Thomas Johnston seems to have had a great visit... (UAB lean)

[The_Boot_stops_here]

According to RD's column this morning. Planning to come back for an official for the Ole Miss game. Would be the big time LB we've been hoping for since.....well, a long time. I'm a realist boardering on pessimism but this young man sounded legitamately interested

[MuskogeeHogFan]

According to RD's column this morning. Planning to come back for an official for the Ole Miss game. Would be the big time LB we've been hoping for since.....well, a long time. I'm a realist boardering on pessimism but this young man sounded legitamately interested

Here's part of the article:

Perception is perhaps one of the hardest obstacles to overcome when it comes to recruiting out-of-state athletes to Arkansas. Once on campus, prospects are usually surprised -- sometimes shocked -- by what they see.

Linebacker Thomas Johnston might be the latter after visiting the Razorbacks on Thursday and Friday.

"It wasn't what I expected," Johnston said. "It was a whole lot better. The way I thought of Arkansas, I thought it would be in a field in the country. When I stepped on campus, I realized it was something special."

Johnston, 6-2, 220, 4.78 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Spanish Fort (Ala.) High School has 18 scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Oregon, Iowa, LSU, Louisville and North Carolina State.

"The facilities are unreal," he said. "The new football facility is probably the top one in the country, up there with 'Bama. I didn't expect anything like that. I was like wow."

He said Arkansas was definitely one of his top schools.

The rest can be found inside:

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2016/jun/19/arkansas-something-special-for-alabama-/

[lefty08]

All of our coaches have said getting them here is half the battle, hope more top recruits see these quotes

[flagstaffhog]

Go HOGS Go!

[ricepig]

All of our coaches have said getting them here is half the battle, hope more top recruits see these quotes

Not that it applied to this guy, but I think we would great benefit from the proposal to pay for official visits starting in the summer for Srs. We'd get several more to campus earlier, before they feel the pressure to commit somewhere.

[RealHog]

Not that it applied to this guy, but I think we would great benefit from the proposal to pay for official visits starting in the summer for Srs. We'd get several more to campus earlier, before they feel the pressure to commit somewhere.

Absolutely right, perception and Arkansas has always been a problem.

[theFlyingHog]

Absolutely right, perception and Arkansas has always been a problem.

We need a video put together. They could utilize the latest drone technology and make a sweet 10min video of campus and the facilities(from the outside of course)

[Pig in the Pokey]

We need a video put together. They could utilize the latest drone technology and make a sweet 10min video of campus and the facilities(from the outside of course)

good idea!

[lefty08]

good idea!

It is a good idea, and I'm sure the staff is way ahead of us on the recruiting front

[Hawgzinbowlz]

Just get 'em here.

Fayetteville is a nice university community, with first rate facilities...and in the SECW.

" GO HOGS "

[longpig]

Not to be 'that guy', but don't most all recruits  say something along those lines about most everywhere they visit?

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Not to be 'that guy', but don't most all recruits  say something along those lines about most everywhere they visit?

"The facilities are unreal," he said. "The new football facility is probably the top one in the country, up there with 'Bama. I didn't expect anything like that. I was like wow."

I don't remember many, if any, saying something like this.

[theFlyingHog]

It is a good idea, and I'm sure the staff is way ahead of us on the recruiting front

Well if they aren't, I have a drone and some free time

[Vantage 8 dude]

I agree that a short video should and could be prepared that be linked into any of the recruiting web sites. However, if I were doing one I'd not only include shots/information about the athletic program(s) and facilities, but also spend time touting the virtues and advantages of coming to the Hill. This would include some basic information about the surrounding area-it ain't exactly "Hicksville USA"-it's home to a number of nationally and internationally known companies, actually has a very nice airport at Highfill, culture such as Crystal Bridges, etc. It also has an incredibly wonderful living environment as evidenced by a number of national surveys, etc.

