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Will Alabama’s family appeal make up for loss of position coach with elite WR?
By Andrew Olson
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College football recruits get offered by schools everyday, and most times, those offers are not news. Alabama’s recent offer to 2018 OLB Kevontae’ Ruggs, however, has interesting timing.
Blessed to receive my first offer from the University of Alabama ???????…Thank you Coach Saban for the opportunity!!! #RTR ??⚪️@__RUGGS pic.twitter.com/7NDS34rsFV
— Kevontae' Ruggs (@rip_lamexico) January 29, 2017
Kevontae’ Ruggs older brother, Henry Ruggs III, is a 4-star wide receiver recruit expected to decide between Alabama and Florida State on Wednesday (National Signing Day). The older Ruggs brother is rated the No. 11 wide receiver and No. 2 Alabama prospect by the 247Sports Composite. His recruitment, however, recently became complicated.
On Saturday, it was reported that Alabama wide receivers coach Billy Napier is leaving Tuscaloosa to take the offensive coordinator position at Arizona State. Napier, a former offensive coordinator at Clemson, has been on the Alabama staff since 2013, but was passed over for UA’s play-caller vacancy in favor of Steve Sarkisian. Nick Saban likely knew that Napier would leave for another opportunity to be coordinator, but he was certainly hoping it would come after Signing Day.
Napier is rated the No. 8 recruiter in the SEC and No. 23 nationally by 247Sports. While defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley was the older Ruggs’ primary recruiter, Napier was the secondary recruiter as the position coach.
The wide receivers coach had a reputation for making personal connections with recruits. Xavier Williams, a 2018 prospect, told AL.com’s Drew Champlin that his bond with Napier made him want to commit to Alabama, even after his primary recruiter, Mario Cristobal, left UA for Oregon.
“Not really,” Williams said, when asked if Cristobal leaving affected his recruitment. “Just because of me and Coach Napier’s relationship. He sent me pictures of his son and all that. He just made me feel wanted.”
Napier made recruits feel like family, and now Alabama is using family to appeal to Henry Ruggs III. If the older Ruggs picks Alabama on Wednesday, the recent offer to Kevontae’ Ruggs will have paid off.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
