Recruiting Info
NCAA Quick Reference Guide
Recruiting Checklist
1. Core course GPA is critical! If you want to be recruited by a Division 1 school you must maintain (these are minimums) a 2.5, Division 2 is 2.0, and Division 3 is 3.0
2. Next comes the ACT score, 17 (composite score) is a bare minimum that will get you into many schools (not all). The higher your score, the more options you will have. In Division 1 there is a “sliding scale” where the higher your GPA, the lower your ACT can be. There is no sliding scale in Division 2. Division 3, private, and Ivy League schools generally require a much higher ACT and GPA.
3. There are two other options for college football. Junior colleges and NAIA schools. Junior Colleges only require that you graduate high school and that you have taken the ACT. NAIA schools require you to meet 2 of 3 requirements, 2.5 GPA, 18 on the ACT, and/or have a GPA in the top ½ of your graduating class. Junior Colleges generally play at a very high level with mostly Division 1 talent levele players and some Division 2 talent level players.
4. Being a college football player requires talent and a burning desire to play!!! Regardless of level, it needs to be thought of as a full time job that demands a huge commitment. The reality is that very few players will ever be talented enough to get a Division 1 or 2 scholarship. The important concept is to ENJOY THE GREAT EXPERIENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL!!!! This truly is a once in a lifetime event.
5. You must market yourself by making a Highlight Video, contacting the schools you are interested in, and go to one day camps so coaches can get a personal look at your abilities. Follow-up an phone calls are absolutely essential. Seniors should go to one day camps and underclassmen are encouraged to go to a college site camp (MSU for example).
6. Spring visits are encouraged and coaches may come to our school in May (this is an NCAA recruiting period). You may visit a school at any time and if you contact the football office, they will usually set up the best time for you to meet coaches.
7. I send out a recruiting sheet for all our players interested in playing college football with videos of our games in spring and after our fall season. If I have a Highlight video of you, I will enclose that as well. We put the game videos and Highlight videos on our HUDL website. Colleges can view your videos and evaluate you early in the process or after your senior season. If you do not have a Highlight video, you need to go to camps and have a great senior year.
8. You need to apply and get accepted at schools you are interested in attending. Usually, you do not need to do this until early in your senior year, BUT YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR ENTRANCE into a few schools you are interested in.
9. Get on the internet and research schools for their cost, academic requirements and for information on their athletic programs.
10. FOLLOW THE PLAN!!! Keep your grades up, score well on the ACT, put together a highlight video, send letters to colleges, visit schools of interest, go to one day camps and have a great senior year. The OFFSEASON is the key!!!!
1. Core course GPA is critical! If you want to be recruited by a Division 1 school you must maintain (these are minimums) a 2.5, Division 2 is 2.0, and Division 3 is 3.0
2. Next comes the ACT score, 17 (composite score) is a bare minimum that will get you into many schools (not all). The higher your score, the more options you will have. In Division 1 there is a “sliding scale” where the higher your GPA, the lower your ACT can be. There is no sliding scale in Division 2. Division 3, private, and Ivy League schools generally require a much higher ACT and GPA.
3. There are two other options for college football. Junior colleges and NAIA schools. Junior Colleges only require that you graduate high school and that you have taken the ACT. NAIA schools require you to meet 2 of 3 requirements, 2.5 GPA, 18 on the ACT, and/or have a GPA in the top ½ of your graduating class. Junior Colleges generally play at a very high level with mostly Division 1 talent levele players and some Division 2 talent level players.
4. Being a college football player requires talent and a burning desire to play!!! Regardless of level, it needs to be thought of as a full time job that demands a huge commitment. The reality is that very few players will ever be talented enough to get a Division 1 or 2 scholarship. The important concept is to ENJOY THE GREAT EXPERIENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL!!!! This truly is a once in a lifetime event.
5. You must market yourself by making a Highlight Video, contacting the schools you are interested in, and go to one day camps so coaches can get a personal look at your abilities. Follow-up an phone calls are absolutely essential. Seniors should go to one day camps and underclassmen are encouraged to go to a college site camp (MSU for example).
6. Spring visits are encouraged and coaches may come to our school in May (this is an NCAA recruiting period). You may visit a school at any time and if you contact the football office, they will usually set up the best time for you to meet coaches.
7. I send out a recruiting sheet for all our players interested in playing college football with videos of our games in spring and after our fall season. If I have a Highlight video of you, I will enclose that as well. We put the game videos and Highlight videos on our HUDL website. Colleges can view your videos and evaluate you early in the process or after your senior season. If you do not have a Highlight video, you need to go to camps and have a great senior year.