The point is that while you want to appeal to the athlete, however, you also want to inform him (or her) AND his/her FAMILY and others who might have an interest and/or influence on the kid's decision making process. You have to deal with the (often) held misconception/wrong information concerning the Hill and NWA in general.

[hawgwash]

Not to be 'that guy', but don't most all recruits  say something along those lines about most everywhere they visit?

I agree with you generally. But this kid also said something to the effect of wanting to get his buddies from Alabama up here to see how good it is. Almost like he wants to help recruit for us.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I agree with you generally. But this kid also said something to the effect of wanting to get his buddies from Alabama up here to see how good it is. Almost like he wants to help recruit for us.

I'd like to see this happen. It is difficult to work your way up when you start out behind the power curve, meaning...Alabama has a tendency to put a whole lot of players into the NFL and LSU is right there as well. A recent commit of ours made reference to that very thing (TE from Arizona Western) as his reason for committing to the Hogs. He is persuaded that as a TE at Arkansas given our offensive system, that he stands a better chance of getting playing time and being showcased enough to get to the NFL.

In addition, the facilities that you have available to you for growth and development as a player, as well as playing time, are pretty big factors in making a decision about where you will go as a top notch recruit that is valued by many programs. These kids for the most part, seem to be less concerned about their matriculation for a degree and more concerned about their matriculation and development as a player with the end goal of going to the NFL.

Fortunately, our staff has a good way of weeding out guys who think they are just here to play football and aren't as concerned about academics. It's good for our program and it is good for the players as most will never have the career that they hope for in the NFL. Still, we can scoop up a few that are "uncommon boys" who will grow into "uncommon men".

[Cinco de Hogo]

What I don't understand about what the SEC and the SEC media outlets put out.  Arkansas has the facilities, Arkansas had the support of a great college town, Arkansas has the support of industry and business in general.  All in the prettiest setting in the SEC.  Why people have so much trouble seeing that is beyond me.  Do people live with blinders on in this age of technology? 

[ARtillahog]

What I don't understand about what the SEC and the SEC media outlets put out.  Arkansas has the facilities, Arkansas had the support of a great college town, Arkansas has the support of industry and business in general.  All in the prettiest setting in the SEC.  Why people have so much trouble seeing that is beyond me.  Do people live with blinders on in this age of technology?

Yes

[MuskogeeHogFan]

What I don't understand about what the SEC and the SEC media outlets put out.  Arkansas has the facilities, Arkansas had the support of a great college town, Arkansas has the support of industry and business in general.  All in the prettiest setting in the SEC.  Why people have so much trouble seeing that is beyond me.  Do people live with blinders on in this age of technology? 

I admit that it is amazing that young men come to visit and suddenly have this epiphany that our facilities aren't located out in some country field, they aren't riding donkeys and tying them up to a hitching post and that we have running water and electricity and indoor plumbing. It's really pretty great.

The problem is, Arkansas hasn't been consistently, I said consistently, knocking on the door (let alone beating it down) of the Western Division and SEC Championships. Kids hear "SEC" and they most immediately think of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU and to a lesser extent, perhaps Tennessee and Miss State as well. These are the teams that have gotten a lot of air time and play on national t.v. and when we started to build and reach that level, we have a coaching turnover. Between BP and BB, that one year under JLS should have been at least an 8 win season that would have helped the momentum of the program and man, the negative effect of that one season, from the wreck to the end of the coming season, was really damaging. So we were starting all over again.

So yeah, I think a professionally produced comprehensive video that we could send high school and JC coaches and recruits to give them a tour of our facilities and the area surrounding Fayetteville, to include highways, airports, Corporations located here, the campus, the countryside, restaurants, recreation, the lakes, etc, etc, would be well worth the money. They all need to know that this isn't some backwater, backwoods destination where everyone is cooking possum or squirrel for dinner.

[Paul]

I'll only disagree with the post ^^^ in that State had a nice run while Dak was there but they don't come to mind whe the SEC elite is mentioned. Otherwise spot on post.

