat rowing, but others might be sold.

As for building relationships - it's difficult to get this generation to communicate a word past - yup, nah, sup. The ones that respond or have been designated priority are pursued.

On a personal note, if I had a D1 kid, I'd make them visit every school that offered them and check out the full scene. Once there, Minneapolis' urban feel might appeal to some kids. That offer and PJ's passion might get them to commit. Same could be said for Iowa City's appeal and those wonderful facilities. But, if Ferentz is going to be conservative in recruiting...just like with X&Os, the Hawkeyes may be missing huge opportunities.