ABJ
6/23
Recruits getting the message
Cell-phone technology allows coaches to have more contact with players
By Gary Estwick
<!-- begin body-content --> David Arnold recently flipped open his Motorola cell phone to retrieve a text message.
U're the guy we need David! Our facilities, tradition and academics are so incredible! You fit our profile and could make a huge impact! Go Orange! Coach Russ
Arnold, a senior at Copley High School, responded with a few taps on his tiny keypad.
Less than two years after NCAA bylaw 13.02.14 reclassified text messages, this trendy,
teenager-friendly technology allows college coaches like Syracuse assistant Steve Russ to communicate instantly with Arnold during periods when the NCAA prohibits or limits contact with recruits.
``It's a good way to keep in touch,'' Arnold said.
In the coming months, these ``electronic postcards'' could be the difference between Arnold orally committing to Syracuse, Illinois, the University of Akron or his newest suitors, Indiana and Eastern Michigan.
Other colleges could offer him a scholarship before Feb. 1, national signing day. Among them is Ohio State, where Arnold will participate today in the Buckeyes' senior football camp.
``Every coach text messages now or they're out of the game with recruits,'' said Mike Farrell, national football recruiting analyst for the Web site Rivals.com.
Well, maybe not every coach.
``I'm absolutely a dinosaur when it comes to technology,'' legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno said about text messaging during a May teleconference.
For most younger coaches, though, carrying a portable office on the hip is too enticing. Besides, under NCAA rules, they can make just two phone calls a month to seniors and one to juniors. That leaves a lot of time for the competition to make an impression.
``It's just given us another method to stay in touch,'' said Joe Moorhead, co-offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at the University of Akron.
He uses a Treo 650, which allows him to send text messages, e-mails and digital pictures.
A favorite recruiting technique to avoid NCAA rules involves coaches ``texting'' recruits and asking them to call. Recruits can make an unlimited number of calls to a college coach.
While text messaging has transformed how college football programs compete for talent, its use has raised privacy issues and, in some cases, has caused financial burdens on families whose cell-phone plans do not include a substantial text-messaging package.
There are no calendar restrictions on sending messages. There also is no limit on the number of messages a coach can send to a recruit, or a curfew for texting.
Last week, the NCAA's Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet agreed to sponsor legislation that would restrict text messaging and other forms of electronic communication. New regulations could be in place by next year.
First, the NCAA's membership must figure out how to monitor text messages, and even more importantly, figure out what's fair play.
``Some individuals don't mind being text-messaged five and six times a day, where others think it should be five or six times a month,'' said Shane Lyons, the Atlantic Coast Conference's assistant commissioner for compliance and chairman of the cabinet's subcommittee on recruiting.
``No matter what recommendations come out, I think this will be a debatable issue.''
By the letters
In 2004, NCAA bylaws reclassified text messages, instant messages, e-mails and faxes from the equivalent of a phone call to the same as a recruiting letter. Suddenly, there was a faster and simpler way to stay in touch.
Receive a full mailbox of generic recruiting letters? Throw them away. How about an inbox filled with spam recruiting e-mails? Delete them.
Text messaging, however, is more complicated. Some wireless providers charge for text messages whether or not the message is opened or deleted.
Arnold's first text message arrived last winter; he averaged about one per week. Entering this summer, his messages have increased to about five a day, sometimes more. Nine schools have sent him messages, and that number is expected to increase.
``Do our assistants have little phones where you can type text messages and e-mails? You bet they do,'' Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said.
``Fortunately for me, they grew up around all that video game stuff, so they're plucking and typing away.''
Illinois coach Ron Zook sent Arnold a text message after the Fighting Illini's first spring practice.
First day of spring practice went well. Check out the Web site to see clips.
Two weeks ago, Arnold received a postcard in the mail from Indiana that hinted at a scholarship offer. He sent a text to assistant coach Bobby Johnson to find out more details.
Arnold's parents, Frank and Shannon Pangas, aren't concerned with text messages.
``Before recruiting started, he was getting 1,300 text messages a month from his friends,'' Frank said. ``So 15 messages from a coach, it doesn't make much of a difference.''
Shannon doesn't mind if colleges send her son text messages during school hours. His phone should be turned off anyway, she said.
While texting makes it easier for coaches to reach Arnold, it also could minimize the help he receives from his support system -- his parents and Copley coach Dan Boarman.
But Frank said that his son, 16, usually shows them the text messages and they talk about the responses before he sends them, unless it's as simple as ``How are you?''
Limits predicted
Texting concerns reach further than just college football. Last year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association proposed eliminating text messages, and its membership nearly was successful.
Farrell of Rivals.com predicts that the NCAA will limit text messaging before and after the May evaluation period -- probably from signing day to April 15 and from June 1 to Aug. 31.
He also predicts that the NCAA will put a 7 p.m. curfew on text messages, and might limit the number of weekly text messages each college may send to a recruit.
Until this happens, more coaches are expected to start dialing, said Andrew Worob, who covers the West Virginia Mountaineers for Rivals.com.
``You're slowly going to see that increase with the old-school coaches, the Bobby Bowdens (texting),'' Worob said. ``It's just something that they need to capitalize on.''
Maybe even Paterno.
