Proximity #1 factor for top recruits

[Smokin' Joe]

Attached is an article talking about why the top recruits go where they go. Proximity to hometown is far more important than recent record, history of putting players in the NFL or quick playing time. That is not good for us.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/01/20/recruiting/index.html

(I can't acces the article referenced by SI.com).

Obviously, top recruits don't automatically mean top finishes on the field- but it doesn't hurt.

Check out the map half-way down to see where the highest ranked recruits went to high school and see if there is a correlation to the conference has dominated for the last 10(?) years.

Take care-

 

[gophmeister]

Attached is an article talking about why the top recruits go where they go. Proximity to hometown is far more important than recent record, history of putting players in the NFL or quick playing time. That is not good for us.

This isn't exactly news. If the state of Minnesota could produce 20 division 1a quality players a year with at least 10 of them being big 10 quality, we wouldn't be looking up at Iowa and Wisconsin. The local kids tend not wash out as often as those who come from far away. We have to recruit kids from outside the state and I think if we can keep 80% of the kids we offer in state we'll do well. Brewster is still a work in progress, but he's willing to do the things that are necessary to get kids to sign. The other factor is money. We waging a losing battle against the elites of the conference because we don't have the resources they do. In all honesty, what we need is a breakout year like Wisconsin had in '93 that gets people behind the team. Until then, Brewster is fighting an uphill battle.