How GT can be consistent Top 25 in recruiting

[Milwaukee]

Lots of discussion on recruiting which I find fascinating.

I visit Knoxville and Athens both regularly. I've been to Knoxville at night when the Vols light up the stadium for recruits, get the Jumbotron going and walk the recruits through all the historical sites on campus. To say they are impressed is an understatement. They KNOW they are wanted. And in a town like Knoxville, Vol players rule.

Athens. I've seen the recruit buses pull up to restaurants and the town turn out to cheer the recruits. Small town atmosphere. And the kids love it. Heck, many of them are from even smaller towns and this feels to them ... like they are somebody.

I'm not sure what Tech does. I've lived in Atlanta almost 40 years and never seen a Tech recruit tour, or a Tech event at a local establishment. No call to turn out alumni to support the recruits. I did see 6 of them wandering around campus once, by themselves.

It's all part of the experience. I think Tech needs to up its' game on the Recruiting Experience.

Can we be Top 30? No. Can we get good players and develop them? Yes.

Tech needs to up its game I agree, but your analogy is way off. You've seen it in Athens but you haven't seen it in Atlanta, Georgia? Not a shocking feat as I'm sure you realize.

 

[alagold]

There is BIG article in BUSINESS WEEK this wk about how Atlanta has become a HUGE black mecca even more than we realize.Collins sees this I think.We've GOT to exploit this.PJ did not really at all.

 

[ncjacket79]

It is not the kids you aim that tactic at

Kids generally are making their decision though. Clearly parents are involved but I would be very careful using that kind of approach. Besides many smaller cities are just as dangerous without the amenities of a big city. Best bet I would think would be to play up the “college town” angle versus a city where not as many care. But except for a relatively small number I would think a city is more exciting for most kids.

 

[Animal02]

Kids generally are making their decision though. Clearly parents are involved but I would be very careful using that kind of approach. Besides many smaller cities are just as dangerous without the amenities of a big city. Best bet I would think would be to play up the “college town” angle versus a city where not as many care. But except for a relatively small number I would think a city is more exciting for most kids.

You did grow up / live in farm country. Lots don't. Hell even my daughter who grew up in an suburban / urban environment, want nothing to do with schools that were in urban type areas.

 

[ncjacket79]

You did grow up / live in farm country. Lots don't. Hell even my daughter who grew up in an suburban / urban environment, want nothing to do with schools that were in urban type areas.

Nope. I have always lived in a city of some size, all of my kids went to schools in metro areas and all still live in cities including one on London. All of their HS and college friends that we keep in touch with live in a city. They wouldn’t know what to do in the country other than camping or visiting someone. That was kind of my point. You can’t assume what someone’s attitude towards any city, much less ATL will be so if someone goes in hard against it as a recruiting approach they could actually push them that way.

 

[Animal02]

Nope. I have always lived in a city of some size, all of my kids went to schools in metro areas and all still live in cities including one on London. All of their HS and college friends that we keep in touch with live in a city. They wouldn’t know what to do in the country other than camping or visiting someone. That was kind of my point. You can’t assume what someone’s attitude towards any city, much less ATL will be so if someone goes in hard against it as a recruiting approach they could actually push them that way.

My point is the posters that act like ATL is the be all to end all. Some kids will like a big city...others won't. It is just as easy if not easier to negatively recruit ATL as it is to positively recruit it.

 

[ncjacket79]

My point is the posters that act like ATL is the be all to end all. Some kids will like a big city...others won't. It is just as easy if not easier to negatively recruit ATL as it is to positively recruit it.

I agree with your first and second sentences. I violently disagree with the last one. Rap and hip hop are the most popular music genre for kids and ATL is like the capital. If we work it right location should be a big advantage for us just as one example.

 

[Animal02]

I agree with your first and second sentences. I violently disagree with the last one. Rap and hip hop are the most popular music genre for kids and ATL is like the capital. If we work it right location should be a big advantage for us just as one example.

So we are going to recruit kids that spend all their time in clubs and at concerts? If big cities were such a great draw, Northwestern would be recruiting Mecca as well. I think people are wish casting Atlanta as such a great recruiting draw.

 

[684Bee]

So we are going to recruit kids that spend all their time in clubs and at concerts? If big cities were such a great draw, Northwestern would be recruiting Mecca as well. I think people are wish casting Atlanta as such a great recruiting draw.

Northwestern was just experiencing -50 temps recently. So, they’ve got that going for them.