[lefty08]

I admit that it is amazing that young men come to visit and suddenly have this epiphany that our facilities aren't located out in some country field, they aren't riding donkeys and tying them up to a hitching post and that we have running water and electricity and indoor plumbing. It's really pretty great.

The problem is, Arkansas hasn't been consistently, I said consistently, knocking on the door (let alone beating it down) of the Western Division and SEC Championships. Kids hear "SEC" and they most immediately think of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU and to a lesser extent, perhaps Tennessee and Miss State as well. These are the teams that have gotten a lot of air time and play on national t.v. and when we started to build and reach that level, we have a coaching turnover. Between BP and BB, that one year under JLS should have been at least an 8 win season that would have helped the momentum of the program and man, the negative effect of that one season, from the wreck to the end of the coming season, was really damaging. So we were starting all over again.

So yeah, I think a professionally produced comprehensive video that we could send high school and JC coaches and recruits to give them a tour of our facilities and the area surrounding Fayetteville, to include highways, airports, Corporations located here, the campus, the countryside, restaurants, recreation, the lakes, etc, etc, would be well worth the money. They all need to know that this isn't some backwater, backwoods destination where everyone is cooking possum or squirrel for dinner.

Speak for yaself   

[RazorWhacker]

I admit that it is amazing that young men come to visit and suddenly have this epiphany that our facilities aren't located out in some country field, they aren't riding donkeys and tying them up to a hitching post and that we have running water and electricity and indoor plumbing. It's really pretty great.

The problem is, Arkansas hasn't been consistently, I said consistently, knocking on the door (let alone beating it down) of the Western Division and SEC Championships. Kids hear "SEC" and they most immediately think of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU and to a lesser extent, perhaps Tennessee and Miss State as well. These are the teams that have gotten a lot of air time and play on national t.v. and when we started to build and reach that level, we have a coaching turnover. Between BP and BB, that one year under JLS should have been at least an 8 win season that would have helped the momentum of the program and man, the negative effect of that one season, from the wreck to the end of the coming season, was really damaging. So we were starting all over again.

So yeah, I think a professionally produced comprehensive video that we could send high school and JC coaches and recruits to give them a tour of our facilities and the area surrounding Fayetteville, to include highways, airports, Corporations located here, the campus, the countryside, restaurants, recreation, the lakes, etc, etc, would be well worth the money. They all need to know that this isn't some backwater, backwoods destination where everyone is cooking possum or squirrel for dinner.

Correct. Only the smart ones are.

[FarmingtonFan]

I admit that it is amazing that young men come to visit and suddenly have this epiphany that our facilities aren't located out in some country field, they aren't riding donkeys and tying them up to a hitching post and that we have running water and electricity and indoor plumbing. It's really pretty great.

The problem is, Arkansas hasn't been consistently, I said consistently, knocking on the door (let alone beating it down) of the Western Division and SEC Championships. Kids hear "SEC" and they most immediately think of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU and to a lesser extent, perhaps Tennessee and Miss State as well. These are the teams that have gotten a lot of air time and play on national t.v. and when we started to build and reach that level, we have a coaching turnover. Between BP and BB, that one year under JLS should have been at least an 8 win season that would have helped the momentum of the program and man, the negative effect of that one season, from the wreck to the end of the coming season, was really damaging. So we were starting all over again.

So yeah, I think a professionally produced comprehensive video that we could send high school and JC coaches and recruits to give them a tour of our facilities and the area surrounding Fayetteville, to include highways, airports, Corporations located here, the campus, the countryside, restaurants, recreation, the lakes, etc, etc, would be well worth the money. They all need to know that this isn't some backwater, backwoods destination where everyone is cooking possum or squirrel for dinner.

This post makes more sense than 99.9% of the posts I have read in this forum.  I too, have wondered why so many kids raved about our facilities, community, location post visits.  It appears that we are under marketed  based on the infrastructure we have available.