Thank You, Coach Lang

The Scott Lang's of the world inspire us all to be better people. Scott embodies everything that is life, sports and the experience of competing for something far greater than individual achievement.

Regardless of the final outcome this season, players at La Roche College (NCAA III) will be champions for life. The few years they had the honor of spending with Coach Lang will undoubtedly help shape their careers, their decisions, their relationships, and their mark on this world.

My wish for all aspiring student-athletes is that they embrace the spirit of athletics, not only for the pride and prestige of playing at the highest level, but for the life lessons it teaches us about doing for others.

Take a moment to read this wonderful article by Les Carpenter. I hope it moves you the way it did me. Scott Lang understood the unique opportunity he had to impact lives, and he seized it.  - Rex Grayner

Does college football need an early signing period?

Valor Christian QB Brock Berglund's decision to become a Jayhawk after verbally committing to Colorado is merely another case in what appears to be a rising trend in college football recruiting.

Is the strength of the "verbal commitment" losing its muscle? For many top prospects and major college coaches, verbally committing to one another ends the recruiting process once and for all, for both sides. So then why are more and more Division I football recruits switching their commitments from one school to another? Are college coaches pressuring kids to make decisions they aren't ready to make, or in the college recruiting race, is it "get yours while you can, then change your mind later"?

At present, unlike sports such as baseball, basketball and volleyball, college football has no early period in the National Letter of Intent signing process. Football recruits cannot ink their official commitments until early February of their senior years, regardless of how early they verbally commit to a school.

Proponents of an early signing period argue that giving kids an opportunity to sign before a "regular" signing period would help alleviate decommitments.  Opponents say it would decrease valuable evaluation time for college coaches.

What do you think?  We want to hear from you. Give us your thoughts by submitting your comments below.

Rex Grayner
Student-Athlete Showcase

College recruiting rules can be tricky

For student-athletes & parents, understanding the in's and out's of college recruiting can be a major challenge. In this November 2010 article, Tom Lakin helps clear the air for high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

“In this day and age, getting in touch with coaches is tough. Reaching out is quick and easy enough, but there are a number of NCAA rules that may restrict us from responding.” 

-Ryan Wellner, assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Division I Stony Brook

Auburn Head Coach Gene Chizik on recruiting

Want to know what it takes to get recruited by the best Division I programs in America? 

Auburn University Head Football Coach, Gene Chizik, discusses drive & determination, time management challenges and what it takes to play at the highest level.

VIDEO

Luck forgoes NFL stardom and sends important (and rare) message

I stood on the sidelines in South Bend this past October and couldn’t help but be inspired as I watched Andrew Luck dismantle my Irish. 

I knew this kid was special, but now this?

If you ask most people about Andrew Luck’s decision to pass on the NFL Draft and return to school, they will likely conclude that he just gave up $50 million. He just made the biggest mistake of his life.  They’ll bring up all the reasons why he should have taken the money. He was the #1 pick in the draft and was guaranteed to make more money than any other NFL player before taking a single professional snap. They’ll defend their position with “how can anyone turn down that kind of money? He has his whole life to go back to school! What if he gets hurt next year? What if his stock drops to middle-late 1^st round? 2^nd round?

And they could be right.  Andrew’s luck may have run out with his decision today.

But what if Andrew is right?  What if he follows in the footsteps of Peyton and Tebow and takes a Harbaugh-less Stanford program all the way to a national title? What if he takes home the Heisman? What if his decision to pass on the draft means he avoids a hapless Carolina Panther franchise that would have been forced to start him as a rookie? What kind of debut could Luck have behind an offensive line in shambles?  All of a sudden, the hype is shattered. Fans are screaming BUST. He’s now appearing in Top 10 lists with the likes of Jamarcus Russell, Alex Smith, and Ryan Leaf as one of the great first-round busts who won the lottery but never amounted to squat in the NFL. 

Of course, he’d still have $50 million in the bank, right?

I love Andrew Luck’s decision. As most analysts responded today, Luck “shocked the football world” with his decision.  Maybe so, ESPN, but it’s still a shame that his decision “defies conventional wisdom;” that his choice is one that few could bring themselves to make.

Andrew Luck set out to earn the most important achievement in his life – not a hefty NFL contract, but a degree from Stanford University. He promised his family he would do whatever it took, and with his decision today, he sent the message loud and clear to millions of aspiring high school athletes that core values can’t be bought. Not even if the offer is unbelievable fame and fortune.

Andrew Luck will graduate from Stanford with a degree in Architectural Design. He’ll spend one more year with his closest friends and then enter the NFL Draft.  He may still go #1 overall and pundits will cry, “See, I told you he made the right decision.” Then again, he may go #74, and critics will be first in line to author the greatest cautionary tale ever told. 

Pay no mind, Mr. Luck. You know what you want. Your values are far too important. You’ll be wearing an NFL uniform soon enough, and you’ll be paid more money than any of us could ever imagine.  But first, you have a degree to earn. You have a team to lead. You have a job to finish.

And instead of millions of dollars to count right now, you have millions of people to inspire. Including me.

- Rex Grayner, SAS President