JimBob
01-11-2009, 09:04 AM
Relationships are vital in recruiting
Coaches stress value of connection with prospects.
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 1/11/2009 3:09 AM
Last Modified: 1/11/2009 3:12 AM
When a college football head coach loses an assistant to another school — as Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy and the University of Tulsa's Todd Graham have experienced in recent days — there are two immediate priorities.
While identifying candidates for staff jobs, coaches also must sustain recruiting relationships that had been forged by the departed assistants.
OSU defensive coordinator Tim Beckman left to become the head coach at Toledo. Cowboy assistants Curtis Luper (running backs) and Trooper Taylor (co-offensive coordinator, receivers) were hired at Auburn.
TU co-offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, whose Arkansas recruiting connections were instrumental in bringing offensive difference-makers Charles Clay, A.J. Whitmore and Slick Shelley to the Golden Hurricane program, also has moved to Auburn.
Talent evaluation and recruiting are a year-round endeavor, and January represents the final and most important chapter of the process.
"You don't want to lose coaches, but it hasn't hurt us because all of our guys develop relationships with recruits," Graham said. "If we're recruiting an offensive player, three or four of our offensive coaches will have been involved in that player's recruiting.
"We haven't lost one (recruit)" because of Malzahn's departure, Graham said, "and I don't anticipate that we will."
National signing day — the first date on which recruits may sign letters of intent — is Feb. 4.
Malzahn formerly was high school head coach in Springdale, Ark. Without him to recruit in Arkansas, Graham has adjusted by assigning quarterbacks coach and special-teams coordinator Bill Blankenship to work the Fayetteville area and wide receivers coach Mike Norvell to visit prospects in the Little Rock area.
At OSU, every coach now is involved in recruiting travel. The NCAA allows a maximum number of seven coaches to be on the road, and the Cowboys currently have seven coaches (including Gundy). Last week, Gundy made two trips to Texas.
Since the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon, in an effort to fortify existing relationships, OSU coaches have visited the home of each recruit who has announced a commitment to the Cowboy program. The coaches also have visited about 20 prospects who remain undecided.
To cover areas that had been the territory of Luper and Taylor, the roles of Cowboy offensive line coach Joe Wickline and tight ends coach Doug Meacham were expanded to include Dallas-Fort Worth and north Texas.
Gundy did not respond to an interview request for this article. A source close to the OSU program predicted that Wickline and Meacham will fare well with Dallas-Fort Worth recruits.
"I don't see any drop-off. Joe Wickline and Meacham are animals in recruiting," the source said. "Wickline is a machine."
Coaches stress value of connection with prospects.
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 1/11/2009 3:09 AM
Last Modified: 1/11/2009 3:12 AM
When a college football head coach loses an assistant to another school — as Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy and the University of Tulsa's Todd Graham have experienced in recent days — there are two immediate priorities.
While identifying candidates for staff jobs, coaches also must sustain recruiting relationships that had been forged by the departed assistants.
OSU defensive coordinator Tim Beckman left to become the head coach at Toledo. Cowboy assistants Curtis Luper (running backs) and Trooper Taylor (co-offensive coordinator, receivers) were hired at Auburn.
TU co-offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, whose Arkansas recruiting connections were instrumental in bringing offensive difference-makers Charles Clay, A.J. Whitmore and Slick Shelley to the Golden Hurricane program, also has moved to Auburn.
Talent evaluation and recruiting are a year-round endeavor, and January represents the final and most important chapter of the process.
"You don't want to lose coaches, but it hasn't hurt us because all of our guys develop relationships with recruits," Graham said. "If we're recruiting an offensive player, three or four of our offensive coaches will have been involved in that player's recruiting.
"We haven't lost one (recruit)" because of Malzahn's departure, Graham said, "and I don't anticipate that we will."
National signing day — the first date on which recruits may sign letters of intent — is Feb. 4.
Malzahn formerly was high school head coach in Springdale, Ark. Without him to recruit in Arkansas, Graham has adjusted by assigning quarterbacks coach and special-teams coordinator Bill Blankenship to work the Fayetteville area and wide receivers coach Mike Norvell to visit prospects in the Little Rock area.
At OSU, every coach now is involved in recruiting travel. The NCAA allows a maximum number of seven coaches to be on the road, and the Cowboys currently have seven coaches (including Gundy). Last week, Gundy made two trips to Texas.
Since the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon, in an effort to fortify existing relationships, OSU coaches have visited the home of each recruit who has announced a commitment to the Cowboy program. The coaches also have visited about 20 prospects who remain undecided.
To cover areas that had been the territory of Luper and Taylor, the roles of Cowboy offensive line coach Joe Wickline and tight ends coach Doug Meacham were expanded to include Dallas-Fort Worth and north Texas.
Gundy did not respond to an interview request for this article. A source close to the OSU program predicted that Wickline and Meacham will fare well with Dallas-Fort Worth recruits.
"I don't see any drop-off. Joe Wickline and Meacham are animals in recruiting," the source said. "Wickline is a machine."