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How college football free agency hurts HS recruits


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How college football free agency hurts HS recruits

By Ben Thomas | bthomas@al.com

Not much surprises St. Paul’s head football coach Steve Mask anymore.

He’s been coaching nearly four decades and will go into the AHSAA Hall of Fame this spring.

He’s pretty much has seen it all.

But this recruiting season?

“It took me completely by surprise,” he said.

College coaches’ new emphasis on the NCAA transfer portal caught Mask off-guard. The new philosophy has totally changed the recruiting landscape, Mask said, and hurts promising high school players searching for a college opportunity.

“Recruiting is now basically in two phases – the early signing period in December and then free agency in January,” he said. “I think if you’re not committed and/or signed by the Early Signing Day, you’re in a world of hurt.”

Since the summer of 2019, more than 1,000 NCAA players have entered the transfer portal, which launched two years ago and afforded college athletes the opportunity to publicly weigh transfer options.

A new NCAA proposal would allow players to transfer one time without penalty and, if it’s approved, it could accelerate coaches’ reliance on transfers instead of traditional recruiting of high school players.

Heisman finalists Justin Fields of Ohio State and Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma are just two of many who have successfully used the portal to change schools in recent years. The last three Heisman Trophy winners – Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield and LSU’s Joe Burrow – began their careers at other schools.

“The transfer portal has provided college coaches a quick-fix for previous roster management mistakes,” said Randy Kennedy, a longtime recruiting analyst and Mobile-based sports radio host. “The result is that many high school prospects who thought they had until February to choose a college are being left out in the cold in favor of a player who might provide more immediate help on the field.”

Looking for a prime example? Look no further than St. Paul’s senior running back Jordon Ingram. An All-State and All-Coastal Alabama selection, Ingram rushed for more than 1,300 yards in 2019 for the Saints but did not sign in December or earlier this month.

Mask said Ingram will take visits in March and decide on his college future.

“I think Jordon is a Power 5 guy who got caught up in this portal situation,” he said. “He has offers. He had offers on Signing Day, and he will find the right college. I think we’ll hear something good on him in March. But the transfer portal definitely hurt him and hurt other guys just like him.”

UMS Wright vs. Dale County

UMS Wright’s Keyshawn Woodyard (9) heads for the end zone after a reception during their game against Dale County on Friday, Nov. 8th, 2019, Mobile, Ala. (Travis Middleton | preps@al.com)Travis Middleton | Preps@al.com

Shifting the focus

Since the NCAA instituted the Early Signing Day for football in 2017, most colleges have shifted their focus from the traditional February Signing Day to the signing period just before Christmas.

Auburn signed 23 players in December and just three more this month. Alabama signed 22 players in December and three in February. South Alabama signed 19 players in December, four in February. Troy coach Chip Lindsey said his staff completed its full class during the early period.

“A lot of colleges are treating the Early Signing Day like we used to treat the February Signing Day,” said John Garcia Jr., director of football recruiting for SINow. “Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma – a lot of the bluebloods – didn’t really even try to add to their 2020 class beyond December.

“And, a lot of schools who did have space seemed to pivot toward guys who have experience (i.e. the transfer portal). That left minimal options for some guys we thought were clear FBS football players. That’s the reason Jordon Ingram is unsigned. It’s the reason (UMS-Wright wide receiver) Keyshawn Woodyard ended up outside the Power 5 (at South Alabama).”

Many college coaches, especially in the Power 5, now seem to be reserving space late for experienced transfers, and the trend creates an obvious trickle down of consequences, including diminishing the number of high school players who can sign in February. Colleges are limited to 25 signees in each class, though numbers can be adjusted to count in past or future classes.

“I haven’t seen it a lot here at Daphne yet, but I can see that if colleges are anticipating guys going into the portal and you are holding space for them, it brings a whole new element to recruiting,” said Daphne coach and former Alabama player Kenny King. “Recruiting already has changed because of the Early Signing Period. Now, with the addition of the transfer portal, you can kind of kill guys who are late bloomers.”

King coached one of those players this year. Jacob Omtvedt had an All-State year for the Trojans on the defensive line last season.

“Jacob played a lot of positions for us during his career but found a home on the defensive line this year,” King said. “He was an All-State guy but because he came on late, a lot of schools kind of moved on to the 2021 class. With the addition of the portal, that can narrow the chances for those type guys even further. He is still taking visits and he will play college football, but I really feel like he was good enough for a small Division I school or a Division II.”

Chip Lindsey

Troy football coach Chip Lindsey is shown during a 52-33 loss to Georgia State in Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Joey Meredith/Troy athletics)

How big is experience?

