Recruiting.
There is not one word that has stuck the world of collegiate sports quite like it.
Every decision, every hiring, every firing, and every comment coming from a coach or athletics director seems to in some way revolve around recruiting.
And it couldn’t be any truer here at Minnesota.
Athletics Director Joel Maturi has talked about it more than anyone, especially after his latest two hires in coaches Tim Brewster and Tubby Smith.
It’s certainly no secret that both of these men have recruiting on the brain as well.
If I tried to count how many times Brewster has mentioned recruiting since his arrival Ö well let’s just say I’d be out of fingers and toes hundreds of times over.
Smith as well has been surrounded with questions about his recruiting aptitudes.
Folks over at Kentucky were awfully pessimistic about Smith’s ability to bring in the best recruits in the country and were confident it was one of the weak spots of his game.
But he certainly hasn’t had much trouble bringing in the big guns since his arrival at Minnesota. Smith has one of the top ranked recruiting classes in not just the Big Ten, but the country as well.
One thing is certain, whether it be about basketball, football or any other sport when it comes to recruiting, is sometimes, it can get slightly confusing.
The rules, the money, the visits, the text messages, the e-mails, the letter – all can become an integrated mess to someone from the outside looking in.
So for the past couple of months, the Daily Sports Department has broken down some of the procedures, the strategies, the lingo and masses of other information that go along with recruiting at the University.
This Wednesday and Thursday, the Daily will run a second sports page dedicated to informing you about the ins and outs of the current state of Gophers recruiting.
I don’t want to give away too much, but here’s a sneak preview:
Brewster the recruiter
Ever since his arrival, it’s been tough to ignore his talk of Rose Bowls and Big Ten Championships. But can he bring in the necessary recruits to get him there and what exactly is he planning on doing?
Recruiting when your name is Tubby Smith
Luring in players seems to be a lot easier when you have a National Championship to your name, and Smith has made the most of his first season, bringing in some of the top recruits in the country while trying to replace three of his top scorers this year.
The all-Minnesota team
It’s tough to say no to the University when they ask you to come and play at Mariucci Arena. It’s also tough to find a name on the Gophers roster of someone who’s not from within state borders.
Minnesota = cold
We just saw the first snow of the year and if reports are right, there is a good chance you could be looking out the window and seeing snow right now. So, how do cold-weather sports coaches compete with teams in the South?
A personal touch
In the world of e-mails, cell phones and text messaging, the Minnesota soccer team has a more personal approach, that according to assistant soccer coach Kate Cortis, has proven itself successful.
What is so special about Illinois?
Close to half of the Minnesota volleyball team has roots in Illinois and with the exception of a rough season this year, it seems coach Mike Hebert’s tactics are playing off for him in his years at the University.
The logistics
With a strict rule book and tight NCAA regulations, coaches must be very careful about the way they handle their business.
The last thing the University wants is to land itself in violation of NCAA regulations, so knowing what is acceptable and what is not is important.
Financially, things can get a little tricky as well, but there is certainly some funding to bring in the best of the best.
-Paul Cordes welcomes comments at [email protected].
