I'm Sick Over The Current State Of College Football Recruiting And I Have One Simple Rule That Would Completely Fix The Whole Process

I'm worried, folks. I am worried that we are hanging on by a thread right now to the sport we all know and love and it is under attack every day. NIL, transfer portal, realignment, CFP expansion and the list goes on for days. If it isn't one thing, it's another. If you think I am an old man yelling at a cloud, well, it is probably because I am an old man yelling at a cloud. 

Listen, I am all about innovation and growth but not for the sake of it to keep the masses at bay. Change is important but not at the hands of angry mobs. 

One area that has completely gone off the rails is recruiting. 

I understand that social media has flipping the recruiting game on its head but it seems like it has become less about selling your program and school and more about creating a moment that will garner the most likes. What happened to the days of Darnell Jefferson arriving to the band playing ESU's fight song, having a few beers with the boys, and getting escorted around campus by a lovely young woman like Autumn? 

Noooo not any more. 

Now, coaches and recruiting teams have to set up these elaborate scenarios to make these kids feel like they are the most special kid to ever set foot on that campus. This isn't a knock at all on the kid in the above video; on the contrary, it is all Tennessee's fault but how much can you even blame them when they are just trying to keep up with the Joneses. We can also blame parents for creating a generation of kids who need to constantly feel special even when they are not.

I have absolutely no clue who that kid in the video is and you may say that I don't know ball but high school success and stars (I have a gripe with the star system but that's another conversation) don't always translate to success in college. If they did believe me I would've had better stats in college (bears mentioning that my stats as a holder were impeccable). My point being that all the likes and re-shares in the world don't translate into wins. Honestly, if a kid can be swayed one way or another by creating a video, then he probably isn't the dynamic player you think he is on the field. 

Not to mention, every coach in America hates this crap. Even younger coaches who are closer to the social media world likely think this is over the top. It is just a necessary evil that manifested itself as a result of our society creeping into college football. 

There is a very simple way to fix this though…

Ban social media on recruiting visits. 

Is that crazy? Yes. Is that too far? Yes. But guess what?! The sport we know and love is dying before our very eyes and everyone seems content to just let it happen. We need people to stand up and say, "No more! Not on my watch!" Make it about your facilities, your athletic gear sponsor, your academics, your alumni, your coaches, your game day atmosphere, your campus, your culture. If kids aren't concerned with getting likes then they will just focus on what you have to say and what they see. 

Stop going along to get along, people. College football is still amazing but I promise it will lose its luster and become the JV NFL if we don't take a stand. Today!