FanPost

Building a Football Recruiting Philosophy



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ILLINOIS FOOTBALL: Building a Recruiting Philosophy

There has been a great deal of understandable concern about Illinois 2018 recruiting class. With the recent news that Verdis Brown, one of the Illini’s few four-star possibilities and their top target, has committed to Florida State, the concern will likely only grow. Luke Ford is likely the only remaining four-star player that Illinois has a realistic chance of landing, and that chance appears more remote by the day.

However, while both players are outstanding, a closer examination reveals that neither is integral to the rebuilding or recruiting process Lovie Smith is establishing. Smith’s recruiting philosophy is built around several central concepts. This post will focus on two of those main concepts: a realistic evaluation of where the program stands and a focus on finding underrated three-star or below prospects.

Realistic Evaluation of the Current State of the Program

The first step is a realistic appraisal of the current state of Illini football. It is not exactly breaking news to most rational fans, that Illinois is not a marquee destination. This is not a top tier program and it is not a team that has four and five-star recruits beating the door down to join. This is not meant as an insult, but rather a factual understanding of where things stand.

The 2008 Rose Bowl was a very long time ago. Many of the recruits Lovie and his staff are trying to recruit were barely ten years old when the Illini last played in Pasadena. Even allowing for a Kraft Hunger and Heart of Dallas Bowl in the intervening years, the Illini remain firmly out of consistent or even recent bowl contention.

Making matters even worse, is last year’s 3-9 record. Taken in conjunction, these factors realistically make Illinois a program in the bottom quarter of the Big Ten. Now, for the good news. Lovie Smith and his staff appear to be aware of these facts and they have built a recruiting strategy centered around three principles to compensate for the program’s current state.

Three Stars and Below: Hidden athletic talent, upside and the importance of scouting

It seems simple enough to say recruit three stars, but this is a foundational part of what Lovie and this recruiting staff is trying to do. The fact is Smith believes there are gem three-star prospects out there. There were thirty-seven NFL players in the Pro Bowl last year who were three-star prospects or below. This list includes NFL MVP Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, Leveon Bell, Mike Evans, Trent Williams, Travis Frederick. Luke Kuechly, Richard Sherman and a host of others.

If every three-star became an eventual Pro Bowler, the task would be easier. The trick is to find the right three stars to build a program around. This involves talent evaluation. Gary Dinarto noted this on the Big Ten Network several months ago. Smith informed Dinarto not only of how many three-star Pro Bowl players there were, but how many three-star players there were in the NFL. This seems to form the crux of what Dinardo refers to as Lovie’s out-of-the-box approach.

It is impossible to know for sure everything Illinois’ recruiting philosophy consists of. We have had hints here and there. It seems safe to posit that the program is focusing on recruits who fit Lovie’s character requirements and can meet the necessary academic standards of the institution.

However, there are also hints of what the coaches might be focusing on, from a playing standpoint, in terms of recruits. Athletic upside is an obvious point, but there seems to be a focus on speed. Jakari Norwood, a two-star 2018 recruit with few other Power Five conference offers, is a prime example of this. The first thing that jumps off the screen with Norwood is his speed. A glance at his highlights shows what appears to be almost elite speed. On a second glance, Norwood appears to have decent vision as well when it comes to finding running lanes, but his speed is the first thing that catches the eye. While other programs might not have been knocking down Norwood’s door, the Illini staff clearly saw something that interested them.

Alex Palczewski, a three-star commit from last year’s class, is another example of this. Although slightly underweight for a starting offensive tackle at 270 pounds and somewhat unrefined, Palczewski demonstrated outstanding strength, athleticism, foot placement and movement. After a year of redshirting and adding weight, Palczewski is the type of prospect who can step in and be a four-year starting left tackle. Again, Illinois appears to be focusing on athletic upside, traits and future potential rather than merely relying on star ratings.

It is an interesting strategy, and only time will tell if it bears out, but given the current state of Illinois football it makes sense as a starting point.

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