 

[eastpoint]

So we are going to recruit kids that spend all their time in clubs and at concerts? If big cities were such a great draw, Northwestern would be recruiting Mecca as well. I think people are wish casting Atlanta as such a great recruiting draw.

Sounds like you don’t like Atlanta. Why do you equate a private school in Chicago with a public school in Atlanta? More NBA and NFL players have second homes in Atlanta than anywhere. More NFL and NBA players retire to Atlanta than anywhere else. Metro Atlanta has grown 10 fold the last 40 years. A whole lot of people love Atlanta. Sorry you don’t.

 

[GTRambler]

Focusing on “the allure of Atlanta” seems to be the wrong tack. According to this article, “relationships, chemistry and feel of family” are the things most recruits look for in deciding which college to commit to.

Here it is:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/...ory/_/id/8156262/what-recruits-looking-school

 

[684Bee]

Focusing on “the allure of Atlanta” seems to be the wrong tack. According to this article, “relationships, chemistry and feel of family” are the things most recruits look for in deciding which college to commit to.

Here it is:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/...ory/_/id/8156262/what-recruits-looking-school

Many of these players don’t come from solid family situations. Often times, the high school coach in the community is a de facto father. So, it makes sense that they would look for that. I think that’s a great thing.

 

[GTRambler]

However, according to Forbes, “brand” is important:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicia...s-driving-college-football-recruits-decision/

 

[Jacket05]

Focusing on “the allure of Atlanta” seems to be the wrong tack. According to this article, “relationships, chemistry and feel of family” are the things most recruits look for in deciding which college to commit to.

Here it is:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/...ory/_/id/8156262/what-recruits-looking-school

However, according to Forbes, “brand” is important:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicia...s-driving-college-football-recruits-decision/

Well I guess that CGC is doing it right then. He not only pushes Atlanta but also family and culture (a.k.a brand). CGC understands recruits and what they are looking for as well as how to push that message out to them.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Northwestern was just experiencing -50 temps recently. So, they’ve got that going for them.

That's not true. We only got down to -22. The wind chill was about -50.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Sounds like you don’t like Atlanta. Why do you equate a private school in Chicago with a public school in Atlanta? More NBA and NFL players have second homes in Atlanta than anywhere. More NFL and NBA players retire to Atlanta than anywhere else. Metro Atlanta has grown 10 fold the last 40 years. A whole lot of people love Atlanta. Sorry you don’t.

Well, NW is in Evanston, which is like saying Southern Tech is in Atlanta. It's the burbs.

 

[Jacket05]

Well, NW is in Evanston, which is like saying Southern Tech is in Atlanta. It's the burbs.

Great Point! Georgia Tech is fairly unique in that it is a college campus in the heart of a major city (unlike a city campus like Georgia State). There are very few colleges that can claim that, especially in D1.

 

[Animal02]

Sounds like you don’t like Atlanta. Why do you equate a private school in Chicago with a public school in Atlanta? More NBA and NFL players have second homes in Atlanta than anywhere. More NFL and NBA players retire to Atlanta than anywhere else. Metro Atlanta has grown 10 fold the last 40 years. A whole lot of people love Atlanta. Sorry you don’t.

Have no animosity toward Atlanta.....I just don't think it is the great recruiting tool some people believe it is.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Well I guess that CGC is doing it right then. He not only pushes Atlanta but also family and culture (a.k.a brand). CGC understands recruits and what they are looking for as well as how to push that message out to them.

This is exactly what CGC is doing. Everyone is treating this topic as if there is only one right answer. I've seen a few posts above that say we don't know what is said in the living room to recruits, but that isn't entirely true either. My coworkers son was recruited by GT, and eventually offered a PWO. He chose a full scholarship at GaSo. I have a high school classmate who's son played on the football team here at GT for the last 5 years. Both have told me exactly what the coaches told them. Johnson and crew hammered life in the big city, education, alumni connections, life after football, and all the other things you guys already know. But ultimately, a recruit has to buy what we are selling. Are there players who would prefer a smaller college town to a major metropolis? Sure. But we can't sell small town because that's not what we are. We have to sell what we've got. We make our best pitch and keep making it as long as the recruit is interested in hearing it. CGC seems pretty adept at figuring out what's important to an individual recruit. We will know in a couple of years how successful he is here at GT. Until then, it's all just supposition.

 

[Animal02]

Great Point! Georgia Tech is fairly unique in that it is a college campus in the heart of a major city (unlike a city campus like Georgia State). There are very few colleges that can claim that, especially in D1.

And that can be an advantage or a DISADVANTAGE. depending on the recruit. IMO, it is not some super recruiting tool.