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Football signing day’s growth expands season By Brad D. Bates ORCHARD LAKE — Since he watched his first big recruit sign a National Letter of Intent in 1989, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s football coach George Porritt has seen the college recruitment process evolve. From Vaughn Bryant’s 1989 commitment to Stanford University to his most recent group of six recruits, led by quarterback Robert Bolden’s letter of intent to Penn State University, Porritt said the recruitment process for high school football players has changed. And there is no bigger example of this than the national event that signing day, held Feb. 3, has become. “Everything is based on people knowing things faster, and they want more information,” Porritt said of what has driven the change. “It’s faster, and it’s amazing how the colleges know about your kids. “They see kids on YouTube now. Guys come in, and he’s seen my kid before I even knew he’s seen my kid.” One reason the recruitment process and signing day have changed is that they’ve become a way for a college program to promote itself against its peers. “For colleges, signing day is almost another season,” Utica Stevenson coach Rick Bye said. “It’s like a bowl game for them. They have a rating system, and they make all these calls about (which teams) are going to be good and not good depending on the class they have coming in.” Pressure’s off “It was a nice to get the recruiting process over and confirm with the school I wanted to be with,” Stevenson senior defensive tackle Carl Davis said of signing his letter with the University of Iowa. “I had a lot of offers, and it was a little stressful at one point. Once you commit, people start to get off your back, but now that you signed, it’s over. You can focus on what you want to focus on with school.” While the hype of the recruitment process brings added excitement to signing day, it has also changed the way the process affects the student-athletes. “I wish they would take a lot of steps back,” Porritt said of recruiting. “When they start getting after juniors and sophomores, it’s a little too much for kids. “They need to concentrate on high school, having fun, getting good grades and playing high school ball. But it’s the way it is.” A dream come true “A kid being able to choose a college and get through it is always a process, whether you’re an athlete or not an athlete,” Porritt said. It also serves as a carrot for younger players who see their older teammates signing letters and making their way to the college game. “It’s a motivator for younger players, because you’re right up front with them with the fact that grades count,” Bye said. “A coach really doesn’t get you a scholarship. The player’s character, academics, his willingness to compete and his athletic ability are the things that get him a scholarship.” Beyond the cameras and press conferences, one aspect signing day adds to the process is that it represents one of the last memories high school teammates share with one another. “We’ve been a family since I stepped on campus,” St. Mary’s senior Earnest Thomas said of why it was important for him to sign his letter with the University of Illinois with his teammates on signing day. “We turned into young men together. These guys have been my teammates for four years, and it was something special for me to do this with everyone — right here, right now.” Of course, that bond changes now that these former teammates have committed to rival schools. “I didn’t talk to Rob too much about what we’re running, because he’s going to be an opponent now,” Thomas said of facing Bolden in college. “That’s one of the things that’s going to be fun. A lot of guys we know are going to be playing against each other, and we’re all friends. It’s going to be fun.” You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029. |
