Do current players pay close attention to recruiting?
Now that the regular season is over and the recruiting trail is underway, I’m going to give some insight on whether or not the current players pay much attention to the recruiting class.
The answer is sort of simple. We definitely pay attention to it, but we don’t think about it too much. We have our own jobs to do and that’s practice for the bowl game and prepare for finals. We all are well aware of recruits when they come in for visit, because we have to host them. We also were very aware when the high-profile guys were in Columbia, such as Marcus Lattimore, Alshon Jeffery and Jadeveon Clowney. We always showed them a good time.
When I got recruited back in 2006 and I took all my visits, the current players didn’t sugarcoat anything. They didn’t talk badly about the program, they were just honest. The coaches can recruit all they want and sugarcoat and all that, but the players are one of the main reasons recruits come to a school, in my opinion. They will tell you how things really work and what really goes down.
Another reason that players are a main component of recruiting is because the players will be there and build that brotherhood bond with each other over the next several years. Coaches are always moving, whether is be because of firings or because they’re seeking better opportunities.
After the season ended and finals were over, we started paying more attention. The career of a current player often depends on the new recruits, as we’re starting to see more and more true freshman get significant playing time. These kids are way more “game ready” now and are going to schools where they see themselves starting as freshman.
That’s the theme these days. Kids are going to schools where they think they have the best chance to play right away.
As current players, we did our best to help facilitate that decision, but we also didn’t sugarcoat it. That’s for the coaches to do.