DMN interesting article on cell phones text messag

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Cell phones help coaches sell their schools

Text messaging helps coaches connect with recruits

09:24 PM CST on Tuesday, January 24, 2006

By TODD WILLS / The Dallas Morning News

Back when Carter quarterback Michael Crabtree thought Kansas might be the place for him, he punched a few keys on his cell phone and sent a quick, powerful message to the coach who was trying to recruit him there.

Crabtree was letting him know the Jayhawks were on his mind.

"WHA UP COACH"

"Not much – U? Hws THE man doing?"

"Doing great!!!"

In today's high-tech world, coaches and recruits increasingly communicate by text messages. It's a quick way to keep in touch, and while it didn't help Kansas with Crabtree – he orally committed to Texas Tech last week – it still let a coach show a recruit that he was trendy, too.

"This is how we talk to our friends," said Crabtree, who received a text message from South Oak Cliff basketball star Darrell Arthur just before the message from Kansas came through. "It's cool to know that coaches can talk to us like that, too."

Colleges: Recruiting

Blog: Recruiting Buzz

More recruiting

NCAA rules limit the number of times a coach can call a recruit. During a so-called "dead period," a coach may make no more than one phone call a week per recruit. But nothing stops a coach from texting "U can call me later" to a recruit and getting a call back.

"It's real popular with the kids, and it's real effective during those [dead] times," said Eric Roark, SMU's recruiting coordinator. "By text messaging, you can communicate just like it's a phone call. It's spontaneous. You can get instant feedback.

"In comparison, what if you wrote a letter? You wouldn't hear anything back in three or four days. You're missing the boat if you don't do it."

Rules for a new era

At one time, the NCAA considered text messages to be the same as phone calls and limited them. But an amendment passed in August 2004 lumped text messages with e-mails, instant messages and faxes, which are considered electronic transmissions and are not limited.

"The rationale for the change was to allow institutions to take advantage of technology and provide greater flexibility in recruiting," NCAA spokesman Josh Centor said. "Prospects can choose to respond to a text message or e-mail but have limited choice in responding to a telephone call."

In April 2005, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association proposed eliminating text messages as unlimited electronically transmitted correspondence. The association contended that text messages were intrusive because of the cultural expectations to respond immediately to them.

But the NCAA membership narrowly defeated the proposal. Several committees, including the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, are discussing the issue.

SMU's Roark said that at the recent college coaches' convention in Dallas, text messaging was discussed during a recruiting meeting.

The majority opinion? "It's not a problem," Roark said. "They're not going to change it."

Other coaches aren't so sure.

"The more and more it becomes an advantage, then eventually it will evolve into what is considered a phone call," said Wesley McGriff, recruiting coordinator at Baylor.

Swamped by messages

Stephenville quarterback Jevan Snead orally committed to Florida last spring but has switched to Texas. Oral commitments are nonbinding. The first day a recruit can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 1.

His spring and summer courtship with Florida left him at the mercy of Florida coach Urban Meyer, who is known to make heavy use of text messaging.

"Sometimes, I'd get one every day or every other day," Snead said. "After I started getting them, I kind of realized he liked to do that."

Meyer's messages were simple, Snead said.

"It's a great day to be a Gator."

"Can't wait to get u here in the Swamp."

Snead said he usually just read the messages, rarely responding to them.

"It felt a little weird," he said.

He would text Meyer or offensive coordinator Dan Mullen if he had any questions. Snead said his decision to switch to Texas had nothing to do with the abundance of text messages from Florida. He said he had received one text message from Meyer since he switched his commitment.

While Snead was being interviewed on the telephone for this story, Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis called him on another line.

Some Texas coaches use text messaging, but Snead said Davis does not.

"I guess he's still old-school," Snead said.

Some cross the line

One school sent this text message to Southlake Carroll quarterback Greg McElroy:

"Our art history department is ranked No. 4 nationally."

"I don't even remember which school it was," McElroy said. "But I was like, I'm not even interested in majoring in art history."

Then there were the personal ones. McElroy said he has received text messages from coaches who were aware that he was out on a date that night. Carter's Crabtree said he also has experienced that.

"Those are funny ones," McElroy said. "Stuff like, 'how'd u'r date go?' and 'how's u'r girlfriend?' "

"That's way out of line," Baylor's McGriff said. "If I know a kid's out on a date, I'm not going to text message him. That's just too personal."

McElroy said he got "double-digit" text messages a day before he orally committed to Texas Tech in December. He continued to get messages from Tech coaches and from other schools even after he committed. He switched his oral commitment to Alabama on Jan. 17.

Good morning, everyone

Coaches used to send faxes on game days wishing players luck, but Oklahoma State running backs coach Curtis Luper said most coaches these days use text messaging.

"It's a neat to way to build a relationship," Luper said. "It's an advantage for someone who wants to make it an advantage."

Luper said he can send a quick text message to a recruit and get an idea of where Oklahoma State stands from the response – or lack of one.

Some coaches send a mass text message to several recruits in the morning, saying "Go Team." Some, such as Baylor's McGriff, sent mass text messages that read "Happy Thanksgiving" and "Merry Christmas."

Several coaches said text messaging is useful in the early part of recruiting because they can text juniors and have them call the coaches, who are allowed one phone call to juniors in May of their junior year. They can start calling them again on Sept. 1 of their senior year.

"Basically, you're getting unlimited phone calls from someone who is a junior," Texas Tech offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes said. "Once it progresses, the phone calls and visits become more important."

Anne Mechler, whose son, Richardson linebacker Jake Mechler, has committed to Colorado State, said having a cell phone made Jake's recruiting less hectic.

"They [coaches] know that the kids are busy," she said. "And the kids always keep their phones with them. So there isn't much disturbing the family and calling too late."

'A second family'

Hebron running back Derke Robinson, who was committed to Texas before a visit to Arizona led Texas to remove its scholarship offer, said text messages he got every day from Arizona coach Mike Stoops and his staff helped ease his pain.

"It was a heartbreaker when Texas pulled its offer," Robinson said. "It felt good to have a second family after what happened."

Robinson has since orally committed to Arizona.

Carter's Crabtree said he got messages saying "How ya doing Mike?" Or "Go Jayhawks" from Kansas wide receivers coach Tim Beck. He got similar messages from Tech, Baylor and other schools.

While Crabtree likes the way text messages allow him to build relationships with coaches, the best part is it's just what teenagers do.

"That's why text messages come in handy," Crabtree said. "This is how we communicate these days."

E-mail twills@dallasnews.com

[Stan R]

I can just picture DD with a Blackberry text messaging his recruits. "wha's up fool?"

[GreenBat]

LOL!!!