Recruits In State

[ricepig]

We all know those commitments aren't binding either way. That's a meaningless statement.

Actually, nothing is binding, to be truthful.

[Fatty McGee]

Actually, nothing is binding, to be truthful.

The LOI at least adds some penalties, for the player at least.  They do have to get a formal release.

[Inhogswetrust]

Not everybody. I expect those who decommit will be likely to transfer if unhappy. Give me the guys who commit to UA first. Let the decommits play somewhere else.

Good thing you aren't our recruiter and coach.............................

[DeltaBoy]

For those of you that feel that Arkansas students owe it to the UofA to go there, does that apply to non-athletes?  What about a really bright kid with great scores that can go to Harvard or Stanford?  Are they wrong for taking their talents away from the UofA and out of state?

I'm generally interested in your opinion on this topic if you feel it is "wrong" for an athlete to leave the state.

They are 2 different things. 

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

Most of these D1 athletes are more sophisticated negotiators SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTORS than most fans realize.

FIFY

My Caveat:  The above and below commentary has nothing to do with Hill, D-Mac2, Stephen Hawking, Socrates, or the Ghost of Scooby-Doo.  Nobody specifically!!

Now, back to the ''Negotiating'' that you euphemistically call the shameless self promoting.  Isn't anyone else sick of the games? 

''I'm in.  I'm out.  I'm in. I'm out.  I'm in.  I'm out.  Ummmmmm......You'll have to wait and see.''

And the press conference with the 114 hats.

Sheesh.  Should I be??
A)  Pleased to see you know how to first exhibit hats and then successfully demonstrate the art of putting one on your noggin'?
B)  Appreciative of your ability to simultaneously River Dance, rap how bad*** you are, do a gymnastic display of cart wheels and flips, followed by full splits, singing ''You're So Lucky To Have Me'' while refocusing the local media cameras to hit you 100% of the time and unveil your a T-Shirt with a picture of you handing you a Heisman Trophy with 3 others sitting at your feet.
C)  Sickened by all of the above and then understandably jaded towards that particular recruit and the youth in general.   (As well as the parasitic recruiting merchants -- that's YOU, all of you AAU and immoral H.S. coaches out there.)

Give me some ''C'' Alex for a sad state of recruiting and self absorbed culture.

[hogsanity]

I still marvel at how people flip out over a kid leaving the state, saying how bad that is, calling him names, etc. Yet, THE ONLY WAY the Hogs will ever field a competitive program is to convince other kids to leave their home states, like TX, LA, MS, etc, and come here.

[Torqued pork]

I still marvel at how people flip out over a kid leaving the state, saying how bad that is, calling him names, etc. Yet, THE ONLY WAY the Hogs will ever field a competitive program is to convince other kids to leave their home states, like TX, LA, MS, etc, and come here.

Depending on so many out of state kids is exactly why it's so important to keep the homegrown who can play at the level we need to stay here.

[Inhogswetrust]

I still marvel at how people flip out over a kid leaving the state, saying how bad that is, calling him names, etc. Yet, THE ONLY WAY the Hogs will ever field a competitive program is to convince other kids to leave their home states, like TX, LA, MS, etc, and come here.

It is mind boggling isn't it......................

[jkstock04]

It still amazes me that schools have to "recruit".   Seem like you would simply say we have 25 openings, send us your resume and info on why YOU want to be a Hog.   We'll get back with you.    That way you only end up with people wanting to play there and you don't spend millions going all over the country to only be rejected in the end.

Houston Nutt had this thinking as well. "We don't want em if they don't wanna be Hogs." Yep, if you had that mentality it would take the whole "recruiting" thing completely out of the equation.

A lot of people still think this way. Thing is you can't just wave a magic wand and expect these kids to want to come here, they need convincing.

It's mind blowing to me that there are people who actually think in state recruits owe the university or the people a damn thing. Lol what a closed minded, idiotic way of thinking that is. These kids need to go to a program they see would be most fitting for themselves...long term especially.

[Inhogswetrust]

Houston Nutt had this thinking as well. "We don't want em if they don't wanna be Hogs." Yep, if you had that mentality it would take the whole "recruiting" thing completely out of the equation.

A lot of people still think this way. Thing is you can't just wave a magic wand and expect these kids to want to come here, they need convincing.

It's mind blowing to me that there are people who actually think in state recruits owe the university or the people a damn thing. Lol what a closed minded, idiotic way of thinking that is. These kids need to go to a program they see would be most fitting for themselves...long term especially.

It is extremely RARE for even a regular student that is NOT an athlete to not have visited a campus and talk to a recruiter or admissions person of a school they are thinking about going to. It is amazing that some people think that the majority of athletes on scholarship think that those athletes don't know it is a school and they have to have an idea of whats there and such besides sports.

[DukeOfPork]

Why would anyone leave their state and play for another state's school, unless they seek validation from outside their personal power base or source.

If every good player played for his home state school, the Razorbacks would be one of the worst teams in the country every year.

[Arkfan]

He only opened up his recruitment again

And thats what has fans, or I guess I should say some fans, upset.

He didn't have to go that far because his recruitment was never really closed just because he committed. Did Alabama, Ohio State, and others stop talking to him after he committed to Arkansas? Of course not. He went to the extreme in some fans minds.

