How Colorado Coaches Are Helping Recruits Without Fall Season
With the Colorado High School Activities Association having postponed the football season until spring, many players, particularly seniors, are left wondering what that means for their ability to be recruited and play at the next level. I reached out to coaches around the state to see what plans they had in place to help mitigate a lost fall season, and keep their potential recruits afloat during these unprecedented times.
Combine-style Workouts
Coaches are using this opportunity to get accurate and specific measurables for their players, much like you’d see at the NFL combine held annually in Indianapolis. These include:
Height/Weight
40 yard dash time
Vertical jump and broad jump
Agility drills, including 20-yard shuttle and three-cone split times
Bench press and squat
Extensive game film cut-ups
Coaches and players are also using this time to put together more detailed highlight reels from previous seasons. It’s important to showcase all of the player’s abilities and leave nothing unseen, because there may not be an opportunity to add any more game film to a player’s resumé before some schools fill scholarship numbers.
Contacting Colleges & Universities
Speaking of those player resumés, coaches are sending as much player-related data as possible to college coaches to give them a clear idea of what they’re getting with potential recruits. This information includes:
Highlight reels
Combine measurables (as detailed above)
Player awards and recognition
Academic information (GPA and standardized test scores)
Community service and participation in community events
Other Agenda Items in the Works
In addition to the things that are already being done by high school programs in Colorado, a couple other important things of note are being discussed and are currently in the works.
Colorado coaches are trying to get approval across multiple districts to host 7-on-7 competitions for the skill position players, as well as linemen challenges for the offensive and defensive linemen.
Secondly, and maybe more importantly, coaches are doing everything they can with NCAA officials to see about the possibility of pushing back national signing day from February 3, 2021 to May 2021, allowing for states with spring football plans to obtain more game film for their potential recruits. (NOTE: Early signing day is currently scheduled for December 18, 2020, so there will be no opportunity for Colorado football players to add game film to their highlight reels before then)
Even with all that’s being done by coaches to help Colorado football players amidst a lost fall football season, one coach told me “I think this hurts them. Schools will offer what they KNOW and see, and take less chances on what they do not know about.”