6/23
Recruits getting the message
Cell-phone technology allows coaches to have more contact with players
By Gary Estwick
<!-- begin body-content --> David Arnold recently flipped open his Motorola cell phone to retrieve a text message.
U're the guy we need David! Our facilities, tradition and academics are so incredible! You fit our profile and could make a huge impact! Go Orange! Coach Russ
Arnold, a senior at Copley High School, responded with a few taps on his tiny keypad.
Less than two years after NCAA bylaw 13.02.14 reclassified text messages, this trendy,
teenager-friendly technology allows college coaches like Syracuse assistant Steve Russ to communicate instantly with Arnold during periods when the NCAA prohibits or limits contact with recruits.
``It's a good way to keep in touch,'' Arnold said.
In the coming months, these ``electronic postcards'' could be the difference between Arnold orally committing to Syracuse, Illinois, the University of Akron or his newest suitors, Indiana and Eastern Michigan.
Other colleges could offer him a scholarship before Feb. 1, national signing day. Among them is Ohio State, where Arnold will participate today in the Buckeyes' senior football camp.
``Every coach text messages now or they're out of the game with recruits,'' said Mike Farrell, national football recruiting analyst for the Web site Rivals.com.
Well, maybe not every coach.
``I'm absolutely a dinosaur when it comes to technology,'' legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno said about text messaging during a May teleconference.
For most younger coaches, though, carrying a portable office on the hip is too enticing. Besides, under NCAA rules, they can make just two phone calls a month to seniors and one to juniors. That leaves a lot of time for the competition to make an impression.
``It's just given us another method to stay in touch,'' said Joe Moorhead, co-offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at the University of Akron.
He uses a Treo 650, which allows him to send text messages, e-mails and digital pictures.
A favorite recruiting technique to avoid NCAA rules involves coaches ``texting'' recruits and asking them to call. Recruits can make an unlimited number of calls to a college coach.
While text messaging has transformed how college football programs compete for talent, its use has raised privacy issues and, in some cases, has caused financial burdens on families whose cell-phone plans do not include a substantial text-messaging package.
There are no calendar restrictions on sending messages. There also is no limit on the number of messages a coach can send to a recruit, or a curfew for texting.
Last week, the NCAA's Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet agreed to sponsor legislation that would restrict text messaging and other forms of electronic communication. New regulations could be in place by next year.
First, the NCAA's membership must figure out how to monitor text messages, and even more importantly, figure out what's fair play.
``Some individuals don't mind being text-messaged five and six times a day, where others think it should be five or six times a month,'' said Shane Lyons, the Atlantic Coast Conference's assistant commissioner for compliance and chairman of the cabinet's subcommittee on recruiting.
``No matter what recommendations come out, I think this will be a debatable issue.''
By the letters
In 2004, NCAA bylaws reclassified text messages, instant messages, e-mails and faxes from the equivalent of a phone call to the same as a recruiting letter. Suddenly, there was a faster and simpler way to stay in touch.
Receive a full mailbox of generic recruiting letters? Throw them away. How about an inbox filled with spam recruiting e-mails? Delete them.
Text messaging, however, is more complicated. Some wireless providers charge for text messages whether or not the message is opened or deleted.
Arnold's first text message arrived last winter; he averaged about one per week. Entering this summer, his messages have increased to about five a day, sometimes more. Nine schools have sent him messages, and that number is expected to increase.
``Do our assistants have little phones where you can type text messages and e-mails? You bet they do,'' Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said.
``Fortunately for me, they grew up around all that video game stuff, so they're plucking and typing away.''
Illinois coach Ron Zook sent Arnold a text message after the Fighting Illini's first spring practice.
First day of spring practice went well. Check out the Web site to see clips.
Two weeks ago, Arnold received a postcard in the mail from Indiana that hinted at a scholarship offer. He sent a text to assistant coach Bobby Johnson to find out more details.
Arnold's parents, Frank and Shannon Pangas, aren't concerned with text messages.
``Before recruiting started, he was getting 1,300 text messages a month from his friends,'' Frank said. ``So 15 messages from a coach, it doesn't make much of a difference.''
Shannon doesn't mind if colleges send her son text messages during school hours. His phone should be turned off anyway, she said.
While texting makes it easier for coaches to reach Arnold, it also could minimize the help he receives from his support system -- his parents and Copley coach Dan Boarman.
But Frank said that his son, 16, usually shows them the text messages and they talk about the responses before he sends them, unless it's as simple as ``How are you?''
Limits predicted
Texting concerns reach further than just college football. Last year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association proposed eliminating text messages, and its membership nearly was successful.
Farrell of Rivals.com predicts that the NCAA will limit text messaging before and after the May evaluation period -- probably from signing day to April 15 and from June 1 to Aug. 31.
He also predicts that the NCAA will put a 7 p.m. curfew on text messages, and might limit the number of weekly text messages each college may send to a recruit.
Until this happens, more coaches are expected to start dialing, said Andrew Worob, who covers the West Virginia Mountaineers for Rivals.com.
``You're slowly going to see that increase with the old-school coaches, the Bobby Bowdens (texting),'' Worob said. ``It's just something that they need to capitalize on.''
Maybe even Paterno.
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