Star-Telegram Recruiting
Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:34 pmPosted on Tue, Jun. 15, 2004
Many seniors commit to early decisions
By John Miller
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Carroll quarterback Chase Daniel doesn't want anything to get in the way of winning a state championship.
That means eliminating distractions -- like those that come with the recruiting process.
Daniel wants to commit to a school in July -- seven months before National Signing Day -- so he can focus on his final high school season. He's following a trend that began regionally six years ago, as athletes try to end the pressure and colleges get an early start filling their classes.
"I want to get away from thinking about recruiting and get it so I'm focused on winning a state championship," said Daniel, The Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year last season who led the Dragons to a second consecutive UIL Class 5A state title game. "That is what your senior year should be about."
Few Texans made early commitments until Mack Brown took over at Texas in December 1997. Following the method he used in North Carolina, in his first full year Brown received 17 commitments by Thanksgiving.
Other Big 12 schools matched the Longhorns' philosophy. Now every Big 12 South school has received a commitment. Texas A&M leads with nine.
"I don't think it's going away," Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said. "I would be in favor of an early signing day. There are a lot of young men that would like to be able to do that and stop all the phone calls and the maintenance that goes along with recruiting."
Most players making early commitments feel the same as Daniel. Usually, a commitment drastically reduces the number of phone calls from coaches.
High school players also get the security of knowing they'll almost certainly be a part of a program next season. Schools rarely pull scholarships once commitments are made.
"I could go out there and just play and not worry about throwing five touchdowns a game just to get a look," said former Grace Prep quarterback David Ramirez, who committed to Purdue last summer and signed in February. "I didn't have the pressure on Friday nights that I was playing for my scholarship. Having that feeling that you know that you're going somewhere, you can worry about the game instead of the people watching."
Unofficial visits, trips not paid for by the university, have begun to play a bigger role. Players might attend football camps or simply visit the campus on their own. They'll still see the stadium, locker room and dorms, and meet coaches and academic advisers.
Ramirez visited Purdue for a football camp in the summer shortly before he committed.
Daniel has already made unofficial visits to Oklahoma State, Texas and TCU, and plans to make several more.
"When I went on my unofficial visit to Miami, I found out all the things I wanted to find out," said former Brownwood quarterback Kirby Freeman, who committed to Miami last summer and enrolled there for the spring semester. "It was just about the same as my official visit, there just were not many players around because a lot of them were at home."
Early commitments also help streamline recruiting efforts. If a team only wants two running backs and it receives two early commitments, then coaches can focus on the positions they have not filled.
As teams fill their class before the football season, the traditional recruiting months of December and January allow coaches to prepare for their next class.
"I just think it lets you know where you're going with your class," Franchione said. "It keeps you ahead of the game. If you're recruiting a good class, the more you have present in that class, the more you can focus on the next class."
Many seniors commit to early decisions
By John Miller
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Carroll quarterback Chase Daniel doesn't want anything to get in the way of winning a state championship.
That means eliminating distractions -- like those that come with the recruiting process.
Daniel wants to commit to a school in July -- seven months before National Signing Day -- so he can focus on his final high school season. He's following a trend that began regionally six years ago, as athletes try to end the pressure and colleges get an early start filling their classes.
"I want to get away from thinking about recruiting and get it so I'm focused on winning a state championship," said Daniel, The Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year last season who led the Dragons to a second consecutive UIL Class 5A state title game. "That is what your senior year should be about."
Few Texans made early commitments until Mack Brown took over at Texas in December 1997. Following the method he used in North Carolina, in his first full year Brown received 17 commitments by Thanksgiving.
Other Big 12 schools matched the Longhorns' philosophy. Now every Big 12 South school has received a commitment. Texas A&M leads with nine.
"I don't think it's going away," Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said. "I would be in favor of an early signing day. There are a lot of young men that would like to be able to do that and stop all the phone calls and the maintenance that goes along with recruiting."
Most players making early commitments feel the same as Daniel. Usually, a commitment drastically reduces the number of phone calls from coaches.
High school players also get the security of knowing they'll almost certainly be a part of a program next season. Schools rarely pull scholarships once commitments are made.
"I could go out there and just play and not worry about throwing five touchdowns a game just to get a look," said former Grace Prep quarterback David Ramirez, who committed to Purdue last summer and signed in February. "I didn't have the pressure on Friday nights that I was playing for my scholarship. Having that feeling that you know that you're going somewhere, you can worry about the game instead of the people watching."
Unofficial visits, trips not paid for by the university, have begun to play a bigger role. Players might attend football camps or simply visit the campus on their own. They'll still see the stadium, locker room and dorms, and meet coaches and academic advisers.
Ramirez visited Purdue for a football camp in the summer shortly before he committed.
Daniel has already made unofficial visits to Oklahoma State, Texas and TCU, and plans to make several more.
"When I went on my unofficial visit to Miami, I found out all the things I wanted to find out," said former Brownwood quarterback Kirby Freeman, who committed to Miami last summer and enrolled there for the spring semester. "It was just about the same as my official visit, there just were not many players around because a lot of them were at home."
Early commitments also help streamline recruiting efforts. If a team only wants two running backs and it receives two early commitments, then coaches can focus on the positions they have not filled.
As teams fill their class before the football season, the traditional recruiting months of December and January allow coaches to prepare for their next class.
"I just think it lets you know where you're going with your class," Franchione said. "It keeps you ahead of the game. If you're recruiting a good class, the more you have present in that class, the more you can focus on the next class."