8. You need to apply and get accepted at schools you are interested in attending. Usually, you do not need to do this until early in your senior year, BUT YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR ENTRANCE into a few schools you are interested in.
9. Get on the internet and research schools for their cost, academic requirements and for information on their athletic programs.
10. FOLLOW THE PLAN!!! Keep your grades up, score well on the ACT, put together a highlight video, send letters to colleges, visit schools of interest, go to one day camps and have a great senior year. The OFFSEASON is the key!!!!
Questions for Choosing a College
Not every question will apply to every athlete and every situation, but some bullet points to share with your players when going through the process of choosing a college.
Here are some other things for the recruited student-athlete to consider:
Here are some other things for the recruited student-athlete to consider:
- Eliminate from consideration any school that encourages you to cancel other visits. They are afraid of comparisons!
- Be skeptical of coaches or recruiters who criticize other college programs. Their program probably doesn’t measure up.
- Do not choose a school because you are impressed with the recruiter.
- Finally, You Choose the College! Take into consideration advice from friends, relatives, and others. But, make the college decisions that is best for you and then make it the best decisions by working hard to successful as a student, as an athlete and as a person!
- What is the national academic reputation of the school?
- What is the national reputation of my major at this school?
- What is the student teacher/ratio in my major?
- What is the accreditation rating in my major?
- What is the degree of difficulty of school generally? of your major specifically.
- Do coaches emphasize academics?
- What is the graduation rate of scholarship athletes?
- Is there an academic plan for athletes?
- Academic Advisor and Academic Counseling
- Preferred scheduling
- Tutoring program
- Study table (ask for an explanation)
- Library and Study Areas
- Required class attendance
- Is summer school education part of the scholarship offer?
- Is a 5th year available if necessary to complete my degree?
- What is the national reputation of the Head Coach?
- What is the national reputation of the coaching staff?
- What kind of reputation has the recruiter developed with your Senior High School?
- Do the coaches treat players as people?
- Do the coaches treat players as students?
- What is the philosophy towards handling basketball players?
- Will the coaching staff help me plan for my future?
- Job opportunities, including summer work (ask for explanation)
- Future placement
- Alumni
- Type/Character of head coach and position coach
- Will I be offered a scholarship during my visit?
- What does the scholarship cover?
- What is it worth in dollars and cents?
- How much will I have to pay myself?
- Ask for an explanation of the “National Letter of Intent.”
- Ask about a conference or league letter of intent.
- Where is it located? ( inner city, rural, suburban)
- What is the distance from home?
- What are the campus, the dormitories, fraternities/sororities, apartments and facilities like?
- What are the dining facilities quality/quantity of food, training table?
- Spiritual, aesthetic, cultural opportunities?
- Quantity, quality of student body?
- Attitude faculty, student body, and community towards athletes in general, your sport in particular.
- What are the students like? What are the other players like? Do they seem to be quality people?
- Does the school have character and spirit?
- Consider the social aspect of the school.
- Will I fit in financially?
- What is the social climate of the
school? - Can I attend the church of my choice?
- Private, public, denominational school?
- Climate—weather conditions
- Quality of recruiting
- What is the athletic tradition of the school?
- Are they a regular NCAA participant?
- Are they a
consistent winner? - Are they rebuilding?
- Is the head coach secure in his/her job? How long does he or she intend to be at this school?
- How long has
he or she been there? - Where else has he or she coached?
- Can I play/start as a freshman?
- At what position am I being recruited?
- What is the number of returning players, lettermen, or starters at my position?
- How many players are they recruiting at my position? How many do they want to sign?
- How many scholarships are they offering this year?
- What are their offensive and defensive tendencies or philosophies?
- What are the athletic facilities like? Fieldhouse? Locker Rooms? Practice Areas?
- Strength Program and Weight Room?
- What is their conference affiliation?
- What teams do they play?
- Can this program help me reach my full potential?
- What is the medical staff comprised of? What is the quality of prevention and care of injuries?
- Doctors, trainers, medical facilities?
- What is the policy toward serious injury and graduation?
- If I sign early and am injured, do I still have a scholarship?
- Is there media exposure? (Press, TV, Radio)
- Has there been honesty and fairness in recruiting?
- Has there been any history of NCAA probation or
Investigation? - Are there any local kids or other friends going to the school?
- Alumni—job opportunity summer/after graduation.
- Recreation facilities—fishing, hunting, skiing, swimming, etc…
- Quality/type of athletes in general and your sport in particular?
- Is the system of play compatible to your abilities?
- What is their redshirt policy?