Is college 'worth' it?

Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.
It's actually a very popular debate these days. Here are four Time Magazine must-reads for the college-bound student and parent.

Evaluations from college coaches are critical to your recruiting success

USC Head Coach, Lane Kiffin


Letters of recommendation and reference letters from your high school coaches are important, especially when it comes to making an impression on college coaches. But are you seeking evaluations from the college coaches themselves?

One of the best ways to stay in control of your college recruitment is to seek honest feedback from the coaches who are studying your highlight/game videos.  Not only is their assessment vital to your collegiate opportunities, but it helps strengthen relationships with these coaches, too.

 Some athletes may be apprehensive about receiving evaluations from coaches because the report may not be what the athlete (or parent) wants to hear.  Nevertheless, college bound athletes must be realistic about their college futures, and accepting what college coaches have to say can be critical to executing a plan that positions you for great fit college options.

Here is an actual evaluation that one of the country’s top Division III football coaches provided SAS on one of our 2012 prospects.  Are you getting specific feedback like this from college coaches?  If not, you could be missing a fantastic opportunity to really know what college programs think when they view your films.  

This young man is an above average D3 football player.  He would not be one of our top QB prospects for the 2012 class.  I am sure he is a terrific athlete, but he appears to go down with little contact.  

Positives: great speed, agility (would be a great D3 WR). Negatives: underthrows most of his passes on film (has some good WR’s).  Has poor feet, shotputs the ball, and falls every time he is touched.  Also does not step into his throw when he has pressure.

We grade on a 0-4 scale, for how many years a player would “start” for us at our school. I would grade him as a 1 or 2. 

Will D1 football coaches stop recruiting JC prospects?

SDSU's Rocky Long

Junior College football recruits should not expect a phone call anytime soon from the staff San Diego State.

In an article by San Diego Union Tribune sports writer Brent Schrotenboer (@Schrotenboer), the Aztecs are stocking their rosters with high school recruits and will no longer recruit junior college players unless there’s an urgent need for it.

“We’re not going to recruit JC guys unless there’s a void,” said Long, San Diego State’s new head coach.

According to Schrotenboer, 77% of the JC players signed by SDSU since 2002 failed to make any significant impact on the program.

Is this a rising trend in Division I football recruiting or merely an isolated case? Proponents of JC recruiting will argue that bringing in JC players - even if they have only 2 years of remaining eligibility - is a vital component to Division I recruiting strategies. After all, household names like Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton both excelled at the JC level before shining at their alma maters, Cal and Auburn, respectively. 

On the other side of the argument, opponents will point out that Juco players can be risky investments for D1 coaches. It's no secret that Juco transfers often struggle to make the academic transition when they transfer to 4-year schools. Such was the case for many of the JC players recruited by SDSU in past years.

What are your thoughts on this? Please post your comments below.

Read full article here...


Rex Grayner
Student-Athlete Showcase (SAS)