What makes a "good recruiter?" Expectations for UNT

TheColonyEagle · February 1, 2017

I've followed college football for a long time and recruiting has always fascinated me. Getting in the head of a 17-18 year old kid is impossible. But we hear this thrown out a lot:

"He's a GREAT recruiter"

What makes a great recruiter? Are they just salesmen? I ask specifically in regards to what UTSA is doing. When they got their new coach, the first thing said, "that guy can recruit."

How is he doing it? What does he do that others don't? I know....we'll see how they shake out eventually but all indications are he's doing a great job. For example, they got a CB from Tyler (an area we supposedly recruit) with offers from SMU and Houston. They have no facilities, no real history, no sustained success and they play in that ridiculous stadium. How does he do it?

I don't think it's an unrealistic expectation for Latrell to have a top recruiting class every year given all that UNT has to offer. That's my bar for him. And I also expect a bowl every year and to be competing for a conference championship in 2018 and every year after that. I don't see anything unreasonable with that. I think he did a great job with that team last year but we better get busy in a hurry.....If this class ends up 10th in CUSA....I consider that a let down. FIU and UTSA have brand new coaches and they seem to be getting it done.

How is UTSA and their "great recruiter" doing it?

Just curious...

Cerebus · February 1, 2017

2 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

What makes a great recruiter? Are they just salesmen?

Yes.

Good recruiters sell recruits on their vision and that recruits role in that vision.

TheColonyEagle · February 1, 2017

1 minute ago, Cerebus said:

Yes.

Good recruiters sell recruits on their vision and that recruits role in that vision.

So I guess the magic question is: why does it seem there are 9 schools of the 14 in CUSA with more appealing visions than UNT's?

FirefightnRick · February 1, 2017

Someone posted an excellent story on the football board how Wilson does it at UTSA. In a nutshell he busts his ass building close personal relationships on the each high school campus.

Before he leaves he'll be on a first name basis with everyone from the front office including the secretary, attendance clerk, and principal....all the way to the coaches.

Rick

Edited February 1, 2017 by FirefightnRick

BTG_Fan1 · February 1, 2017

As much as we hate to say it.. UTSA has gotten the better of us, when it comes on the field, and in recruiting.. Be able to show that they have beaten us on the field gives them a 1 up on us.. include in the City life of SA vs Denton... Denton has fry street, SA has bars all over, SA has resort style hotels to treat kids on visits, SA has the Riverwalk and we have the square... Also, UTSA got a kid drafted last year as well.. Another thing is that they have an entire market to themselves, we have to compete with the Cowboys, SMU, TCU among other school.. It also helps that they have a former coach that was a National Champ at Miami to start off the program, and now a HC that had recruiting ties to TX before even started. The HS coaches know Wilson because they have met him before, but SL couldn't spend as much time here in TX building relationships like Wilson could because he was at AZS, IU, or UNC so that also gives Wilson a heads up because HC can only visit so much, so we have to find a way to get SL and the staff around the HS Staffs more.. Also, playing in a dome I think gives them an advantage because not everyone gets that chance(even if it is in crappy condition compared to Apogee.) Name recognition as well is something that helps as well, so Kiffin with his Bama rings, Briles with what Baylor has done on offense, FIU with Butch Davis and his Miami Rings... Some of these schools are dumping money to patch the holes and win quick, while UNT is trying to win quick but having to change entire culture of the school.. During football season, it would be brought up if people would be going to games, and people would say "why go its UNT? Not like we can win." Winning fixes it all.. Offering better teams to play against like we have agreed to with Tech is great, but everyone wants to Wins, and that is why we had a lot more people at the HoD than any other home game.. You win and the fans and players will come. UNT is a school on the up now, not because of the last season but because of the entire campus. The improvements made and coming at the school will help improve the chances of landing recruits. Improved facilities for football and other sports and improvements in the classroom will lead to success. When WB and SL say true in the process, it maybe worrisome for us because of RV and his track record, but WB and SL have a vision. We are only nervous about it because they have not put out what the progress points are between present day and in the future of where they want us to be.

One more thing as well, SL and the staff completely change the offense and defense. Going from a run-first that looks for big stocky OL vs the Air-Raid OL added to the reason why UNT wasn't a sexy name as well. Going through the WKU and LAT hurt us on the stat sheet which recruits don't look at but it's something other schools bring up saying they are a higher ranked this or that(with kids not going into depth on the data for who we played) with that said we did play something like 4 of top 15 offenses this year in WKU, LAT, Army, and SM.. I'm not sure how easy it was for UTSA to go from Coker to Wilson's offense and defense, but the transition did effect the product, and why we should be encouraged with how they performed on offense at least at the HoD.

Also, and this is on WB and his staff, but they have to find a way to get people emotional invested into the sports... if is it setting up something that new students pay automatically 40-50 bucks over their time at UNT to have a brick with their name that goes onto the new practice facility, or even the school promoting the bussing of Students from UNT to UTSA(like they did this year but they did it Thursday afternoon with registration closing on Friday).. UNT has one of the biggest(if not the biggest) student bases/alumni bases in the area.. Find a way to reach out those people and bring them back. Yes some people commute but not the entire campus, find what those current students want and what will bring them.. When students show up and see a winning program, that will impact them greatly and want them to come back... Also, a lot of the degrees require internships so they could easily get students involved with activies for the sports and hell even have the Art students design art works that could be sold at the games or something as well to benefit the school program or extra credit, having local student bands play before the game... It was honestly great to see them( the AD office) offer free tickets to people for the SM game because while it was cold, and people left early it was still a great atmosphere, along with the HoD...But they have to present and increase our marketing presence as well. The Cowboys Deal helps us, and honestly it was brought up last night and I looked into it.. Texas Tech is doing practices in Lubbock, Midland, and The Star with their spring game in Lubbock.. UNT with their partnership should do some practices at The Star, Jerryworld, and Hell maybe even the Cotton bowl.. then do the spring game in Denton.. All these areas places we have campuses, and ways to inject UNT into those areas, along with bringing alumni closer to the team and aware of UNT for recruits(even better if we can bring in recruits for visit that are official or unofficial.)

Edited February 1, 2017 by BTG_Fan1

UNTLifer · February 1, 2017

Tagging on to BTG's post above, which I agree with, is that winning consistently will be the cure. SMU brings in good opponents annually and that hasn't helped them. Winning will get the fans to Denton. It may not happen after one year of winning as there could be a "show me that wasn't a fluke" attitude, but just look at the HOD attendance we have had for both games. RV failed in capturing who those people are that attended and did nothing to capitalize on a golden opportunity, and I don't see Baker making the same mistake. Second, you have to make it easy to get to Denton especially with the traffic issues on I35. Promote, promote, promote the A-Train and grow the relationship with the downtown merchants. Denton is so much better than it was when I was in school and has so much to offer at reasonable prices. On game nights, run that bus service to the train station until 1am if needed and run a couple of late A-Train routes. The HOD is a blast, but nothing compared to tailgating in Denton. Set up a tailgate for the train riders under a big tent. Make Game Day an event with better entertainment than the Beerman. People will come and they'll tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends and so on and so on, etc...