Recruiting hype defies common sense

One discussion I find myself revisiting quite bit is the increased hype of college recruiting either as it pertains to signing day or just general media hype.

Go to any message board and you’ll hear, “School X. Y or Z just signed the No. 1 rated linebacker in the country.” These kids haven’t even played a single down of college football and in some cases have yet to finish their high school career and they are already being tabbed the savior of their program.

The one response I constantly have is, “I get it, but I don’t quite get it.”Is the excitement warranted? Well, perhaps so within reason. I understand the excitement for fans leading up to signing day. It’s a chance to celebrate the next generation of your favorite team. However, I do believe that the hysteria surrounding recruiting and signing day has crossed the line of common sense. There’s just way too much attention given to way too many kids, many of whom are not benefiting from the media crush.

Look no further than some recruits of the recent past for Nebraska such as running back Marlon Lucky and quarterback Harrison Beck to name a couple. Lucky lasted all four years at Nebraska and while he did some good things, it was hardly the career envisioned for him. Beck transferred to North Carolina State and is now at Northern Alabama (a Div I-A school).

The truth of the matter is that less than half of these athletes, and that’s probably a generous estimate, will not live up to all of the attention. If you want to celebrate your school’s recruiting class, fine. Have a signing day party for all I care. Just spare me some of the media attention and the fixation on these young kids.

The truth of the matter is that signing day has become so overhyped that it’s anticlimactic. I don’t mind a few updates during the year but phone calls out the wazoo to website publishers, network scouts and now the newspaper writers seems over the top. It’s also got to be a pain in the butt for the kid to answer the same damn questions about
40 times, college lists, favorites, bench press numbers and when he is making a decision.

As a result, the athletes are becoming prima donnas at an accelerated stage. Not that it’s their entirely fault.

Just another example of how college sports recruiting coverage has been grossly overhyped.