If you really are next in line for a football scholarship college coaches will…………..

I have talked a great deal about the football recruiting process and college coaches always seem to talk about how athletes are next in line for a scholarship.  What I have unfortunately found in a good number of cases is that these coaches are usually just making sure they have enough recruits on the hook that if their main guy falls through, there are backups available. 

As I said in a previous article, the only two reasons why colleges that have been recruiting you offer a football scholarship is because you either another big school has offered and prompts them to extend a scholarship or they have another recruit pick another school.  But what happens if you really are next in line for a scholarship offer?  College coaches may tell you this all the time but the way that you can really tell is through their actions.  And we take a look at what we feel are their main actions that really could show you may be close to a scholarship offer. 

Sign #1 – Calls every week
According to NCAA rules, Division I-A (BCS) and Division I-AA (FCS) coaches can call you once a week during the fall.  One call during the fall means that they may consider you as a potential recruit.  One call a month means that you are a fringe recruit.  One call a week means that they are really serious about you. 

The fall is when college coaches are the busiest out of any time frame during the entire year.  They are handling recruiting, practices, pregame preparation, as well as trying to balance all of this out with their family.  So if you are getting calls every week from these coaches, they are very serious about your skills and abilities if they take the ten minutes to call. 

Sign #2 – Quick evaluation of your recruiting highlight video
College coaches will frequently tell you to send your highlight video and/or three full games tapes early on so that they can evaluate you.  They tell this to everyone from a long shot at walk-on to their top rated recruit who doesn’t hold a scholarship offer. 

If you are the one basically begging them to evaluate your tape and you keep asking about feedback, then you are not a priority on their recruiting board.  Again, time is very limited and they will watch the tapes of the football recruits who they believe could help their team win games in the future.  A quick evaluation and early feedback shows is a great thing.  

Sign #3 – The most attention on unofficial visits
This one is really tough to gauge but if all the college coaches seem to be showing you the most attention and know you by name, then there is a good chance that you are high on their board.  This really is tough to judge though.  

Sign #4 – Talk of an official visit
Although most colleges don’t hit the limit, there is an NCAA rule regarding the maximum number of athletes that a scholarship program can bring in for official visits.  In my experience, the least you will walk away if you go on an official visit to a college program is a walk-on spot.  80% to 90% will likely get scholarships while the others will get an option to walk-on.  So if there is serious talk about an official visit, they must think a lot about you.  

Sign #5 – Visits to see you in action on a game night
Time is crucial in this one as well.  Did a Division I assistant coach drive to your high school and attend your game?  The time involved with planning out the trip, driving to the school, watching the game, and driving back is a lot.  Many coaches would rather spend that evening with their families, but when you think about it, it is part of the job.  Coming to your game to watch you and you alone says a ton about the interest that they have in you.