Nittany Lions Embracing Technology to Help Recruit
With on-campus visits on hold for at least three more weekends - and likely longer than that - Division I programs are finding ways to get creative. As a contact recently told me, “Those that find ways to be innovative will end up benefitting from this.”
That’s especially true when it comes to winning over some of the nation’s top prospects. If there’s one consensus opinion that I’ve gathered from players in recent weeks, it’s that recruiting hasn’t slowed down at all. If anything, it’s busier than ever. With coaches all across the country forced to work from home, football-related activities are limited. Because of that, they're all calling, texting, FaceTiming and everything in-between.
Some schools are trying to find new ways to chat with their top prospects. Texas A&M is hosting a Madden 2020 tournament between coaches and players. RB LJ Johnson, WR Yulkeith Brown, RB Amari Daniels, TE Terrence Ferguson and WR Romello Brinson are just a few of the offensive prospects participating. All have offers from Penn State. The defensive tournament includes DT Tywone Malone, CB Tyreek Cappell, DE Elijah Jeudy, CB Tony Grimes and Saf. Isaiah Johnson. All of those names should be familiar to Nittany Lion fans.
Playing Madden with prospects isn't necessarily new, but hosting a tournament is. In the end, it may help, or may not help at all, but it’s smart. Recruits are already getting tired of all the contact. One player told me that he’s now only taking calls on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He said it became so much that he needed a break from it every other day.
For Penn State, it’s still unclear how the coaches plan to think outside the box, but some of their ideas are becoming public. Head coach James Franklin discussed a few earlier this week.
“Embracing the technology is the best thing we can do,” Franklin said. “FaceTimes are a big part of that. Virtual tours are something that we're going to have to do. ... But I think FaceTime is probably as big as anything with the recruits right now and finding ways to interact with them and they see your face.”
Virtual tours will only go so far with players like WR Kaden Prather and Saf. Derrick Davis. Prather has already been on campus seven times, while Davis has visited nine times. The same can be said of many others. OL Nolan Rucci and Saf. Zakee Wheatley have taken five visits each, while OL Tristen Leigh has been on campus four times. I could go on and on.
But for someone like Moliki Matavao, a four-star tight end from California who was planning to visit Penn State for the first time this weekend, the staff is planning to do everything it can to introduce him to the program.
“So far, I’ve mainly just been doing a lot of FaceTiming with them,” Matavao said, when asked about his interactions with Penn State. “Their coaches haven’t been in the office that much, so I’ve been getting on the Zoom app with [Tyler Bowen] to look at different things. On Monday, we’re going to get on there and look over their play chart.
“Coach Bowen has also been sending video links that tour their facility. A few other members of their coaching staff have also sent me videos of their training center, their nutrition bar, stuff like that. It’s been very consistent. I would say that we FaceTime at least once or twice a week, plus everything else that they send me.”
Matavao added some additional information regarding his plans for Monday.
“From what [Bowen] explained to me, we’re going to go over film on Monday and look at how they utilize the tight end,” Matavao said. “So, I think it’s going to be like what we would do during a normal visit. I’m excited to meet with him about it. It should be interesting.”
In addition to looking over film and taking tours, coaches are also allowed to set players up with academic advisors and professors. Don’t be surprised if we hear about players doing that in the coming weeks.
But regardless of who these prospects are actually meeting with, one thing is clear: video conferencing is here to stay.
“Every school is doing a lot over FaceTime,” Matavao said. “Georgia is doing something similar to Penn State. I’m going to do the same with Georgia. We’re just going over plays, looking at film, that kind of stuff. A lot of schools are talking to me over FaceTime and sending videos. That’s what I’ve seen the most.”
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