Iowa Football and social media

[Hunz]

It might seem like a minor issue but I think that the social media (Twitter) ban by the Iowa football team may negatively affect recruiting. There are many high school football recruits that are on Twitter and they tweet stuff out all the time. Some guys have thousands of recorded tweets. I think that most if not all high school football recruits have aspirations of being in the NFL and I think that they probably feel like Twitter is a way to market themselves. I know that social media likely does not play a role in NFL teams drafting players, but I think you have to think more about the recruits perception of social media as a marketing tool as opposed to it actually being a significant marketing tool for them. And lets face it, people like to show themselves off and I think this is magnified when it comes to high school and college kids. Especially athletes. I think that a school like Iowa needs to utilize any advantage that it can especially in a year like this and I think this is one small example of an easy rule that can be changed. I was curious about other teams that use social media to their advantage so I did some research on Twitter and many other college football teams allow their players to be on Twitter. As a matter of fact many of the teams with the best recruiting classes have head coaches on Twitter. As an example Tennessee has the #5 ranked class this year and I looked up Butch Jones on Twitter and sure enough he posts on there all the time posting pictures of new verbal commits and stuff like that. Butch Jones seems like a go-getter type and it doesn't surprise me that he was able to recruit a team that kicked the s**t out of Iowa in the Gator Bowl. Check it out for yourself:

https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=butch jones

Anyway, I know it may seem like a little thing but it just might be enough to dissuade recruits from signing. It may also be part of the reason players get fed up and transfer. It seems like the first thing players do when they decide to leave is Twitter everyone to tell them about it. Part of it also is also that players probably don't like to have their first amendment rights taken from them. I think if you're 18 years old you should be able to use whatever social media you want.

 

[528646]

I think you are spot on - 100% agreement from me.

I'm guessing it "seems like a minor issue" only to those completely out of touch with the reality of today's young people.

 

[Hunz]

Yes, I am bumping my own thread but I really would like some more opinions on this. I seriously think it's a pretty big issue. Last night was a great win for Iowa basketball and both Aaron White and Gabe Olaseni tweeted after the game and many people on twitter gave them much deserved praise. I think this another moral booster and a way for the fans to connect with the players. It's the way of the future and the Iowa football coaches can't see that and I think we're missing out big time.

 

[TheIowaHawkGuy]

I know for a fact it's an important factor for recruits. I've discussed this topic the past few days as well.

 

[HawkWT]

I agree. Make them make their profiles private, put some guidelines on use... but don't ban it. Social media is huge.

I'm guessing they make up for a lot of it on SnapChat, though.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

This is another example of how kirk would rather do what is easiest for him rather than what is best for the program.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

I agree. Make them make their profiles private, put some guidelines on use... but don't ban it. Social media is huge.

I'm guessing they make up for a lot of it on SnapChat, though.

Thats not what they want. They want a kabillion followers. They dont want to be private thats why they are on twitter. They want everybody to hear them.

 

[Hunz]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees this as a major issue.

 

[Hunz]

I actually emailed Gary Barta about this a couple days ago and he said that it was a fair question and that it's an issue that they continue to monitor, but he didn't seem convinced that it plays a part in recruiting. I disagreed but I did appreciate that he responded.

 

[CPHAWK82]

I was listening to an interview of Jerome Bettis talking about Notre Dame recruiting him. He said when he heard they were going to let him tape his shoes, that pushed him towards Notre Dame. He even admitted it sounds trivial now, but at the time it played a factor. It's not a twitter example but it's what the kids liked at the time. He also said his first day of practice everyone was told to take the tape off their shoes so they lied to him....Stay Classy ND!

Twitter has surpassed the "fad" phase and has been around for nearly a decade. For the younger generation it's all they know and has become the go to communication right along with Facebook and Instagram. The recent recruiting class was only 8 years old when Twitter was created. To think that this rule hasn't had at least a small impact on recruiting would be naive.

 

[hawkinn3]

When this whole internet thing blows over Kirk will be the one laughing.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

You absolutely can't tell 18-21 year olds they can't use Twitter. In today's social-media domimated world we live in that is like telling my wife she needs to leave the car in the drive way and walk to work.

It is absolutely ridiculous ... Please Kirk ... just go far, far away ... After next year Kirk will be done at Iowa. No ifs, ands, or buts ... It has almost become laughable how much of a joke we are becoming in football. We are competing with the Western Illinois' and Cincinnatis of the world for recruits ... Kirk, I am done with you ... I will welcome the day when you take your condescending snide remarks and go far, far away from the Iowa podium ... You seem to forget the same fans to take your little subtle jabs at are the same fans who have made this program as successful and profitable as it is ... Kirk, you did not invent Iowa football. It will be here long after you are gone.