The NCAA’s limitation on the spring recruiting cycle has been met with irritation by high school players and coaches at both the prep and collegiate levels. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images/TNS)
Patrick Smith, HO / TNSFrom mid-April to the end of May, college football coaches are usually flocking to Port Arthur Memorial High School in hopes of getting an up-close and personal look at the Titans’ next senior class.
It’s the first chance for players to show off their development since last season ended and start a relationship with what might be their future team after high school.
However, these soon-to-be seniors won’t get that opportunity to make a first impression this spring. The NCAA Division I Council extended on Wednesday its recruiting dead period through May 31, continuing a ban on in-person evaluation that’s been in place since the coronavirus pandemic began last March.
It’s a ban that’s causing mounting frustration from high school and college coaches alike but seems to be hurting athletes more than anyone. After the class of 2021 spent all of last season working through the recruiting restrictions, those same limitations have now spilled over to the class of 2022 with the NCAA’s latest decision.
“Up until this last announcement, I was looking forward to things opening back up again recruiting-wise,” Port Arthur Memorial football coach and athletic director Brian Morgan said. “Your senior year comes and you get one life-changing opportunity. It’s really these kids who are getting the raw end of the deal.”
It’s not the top-tier player that coaches like Morgan are worried about. Instead, it’s the more-lightly recruited player that’s been impacted the most. At Memorial for instance, star defensive end Jordon Thomas had no problem getting noticed. That happened well before the coronavirus pandemic was ever a thought.
So when the pandemic did start, he already had all the necessary relationships to sign with a school and eventually landed with the University of Texas. For a late bloomer, however, things became quite more difficult.
“If you didn’t have a breakout year until you were a senior, it really put a damper on those guys,” Morgan said. “We definitely had some guys that, just from a talent level, did not go to the type of school that they would typically go to.”
Similar situations can be seen in other sports around Southeast Texas. Lumberton boys basketball forward Brock McClure developed a relationship with Lamar University early in his high school career. Luckily, Lamar coach Tic Price was able to see McClure play before the pandemic began and knew that type of player he could be for the Cardinals. McClure went on to sign with Lamar in November.
Kelly Catholic swimmer Keith Elgar was faced with a bit more difficult situation. With coaches unable to see him swim as a senior, Elgar was forced to market himself and get in contact with coaches. He contacted the coach at Niagara University, and because of his impressive times in the water, was able to secure a spot with the team sight unseen.
However, Elgar was hoping to meet with the team once the previous dead period ended in April. That now won’t happen with the NCAA’s decision to extended the restrictions though the end of May.
“(The) coronavirus was definitely a factor for me in the recruiting process,” Elgar said. “You have to adapt and move forward.”
Coaches have done their best to adapt as well. Morgan said throughout last year, he spent hours reaching out to college recruiters with whom he had previous relationships.
“Maybe they would be more likely to trust your word on a kid,” Morgan said of his coaching contacts. “I can send all the film and all the pictures of kids that I want, but it’s just not the same as seeing them in person.”
At Lamar, coaches have gotten creative with their recruiting. Women’s basketball coach Aqua Franklin has multiple live streaming services on which she watches potential recruits. Cardinals football coach Blane Morgan said he was constantly on Zoom or FaceTime calls while putting together this year’s class, which was ranked 13th in the FCS by 247sports.com
With budget restraints caused by coronavirus likely to persist, Lamar athletic director Marco Born said he’s encouraged his coaches to continue some of these practices in future recruiting cycles. Still, Born is becoming frustrated by the “lack of consistency” from the NCAA.
While Division I schools have been forced to sit on the sideline when it comes to recruiting, the NCAA has allowed Division II and III programs to continue in-person evaluation.
“We’ve been able to figure out a lot of different things, but for some reason, we can’t figure this out,” Born said of the NCAA’s recruiting ban. “Last I checked, COVID also exists in Division II and Division III.”
The NCAA Division I Council makes a final recommendation on the recruiting decision. It’s a council made up of representation from schools and conferences across the county.
The Southland Conference is represented on that council, adding to Born’s frustration with the decision.
“We’re hurting this year’s high school senior class tremendously, but we’re hurting other generations too,” Born said. “We’re going to feel this probably for the next three, four years.”
The NCAA has, however, hinted at a path toward reinstating live recruiting.
Division I Council chair M. Grace Calhoun said in a statement that the NCAA plans to provide an outlined transition plan no later than April 15 — the same date the current dead period was set to end.
“People have proven that you can do things in a safer manner,” Memorial coach Brian Morgan said. “You can’t guarantee things, but I think the NCAA has enough legislation that we can put together a safe practice to start recruiting again.”
mfaye@beaumontenterprise.com
twitter.com/mattGfaye