For many colleges, the desire to take a player transferring from another college over a player graduating from high school comes down to one specific thing: Experience.

Transfers are bigger, stronger and older and more prepared for a plug-and-play opportunity.

“It’s easy to explain the gamble of taking the experienced option first,” Garcia Jr. said. “The hardest thing to project is how a high school prospect who has yet to play college football will do at the next level. With all things equal and, if you have tape on someone against a college team, now all of the sudden there is less risk involved with that scholarship.”

Lindsey said Troy does not specifically save scholarship spots for transfers who may be available in January, though the Trojans have taken advantage of some players in the portal in the past.

“We have used it based on need,” he said. “We have not consciously saved spots for that purpose, though. I think it’s very similar to recruiting a player out of junior college.

“For the most part, if you take a portal guy or a junior college guy, you’re hoping they can play pretty quick. Each school probably takes their own approach, but that is our approach.”

Kennedy said not every college coach has bought into the advantages of the transfer portal.

“Dabo Swinney has a policy that Clemson won’t recruit from the transfer portal or junior colleges, and it’s worked out well for the Tigers,” he said. “I’d love to see more college coaches follow the lead of Mack Brown at North Carolina, where as soon as a player enters the portal, he is not allowed to return to the Tar Heels. That might cut down on some of the volume or transfers, but it certainly wouldn’t eliminate it.”

Jason Caldwell, who has covered recruiting for two decades for Inside the Auburn Tigers, said he believes colleges search the transfer portal for specific needs.

“I’m sure schools have someone on staff who keeps an eye on the portal, but most aren’t basing their recruiting classes on it,” he said. “Maybe a school like Florida State or a school that needs help in a bunch of places hits it harder than others, but for schools in pretty good shape already, I think it is more about looking for a specific position.”

Hoover at Thompson HS Football

Hoover coach Josh Niblett talks to his team following the loss to Thompson during an AHSAA Class 7A semifinal playoff game at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala., Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. (Dennis Victory | preps@al.com)Dennis Victory | preps@al.com

Disadvantages of portal recruiting

Lindsey said one of the difficulties of pulling players from the portal can be the lack of background knowledge on them.

“Because you kind of skip that recruiting process, you aren’t getting to know a young man from early in his high school career as you normally do,” he said. “You have to do your research. You want to make sure a player at any level fits into the expectations you want in your program.”

Hoover coach Josh Niblett said he doesn’t believe the portal or anything else will ever take the value away from recruiting high school players.

“When you recruit a player (high school or portal), I think you have to keep reminding yourself that it is all inclusive,” he said. “Both the high school player and the transfer portal player affects the whole program – culture and standards both on and off the field. I think a guy has to be a good fit either way.”

Niblett also said the ability of high school players to develop much faster than ever and play in college earlier than ever should help negate the advantage of recruiting a more experienced player from the portal.

Caldwell and Garcia also said there is still a chance for a high school senior to gain recruiting traction late in his career and sign a major scholarship, but it’s probably harder than ever.

“The Early Signing Day definitely has changed things for a guy who is borderline or doesn’t quite have the offer list some players do,” Caldwell said. “But I still think some of those guys can blow up in January because there aren’t many left. Waiting can be a positive thing in the right situation. The pool is shallower for teams still looking to fill specific needs.”

“Schools are still giving chances to sleepers, kids who are late bloomers,” Garcia Jr. said. “They just have less time to do it. If you uptick later than the summer of your senior year, it’s hard to find a spot. You have to have self-awareness -- not only about your true abilities but also in regard to your timeline and the colleges needs at your position.”

St. Paul's coach Steve Mask

St. Paul's head coach Steve Mask encourages players against Daphne in the first half of a prep football game Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/preps@al.com)

What’s next?

With all changes considered, what is the best advice to give a high school player entering his senior year?

“Recruiting now has been backed up at least by half a year,” said Mask, who has seen 38 St. Paul’s players sign in the last eight years. “My recommendation to my guys now is that if a kid has a chance to commit in the summer, they better jump all over it. I think the 25 number is now a misnomer. I think a lot of schools are signing 20-21 guys and holding some spots.”

Garcia agrees.

“If you fall in love early, follow that within reason,” he said. “The kids who will be given the benefit of the doubt are the kids with the measurables. You have to react accordingly. Sometimes kids wait for a Power 5 offer or their dream offer and ignore the rest and, before you know it, those schools fill up. If you’re a recruit, enjoy the process but treat it like a business because that is how colleges are going to treat you.”

 

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There's some truth in that. I think the HS players that are hurt by the portal are the last day, "we'll take you because we missed on choices #1, 2 and 3" types. Daniel Thomas and Boobie Whitlow might have never been at AU had the portal been in effect.

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