D2 recruiting?

My son is a senior. Pretty good student. 1360 on his SAT, 3.87 GPA, National Honor Society member, and an Illinois State Scholar.

My kid is also a good football player but an undersized OL/DL at 5-9, 220lbs. 4-year, 2-way varsity starter, all-Conference and all-Area player as a junior. Also has a couple national and world powerlifting records for his age and division

Anyway, he received an email from a pretty good college that also has an NCAA D2 football program. They offered him a $16,000 scholarship based on his SAT score.

I emailed the DL coach at the school and told him about the scholarship. Also told him about my kid's academics and that he would like to play football. I sent a short defensive highlight film of his first 6 games this year and asked the coach if he thought my kid could play there.

I did not expect to get a response. I have sent out dozens of emails and it is usually like howling in the wind. However, less than a day later, I received a response from the coach.

The response said, "Thank you for emailing us. Please tell your son congratulations on the scholarship. I've copied our recruiting coordinator to this email. I know that it's quite a drive, but we'd love to invite your son to one of our home games. Please let us know if that would be possible. Hopefully we can get him on campus sometime."

I responded that we would love to come to a game. He sent me a link to an online form that I filled out with information for a visit for a home game.

So, my question is, what's going on here? Is this coach actually interested in my kid as a football player?

Sounds to me like he is --- and it sounds like he has more than adequate credentials to play at the D2 level. If he's pretty quick-footed, they might take a look at having him change positions. I would say keep in touch with them and take your son on a visit there.

Tanglefoot_Jones1 wrote:Sounds to me like he is --- and it sounds like he has more than adequate credentials to play at the D2 level.  If he's pretty quick-footed, they might take a look at having him change positions.  I would say keep in touch with them and take your son on a visit there.

We are going to take the visit.

I was wondering if the guy was thinking that, because my kid was already accepted to the school and had a decent scholarship that it really didn't hurt to tell me that he didn't think he was good enough.

I have no delusions of grandeur about my son. He's a 5'9", 220lbs 1a/2a football player who has had an above average high school career because he has outworked his teammates and his opponents, not because he has God-given talent. I would be perfectly content with him going to a D3 school to play football, provided that school has the academic program he wants.

But the coach emailing me back definitely threw me a curve ball. I did not expect a response so it has me wondering if it is legit or if this is just something this school does for every dad who emails the coaches about his kid.

What is exciting is that this is one of the top schools in the Midwest offering the degree he wants and, with the $16,000/yr scholarship, it would only cost about $9,000, and that is without any other financial aid. So, obviously, this school is at the top of his list. But I think it would be really awesome for him to be a D2 football player, too. I just don't want to get too far out over my skies on this. I obviously don't know anything about how recruiting goes.

High level engineering school... Rose Hulman... plays good football... is always hitting Central up for stand out athletes with high academics. Hit up Assistant Coach Nick Davis

19delta wrote: I think it would be really awesome for him to be a D2 football player, too. I just don't want to get too far out over my skies on this. I obviously don't know anything about how recruiting goes.  

one question, and i don't mean to be an arse here. does HE think it would be awesome to be a D2 football player?

khalfie wrote:High level engineering school... Rose Hulman... plays good football... is always hitting Central up for stand out athletes with high academics.  Hit up Assistant Coach Nick Davis

Khal...we took a visit there in the spring. Definitely in the mix. We met Coach Davis. Good guy!

ging wrote:

19delta wrote: I think it would be really awesome for him to be a D2 football player, too. I just don't want to get too far out over my skies on this. I obviously don't know anything about how recruiting goes.  

one question, and i don't mean to be an arse here.  does HE think it would be awesome to be a D2 football player?  

Yes. He was really excited about the email. But, because I don't know what it means, I don't want him getting his (or my) hopes too high.

I am guessing since your son has academic money the coach might be willing to take a flyer on a walk-on and wants to see him in person.

Wow... can't believe your boy is a senior already... man does time fly!

How about the Rockford Football... Auburn and East turning it around? What happend there? Used to be my dream job!

khalfie wrote:Wow... can't believe your boy is a senior already... man does time fly!

How about the Rockford Football... Auburn and East turning it around?  What happend there?  Used to be my dream job!

Well, East firing me probably got them going in the right direction!

mc140 wrote:I am guessing since your son has academic money the coach might be willing to take a flyer on a walk-on and wants to see him in person.

Yep. We have certainly considered that possibility.

Dude!? You didn't give your baby boy your size!? For shame... for shame!

For those that don't know... Delta is 6'5 370 lbs... dude is a mountain!

Depth and a strong bench are more important than ever.  Grinnell College suspended their season last week because they were down to 28 players due to injuries, right before they were scheduled to play St. Norbert College with its 125-man roster.  St. Norbert beat Grinnell last year 91-0.

If I were a D2 coach, I would be very receptive to emails like the one you sent him.  He needs players on his depth chart, and he is limited in how many full and partial rides he can offer.  His institution is already offering $16K in an academic scholarship to a kid who obviously excels at football.   What has he got to lose by inviting you to visit?