recruiting

Yes, fill out online questionarres that each university has on their football website. This is what we tell our student/athletes to do. Schools that care usually respond. Good luck.

In addition to being the head FB coach I am also the school career/academic couselor. Govertical is right. Get those ACT scores up. A good score right now is between 22-26. If you score over 20 that is still good, but below that you will have a tough time getting into a quality academic institution. Also keep your class rank in AT LEAST the top 50%. A division 3 school is going to look at you as a student first and foremost (which is how you should think too). I worked a little as a d3 recruiter after my college playing days were over... before we went after a kid hard the head coach wanted to be sure he was able to get in first. If not he went lower on the list. My BEST player last season could have played d2 (scholarship ball) but did not have the grades to qualify. Other than the grades work hard in the wt room, and listen to your coaches. Work on your speed and agility. Take care of everything YOU can control, and if you have the ability to play in college you will. Also be willing to play any position. You may play QB in HS but TE or LB in college.

Alot of coaches are having their "open houses" right about now and throughout the spring semester. Give them a call and talk to them or the recruiting coordinator and get set up for these open houses where you can meet and talk with the head coach and your position coaches and see the facilities, weigthroom, etc. You can also ask any question you may have such as "what type of strength program do you follow" (if i had it to do over again this would be a major factor for me).

Plus start getting some tape together for them to watch. The good thing is that you are a junior so if they are interested, they can send a coach to scout you in person and keep up with your stats, etc.

Also, go check out some games next season (this will be hard if you play any saturday games). The game atmosphere will vary (especially at small schools)...at some schools you can hear from the stands the coach calling the plays on the sideline...at others the crowd will be into the game non-stop.

Division III is a great place to play football, unless you want fame. It is good football however. Lots of people that watch higher divisions (and who dont know a thing about football) think DIII is a bunch of slow, unathletic nerds trying to live out a dream. In all actuality I have seen 4.4 40s on numerous occasions and there are some 6'6 350 olineman around. Overall, the athleticism and speed is not as high as the higher divisions, but it is still good football.

Division II is a pretty athletic division and they get alot of juco transfers and DI transfers who couldn't quite cut it at the bigger schools. For example, Valdosta State played with Fabian Walker (from Fla State) this past year...they used to have Dusty Bonner (former starting QB at Kentucky), Abrahm Booty (former LSU wideout) and Micheal Greer (former starting Georgia wideout). That is just one team.

NAIA is another route to go if you want scholarship money. It is small-fry football as well, however they do offer money to players. It is usually just split up so that lots of players can get a little money, rather than 10 or 15 guys getting full scholarships.

Most of all, as all the other coaches have pointed out....GRADES and test scores. Especially if Division III is the route you take. Also, try to get involved in other extracurricular activities or even volunteer work. If you go to a private college they will look at all of this stuff. If you are interested in going to SERIOUS Christian college (there are many who claim it, but just so they receive money from the church), get involved in your church and maybe even get into a youth leadership position or something similar.

Hope this helps...start getting serious now. Kudos to you for gettin' on it.

Jimbo

again thanks. i have already made a cd with the previous seasons highlights on it. also im very familiar with competition because i go to the sixth biggest high school in the state of texas. what im nost concerned about is my size. i play on the offensive line and i started this year but im only a little more then 6'1'' and i weigh around 235. im hoping to grow another inch or so. i also im not expecting to get into anything bigger then DII. But ill play anywhere i get the oppurtunity to.

I agree with Coach E on this one. Just be ready to lay the wood and they will find a place for you somewhere. You could also make a pretty decent DIII tight end.

Since you are in Texas...check out Mary-Hardin Baylor, Hardin-Simmons, Trinity, East Texas Baptist, Tex. Lutheran, McMurry, Austin...and there some other DIII teams in Texas. M-H Baylor played for the Division III national title this season (they lost to Linfield, OR).

Jimbo

One big aspect of gettingn recruited is speed and your aggressive play, this is more of a factor than size. You can find a place for an athlete with speed and desire. Grades will open the door. Coach Campbell

KEEP WORKING! KEEP THOSE GRADES UP!!! MAKE GOOD LIFE DECISIONS THAT INCORPORATE LEAVING THE STIMULANTS(INCLUDING ALCOHOL) ALONE!!! KEEP YOUR LIFESTYLE CLEAN AND HEALTHY!!! A CARPENTERS TOOL IS HIS HAMMER, IF HE HAS ONE THAT IS NOT UP TO THE JOB AND IT BREAKS AFTER A FEW BLOWS, HE MAY MISS A DAYS PAY. A FOOTBALL PLAYER'S body IS HIS TOOL. IF IT IS WEAK AND NOT WELL KEPT, IT TOO WILL BREAK DOWN EASILY!!!

Coach Easton