Michigan Lineman’s Decision to Leave Has Lessons for Today’s Recruits
March 29th, 2008 - by
by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President
Whenever a new college coach takes over a program, it is certain to have an effect on the players on the team. It can also provide valuable lessons for recruits who are wondering which program to sign with, and which coach to play for at the next level.
Case in point: New football coach Rich Rodriguez at the University of Michigan.
He has a different style and demeanor than previous coach Lloyd Carr did, and some players aren’t adjusting to the new coach. A returning starting lineman for the Wolverines, Justin Boren, announced that he was leaving the team because of philosophical differences with the new head coach, according to this report in Sports Illustrated:
“The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Boren would have been one of two returning starters on the offensive line next season and the Wolverines’ most experienced lineman. The junior-to-be started every game last season, either at center or left guard.
Boren left the team Monday. On Wednesday he released a statement saying in part: “Michigan football was
a family, built on mutual respect and support for each other from (former) Coach (Lloyd) Carr on down. We knew it took the entire family, a team effort, and we all worked together.
“I have great trouble accepting that those family values have eroded in just a few months. ” … That I am unable to perform under these circumstances at the level I expect of myself, and my teammates and Michigan fans deserve, is why I have made the decision to leave.”
Boren told reporters after Michigan’s first spring practice 10 days ago that adapting to new coach Rich Rodriguez’s no-huddle spread offense was physically challenging. He mentioned the difficulty the offensive linemen had constantly running to the line of scrimmage.”
Of course, this doesn’t just happen at one school, or to one new coach. It happens all the time around the country, year after year, in sports other than football.
It brings up some important lessons for recruits, especially those that are already pre-qualified and part of the NCSA prospect database that coaches search daily to find recruits to scout:
- Choose the school, not just the coach. If the coach who is recruiting you leaves the program, you need to be at a place that you will enjoy for the academic benefits as well as the athletic benefits. Are you looking at the whole picture when it comes to making a smart choice?
- Don’t just focus on one program. If you are a part of the NCSA prospect database that college coaches search regularly, you may be faced with getting contacts from a lot of different coaches and programs. Resist the temptation to zero in on just one, while neglecting the others. Keep your options open as you near your college choice.
- Ask tough questions. Don’t just listen to a coach’s “sales pitch”. You need to interview them, and listen carefully to their answers. Find out what their career plans are, how long they have been at the school, and if you get a sense that they are settled in to the community for the long haul, or if this program is a stepping-stone to bigger and better things in the coach’s mind.
I have some more thoughts on the process and dealing with college coaches that you can watch via video. Take a few minutes and check it out…click here.
If you are a NCSA student-athlete, and have more questions about what you should be for in a coach or a program that is recruiting you, e-mail or call your recruiting coach right away. They are here to help you.
Stories like this prove that competing on scholarship at a large D1 school is a challenge. Do your homework as much as possible during the recruiting process, and get to know the coaches that are recruiting you.