Randy Rodgers Talks Recruiting In Sports Page Dallas

[GreenBat]

Recruiting guru Randy Rodgers

Ever heard of Robert Griffin? Rodgers says you will, and soon

By Scott Boyter

Editor

Randy Rodgers has been around the world of college football recruiting for 35 years. He has served as a recruiting coordinator for the University of Texas and is currently a recruiting analyst for Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine and Fox Sports Network. He provides scouting and evaluation information to 50 Division I programs. He took some time on a road trip to Houston to talk about how the recruiting game has changed since he started, and shares his thoughts about the highest profile high school players in Texas.

How has the recruiting process changed since you first became involved?

It's speeded up dramatically. Ten years ago, kids were making decisions on what school they were going to go to in January of their senior year. In a lot of cases, it came down to those last three weeks of recruiting - everybody put off their visits to their top three school until the last three weeks of January, then made their choice.

Today, a good percentage of the 2008 senior group has already made their verbal commitments, and the media is already talking about the 2009 class.

How has dealing with parents changed since you broke into the business?

When I first got into recruiting, back in the early '70s, I was a high school coach. My head coach said, 'OK, you played college football, you're in charge of recruiting.' Basically, you talked to the college coaches when they came in and filled out questionnaires. Parents weren't even involved at that point. Parents really didn't begin to become involved until the coaches actually made home visits and the kids came to campus.

The biggest change to parent involvement has been the Internet. There's so much information out there, good and bad, true and false, parents can learn about the process - or at least what they perceive to be the process - much easier than ever before.

Because of all these early commitments, there's a false perception out there with parents. They think if they don't get their kid on the radar screen and get colleges talking about him by the start of their junior year, there's no way that kid will get a scholarship. And that's just ludicrous.

The bottom line in football recruiting is that the college coach has to see the high school kid play. And because of NCAA restrictions, 90 percent of that is done on video. Until a college coach gets to see a kid play, there's no decision to be made.

If there was one NCAA rule regarding recruiting that you would change, what would that be and why?

One thing the college coaches really need is a better avenue to evaluate players. As early as the recruiting process begins these days, one thing that has gone into reverse is the amount of time coaches get to spend evaluating players.

I'm not necessarily talking about looking at them on tape and seeing how good they play, but just getting to know them. When college football players get into trouble and the coach says he didn't know the kid had a record, it's because they're recruiting them before they get to know them. And that's a huge change from 10 years ago.

And also, since there's such an emphasis on committing early, kids are making decisions without ever getting to know college coaches. There are a lot of kids who make a verbal commitment who haven't ever stepped foot on that particular campus.

As far as the Class of 2008 is concerned, who is the one player you think people who may not usually pay attention to high school football should keep an eye on?

Robert Griffin, the quarterback from Copperas Cove. Here's a guy who is the nation's best high school hurdler, may be a future Olympian and led Copperas Cove to the state championship game last year. He's a sub-4.4 guy and he's really improving as a passer. If there's a guy out there who's maybe the next Vince Young-type guy, it may be Robert Griffin.

He might be a better quarterback than anyone in this group. Riley Dodge is really good, but Robert last year was an athlete who played quarterback. People thought he should be a wide receiver - and that's the same kind of talk you were hearing about Vince Young and Reggie McNeal five or six years ago.

He's still uncommitted, but if he puts it all together this season from a passing standpoint, he could be a national recruit, instead of one who would otherwise just get interest on a regional basis.

You mentioned Riley Dodge of Southlake Carroll. What do think his chances for success will be at the next level when he plays for his father Todd next season at North Texas?

I think there terrific. First of all, he's going to play for the best quarterback coach in the state. He's already got a great relationship, we hope, with his new college coach. And he knows the offense.

I just think that's a great move for Riley because he wants to be a quarterback. If he went to Texas he wasn't going to be one for a long time, and he knew that. But gosh, to have a chance to play for your Dad - who just happens to be a hell of a coach - in a program where they're starting over ä I could see him lighting it up the next three or four years at North Texas.

[greenminer]

Dear Scott,

There does NOT = they're

sincerely

- grammar police

Edited August 20, 2007 by greenminer

[UNTFan23]

Dear Scott,

There does NOT = they're

sincerely

- grammar police

I saw that too. I had the reread it a couple times to make sure I was seeing it right.