[Ashdownpanther]

My kid is a freshman in Katy, he is 6 ft 2in, and 175, track speed, and a state ranked wrestler.  He has had letters from all over, including A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, T. Tech and Notre Dame.  I never pushed him toward Arkansas and said he could go where he wanted to ( except Texas).  Then we went to the Texas Bowl.  He got to see and say hi to some Ark. players in the tunnel between the locker room and the field.  We sat behind the Ark bench.  He is pretty un-emotional and non committal, but by the 2nd qtr, he was standing up and calling the Hogs with everyone and screaming at every good play!  Leaving the game, he said he could see why I liked Arkansas so much, cause the fans were so good and the atmosphere of the games was so electric.  Driving home he asked me all about playing football at Arkansas, what life was like on campus, etc- things he had never asked before.  He finally said, it would be "great" to play for fans like that in that type of atmosphere................. we are slowly moving away from the College Station influence to the Fayetteville direction

[Hogg_Phan]

My kid is a freshman in Katy, he is 6 ft 2in, and 175, track speed, and a state ranked wrestler.  He has had letters from all over, including A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, T. Tech and Notre Dame.  I never pushed him toward Arkansas and said he could go where he wanted to ( except Texas).  Then we went to the Texas Bowl.  He got to see and say hi to some Ark. players in the tunnel between the locker room and the field.  We sat behind the Ark bench.  He is pretty un-emotional and non committal, but by the 2nd qtr, he was standing up and calling the Hogs with everyone and screaming at every good play!  Leaving the game, he said he could see why I liked Arkansas so much, cause the fans were so good and the atmosphere of the games was so electric.  Driving home he asked me all about playing football at Arkansas, what life was like on campus, etc- things he had never asked before.  He finally said, it would be "great" to play for fans like that in that type of atmosphere................. we are slowly moving away from the College Station influence to the Fayetteville direction

If nothing else, you sure found a way to increase your Karma.
What position does you son play and has he been in contact with anyone from Arkansas?

[Ashdownpanther]

Kid is a wide receiver and free safety.  He ran 400 meters in 52.5 and 14.9 in 110 hurdles in 8th grade.  He can bench 250 and has 34 inch vertical. He likes safety better than wr.  Not a word from anyone at Arkansas

[varrichione]

I wish coach B would state Its a privilege to play for your state university. If you want to play games with us go play elsewhere.

Reading lots of comments after this post, and it seems that some do not see the whole picture.  Yes, it is everyone's right to go to school wherever they choose.  No one is arguing against that.  It IS 2015, and a high school athlete has 24/7 exposure to any program in the country.  What neither of those change is these three things:

1. The Razorbacks is the state's professional team.  When athletes play for the UA they are rock stars forever.  In Arkansas.  Zac Painter was considering another school before signing with Arkansas back in the 90s.  His dad asked, "Where do you want to live after you graduate?"  Zac responded with "Arkansas."  To that, his dad said, "Consider that."  Playing for Arkansas, especially when you are from  Arkansas, gives you an advantage in the business world in Arkansas.  That's just how it is.
2. Leaving the state to play is not like leaving most other states to play.  We don't have enough legitimate SEC-caliber players to produce one team.  When players of that caliber leave, it hurts.  If the #3 player from Texas goes to Oklahoma, there are 25 other players equally as good yet to be signed.  When you lose one of eight, nine, or ten players you offer, that's double-digits percentage-wise.  That hurts.
3. Most people to despise a player choosing a non_SEC school too badly, but if  a player chooses Ole Miss or Alabama over an offer to play for the Razorbacks, that player has made a public announcement that they not only do not want success for the Hogs, but they are going to do their best to make sure Arkansas is not successful.  They have chosen to play for a team who competes against Arkansas every year for the division.

And that is why Arkansas fans do not like to see SEC-caliber players leave.

[OLDHOG]

They have cable, the internet, and satellite where I live. I just about bet KJ has those tools at his disposal as well. This isn't 1977 any longer. Kids have access to every program in the country. Playing for the home state isn't the draw it once was. Backwood statements like that are unproductive at best.

I want to return to the time when 98% of Football Player were like us. We said if the Hill called we would crawl to get there and sleep in the AG barn just to wear that Hog Helmet. 

Those days are long gone I'm afraid. It 's a shame.

[Jeff "hogfanintx" Anderson]

If you have talent, apply it to your people and add your talents to the resources of others with goals that you can believe in and contribute to.

Why would anyone leave their state and play for another state's school, unless they seek validation from outside their personal power base or source.

If I were a big time high school player and thought I had the talent to go pro I would go to the school and coach that had a style that fit and utilized my skill set and could help me attain the ultimate goal.

[urkillnmesmalls]

It was mentioned on the UU show today that NLR is being looked at for some "fishy" things related to HS recruits.  Apparently there are some questions about funds appropriation.  Does anyone know anything about that?     It doesn't explain why Juan Day came to the UA, but if you look at every other NLR D1 recruit in BB or FB, it does make you scratch your head a little. 

There is one thing that will never change.  When D1 talent expresses interest in other schools, the most loyal Hog fans will make the mistake of treating them poorly.  The fans will insist that "If I had ever possessed the talent to play D1 sports, and the UA wanted me, I would have gone there in a heartbeat." 

Truth is...they have no idea if that's true or not, based on circumstances and what makes the most sense.  Blind loyalty can be a good thing, and it can also be a very bad thing.  Our fans should stop taking it personally when kids are making these decisions, but many won't.