End Game: Why So Many Official Visits?

[Charles Fischer]

After reading many articles--it is becoming clear to me that players take all five visits to not only check out the schools and make sure they have made a good selection--but to have portal options later as well.

 

Coaches that players have relationships with at other schools really matter if their first choice of school does not work out. I am getting the impression that players take the full five trips even if they know where they are going--a free trip is nice, but they are also building a safety net for later.

 

Boy does this add to the workload of the coaches!

 

[Steven A]

On 1/3/2023 at 5:39 PM, Charles Fischer said:

Boy does this add to the workload of the coaches!

Sign me up, pretty such they are WELL compensated.

[Haywarduck]

On 1/3/2023 at 5:39 PM, Charles Fischer said:

After reading many articles--it is becoming clear to me that players take all five visits to not only check out the schools and make sure they have made a good selection--but to have portal options later as well.

 

Coaches that players have relationships with at other schools really matter if their first choice of school does not work out. I am getting the impression that players take the full five trips even if they know where they are going--a free trip is nice, but they are also building a safety net for later.

 

Boy does this add to the workload of the coaches!

 

Brilliant, never looked at this way. So a player can also say I hope I can play for you some day. He might even say my mom wants me to play at X school so I will sign there, and may want to transfer at a later date.

 

Is there anything stopping athletes from talking about transferring before they ever sign their first letter of intent? 

[David Marsh]

The number of official visits if going up to around 75 next year. The number of official visits so far is in the 50s. 

 

This is how from about ten years ago where the number was 36 I believe. 

[woundedknees]

During Chip Kelly's tenure, the Ducks rarely utilized their full allotment of OV's, and it actually bit OBD in the downy nether regions when the NCAA dropped recruiting sanctions on Oregon over Willie Lyars... er Lyles.

 

Instead of losing a couple visits, from the existing max available, the NCAA took a couple of the average number used under Chip, essentially multiplying the impact of the sanctions.

[2002duck]

Well, considering our facilities and the Nike presence are a big draw for high schoolers considering Oregon, I would say that OBD will be winners in this new trend of testing future portal waters. Years prior, they might have not have considered Oregon at all because it's too far away from Florida, for example, but now they'll remember us from their free visit. Of course this works the other way around too, where may lose players to the portal who bolt home to USC, but if we are winning- that shouldn't happen.

 

As for keeping in touch, coaches can only speak with recruits in open recruiting windows, and for roster players- they can only interact if a player has officially entered the portal. You can't just text player you missed out on on Saturday evening's in the fall, saying "hey, I saw you on TV today. On the bench! Just letting you know we still think you're great! Did you see we are ranked number #1 in the first CFP rankings? TTYS."

[DUCati855]

On 1/3/2023 at 6:03 PM, Haywarduck said:

So a player can also say I hope I can play for you some day. He might even say my mom wants me to play at X school so I will sign there, and may want to transfer at a later date.

My first thought as well. But, it went a little more specific: "My mom and girlfriend want me to go to OU. But, I'll transfer to UO as soon as we breakup."