INTEL | The Negative Side Of Recruiting

Notre Dame fans experienced the highs and lows of college football recruiting last week. 2020 Thomas Dale (Va.) running back Chris Tyree‍ committed to the Fighting Irish on Thursday and 2020 Port Huron Northern (Mich.) defensive end Braiden McGregor‍ committed to Michigan on Friday. 

It was rejoicing on Social Media Thursday for Notre Dame fans, but on Friday, it was a cesspool of negative comments, which happens from every fan base when a commitment takes place.

I caught up with two parents on the topic. One is a parent going through the recruiting process and another had a son commit to a top 25 program last season. 

According to one parent, it’s not just commitments or lists of top schools where adults attack kids, but in everyday articles. 

“I hadn’t Googled my son’s name before and one of my co-workers asked if I had Googled my son,” recalled the parent. “They had Googled him and it was a good thing because I found some awesome pictures of my son on different sites, but I had to learn not to read the comments. 

“I wanted to start answering people and I had to tell myself not to do that.” 

Another parent recalled reading the comments on a message board destroying his son because he decided not to take an official visit.

“It opened my eyes to how much people care,” stated the parent. “It’s incredible to have the support of fans, but they can be so hateful. Just because my son chose not to visit the school, he was degraded and some crazy things were written. 

“The funny part of it all was that school was in the lead and he decided not to take an official visit because he felt so comfortable there. He ended up signing with the same program because of the relationships he built with the staff and the players, but it made us all take a step back.” 

Both parents appreciated the support from the fans as it makes the recruiting process fun, but it’s clear the negative side is something everyone in the family had to quickly adapt to as the process went along. 

“People don’t know anybody and they are an expert from their couch,” stated a parent. “They have very strong opinions from behind Social Media. It’s like wait a minute; it’s just a 16 or 17-year-old that’s being recruited to do this.” 

One parent saw McGregor’s recruitment and commitment, which meant they also saw the aftermath of some nasty statement on Twitter by fans.

“They are fulfilling a dream,” explained the parent. “It makes sense Braiden McGregor went to Michigan. He was a local kid. Michigan won the battle in that recruitment, but how many recruitments has the school you’re rooting for won other battles? It’s sad to see negative things after he committed. It’s shameful people put stuff out there.” 

What’s the most frustrating part of being a parent of a recruit and seeing people talk about someone they’ve never met? 

“You can’t say anything back,” stated one parent. “You can’t take the chance of someone figuring out who you are on a message board or if it’s Social Media, fans quickly know who the parents are these days. 

“My daughter had some nasty things said about her. She had nothing to do with the recruitment other than being a family member. It was hard to stay quiet, but we just had to be the bigger people. It’s tough, man. You can’t take it personally even though it’s personal. We had to have a family discussion about it, so we were all on the same page.” 

All in all, college football recruiting should be fun for everyone. It’s a once in a lifetime experience for the recruit and the family, but also fans should get excited for the future of the program. 

At the end of the day, the kid can only pick the school that’s the best option for them. 

“Be happy for them,” said a parent. “Isn’t the goal to have our kids go to school, better themselves and earn a scholarship? Isn’t that what we all want? 

“Why can’t we be happy for them and wish him well instead of stabbing them in the back.”