Indiana Small School Football Players:
Work Harder and Smarter to get Recruited

We are not going to create the argument that players who are playing in class 1A – 3A in the state of Indiana are second class athletes.  I am going to make a strong suggestion right now leave your ego out of this while your reading.  As I have said we are not going to sugar coat this process and there are always exceptions but going back through the last 10 years of signings players making it to major football schools (bowl eligible) from class 1A and 2A have been few.  There are some inherent reasons which some coaches find insulting but nevertheless true.  So the best way to describe how to get a fair shot is by telling small school athletes you have to work harder and smarter.  It may not seem fair but it is the reality of the situation.

The problem is not your athletic ability, there are players that have the speed, quickness, and size that college’s desire.  It seems the real issue is the competition.  Once again let’s not let pride get in the way of necessity.  So here are some honest suggestions that you should consider if you desire to play at a “Bowl Bound” institution (D1) on a free ride and you play small class football.

1) 1) Start with making sure that your size, strength and speed are current with projected size, strength, and speed that already play your position at that college.  Do not delude yourself that you are the exception.  If you don’t know what this means you need to find out.  Ask your coach for a couple of college rosters and average the size and weights of the players at your current position.  These are available online at every college’s football website.

2) 2) You and Your parents must become a professional marketing agency.  Some people will do this for you at a price.  The Gridiron Digest doesn’t generally recommend any service, you need to investigate, make them provide you a list of players they have helped in the past and call them.

3) 3) Do not wait for them (colleges) to find you, choose 3 schools you want to concentrate on, and begin your marketing campaign with letters sharing your desire to play for the ______________ (insert the college mascot name).  Be affirmative about your desire, but not cocky or spectacular.  Also, write the position coach.  You must be proactive.

4)      The key is starting early to build your players resume:

a. If you are a 7 on 7 player, you must get your coach to schedule BIG teams during the Summer.  If I were a 1A or 2A coach I would try to go to at least four 7 on7 competitions and would tape every single one.  You want to play against the best of the best because (1A vs. 5A) you are going to have to find a way to showcase your skills against good competition.

b. Start going to camps and clinics early.  Dick Dullaghan has told me more than once that any player who has the right size and athletic ability who attend his camps all 4 years generally will find a place to play in college.  College coaches work camps and clinics during the summer.

c.  Some Colleges invite you to a summer camp in which you must pay.  Try to get yourself invited to a college camp.  It may take your coach, other coaches from other schools and persistence but you can get it done.  It will cost you money in travel and the NCAA doesn’t allow the school to pay for your camp (an invitation to come and pay for the experience of coming to the camp).

4) This leads me to stop and simply tell you that you are going to have to spend some money to get recruited.   Every Parent whose son has gotten recruited that I have talked to this year has or is sending their son to a camp that a particular school has invited them to participate.  It gets pricey some time.  But I have already told you must do the extra things.

5) 5) Create the highlight video or have someone do it for you.  Maintain a record of your improvements on the field (video) and in the weight room.  Ask coaches to write you a recommendation.  Opposing coaches and coaches you meet at camps and clinics.

6) 6) If the biggest weakness is not playing against excellent competition you need to find away to compete against better competition.  (Go to strength contests, wrestle and do well against bigger schools, play basketball and keep film of playing against the better competition, run track or throw and beat the bigger schools.)  Make your case that you can compete at a high level and you have the desire to play at a high level.

The worst thing you can do is assume, you have to work at it and sell yourself.  It doesn’t begin after your senior season.  You better start thinking about these things as you being your sophomore year.  And I will finish this tip sheet by telling you the first step is qualifying academically.