I am close to a family of a mid to top level D-1 recruit. He's been to Arkansas, UT, OU, OSU, UCLA, Neb. ISU, UNI and invited to camps all over the country (Just got back from a skills camp in CA)
I had an opportunity to have dinner with he and his family over the weekend. They talked about UNI (last recruiting visit) and the parents really liked it, coaches, educational support, etc.
When I had a chance to ask him his comments were "it's old man, the dorms don't even have A/C"
"What else" I asked ... "Well the coaches are cool, and they have a former pro coaching DL, it's close enough my family can come see me play, but I don't know if I'd like it there"
Mom chimes in at this point and talks about football being his opportunity to get a free education ... and then says "they do have a dome and turf field, so that's nice" - the recruit shrugged, looked at me and told me it was "alright".
I asked him who had been recruiting him the hardest and he told me ISU, UNI, KU and a couple of other smaller schools ... but that he receives letters almost every week from Arkansas, UN, and OU.
I asked him about the last time he visited KU and his face lit up and he said "their whole coaching staff is cool - everyone knew my name, Coach Beaty asked me how I did on my test" (he had discussed being nervous about a test coming up the last time they spoke). He then said "If KU offered I'd take it in a heartbeat"
Mom jumps in "Don't you want to go to someplace you know you're going to play right away?"
The recruit then says "Mom, I'm gonna redshirt at any good program, I'd rather go someplace that I'd enjoy being at, than making sure I can see the field as a freshman" - He seems to have his head on straight.
He went on and on about the KU coaching staff and routinely said "Beaty is just so cool" says he loves how intense he is in practice and that he doesn't BS recruits. 5* and 2* recruits are told the same thing; come to KU, get a great education with great academic support, get some of the best coaching you'll ever get, at a world class facility and EARN your playing time ... said Beaty has no patience for parents or players that think they are above working hard.
Six months ago he didn't even KU on his radar ... and now he says he'd take a scholly right now if offered.
Just thought I'd pass this along, but did not want to start a thread on it.
