BKWarrior wrote:This is, maybe, a hard question to answer, but as I kook at teams like Duke, Rutgers, Washington, Kentucky...I look at their recruting classes every year, and I ask my self, what the hell are they doing wrong? I'm especially intrested in RU and Duke. they have well meaning, intellegent coaches, and they get amazing players, but they still over-all suck (I know, RU is doin better, but still, first bowl game before I was born)what's goin on here!
Two, I have been askin bout this since I've been here. I know Boise St is a talented, rising team, but seriously, why are players electing to take offers from them over us? What is in Boise that is better then Honolulu?
Mahalo
Great questions! I can give you my opinion and what I see from these coaches coming by our school (except for Washington and Boise!)
1. The recruiting game is an expensive and intense one. The way it is approached by the top winning programs and the next level is very different. Let me explain...Florida, Notre Dame, etc only go after the best they can find. Notre Dame more nationally, Florida more regionally. Once they identify these athletes, and incredible amount of money goes into intense contact within the NCAA rules. Tons of mail, phone calls text messages, legal visits (Urban Meyer was at Nease at least a dozen times last year and has been known to fly to Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami all in the same day. The best programs understand, it is all about recruiting (grasshopper now knows this). The "next level" programs appoach it differently, (Duke, Rutgers, etc.) First, they concede they will not get the best athletes and often will not even contact them or if they do it is only with mail and an occasional call. Even though they get great athletes, they are below the talent level of the top programs but still must compete with them.
2. There is a perception regarding certain schools like Duke and it is true. Duke is a tough academic school as is Rutgers, Wake Forest, etc. A kid will still go to Notre Dame based on the history, even though it is tough academically. They will avoid a Duke and truthfully cannot meet the academic standards.
3. The recruiting budgets at the second level schools do not come close to matching the big guys! Urban Meyer can jump on Florida's private jet. (yes, most of them have one!) and zip around the state or Southeast while Duke rides common carrier and can at best get to one location.
4. The law of perception kicks in...what would be your perception if you were a kid and were being recruited by Florida and Rutgers? I think I know the answer.
5. Great athletes attract great athletes...I call it the law of momentum. Everyone wants to play for a winner! Once Tim Tebow signed, two of the top receivers in the nation committed!
Question two...what does Boise have that Honolulu does not?
1. 2,600 or more miles of ocean between school and home...you have to really want to come here.
2. State of the art facilities. Boise facilities are far beyond Hawaii's
3. Ease of contact with recruits. Boise can see Californian kids often, get to their Friday night games, keep constant contact.
4. They are winning the WAC! Success breeds success.
5. Until Hawaii proves themselves defensively, great defensive players will go elsewhere. If the UH defense was even marginally better you could add at least three wins to last years total. I am talking just a little better. I think they will since so much effort is going into recruiting.
6. Boise has more "targeted areas" built in. Every college has high schools that they have strong relationships with and if you are on the mainland you can establish more of these relationships. At UH this is a lot tougher. I am trying to get that going in Florida to a certain degree.
I think UH has to look at a different game plan for recruiting and it would probably start with a well defined marketing program to create what is called a "brand." How you grow that brand determines how you increase your "perception" by high schools and athletes.
Sorry for the long post, but this is a very complicated topic. I hope this gives you a different perspective.
Coach
