College coaches get creative in new era of recruiting
As the Augusta University men’s basketball team checked into its hotel for the Southeast Regional of the NCAA Division II Tournament in March, they were told to go back home. With the novel coronavirus spiking across the country, college athletics came to a screeching halt and it was a sign of more to come.
After postseason play, recruiting is at the top of the priority list for any basketball coach. AU head coach Dip Metress, however, was probably more conditioned to handle recruiting in this new climate more than many others. With Division II programs lacking huge travel budgets, many over the years have signed with AU without ever setting foot in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
Former All-Peach Belt Conference forward Deane Williams, from Bristol, England, landed in Augusta by way of video. Metress had never met Williams before offering him a scholarship, but video of his performances across the pond were enough to bring the 6-foot-8 future star 4,019 miles to Augusta.
“For us, we’ve signed numerous players that have never visited. International players never visit before they sign,” he said. “At our level, we’re not as uncomfortable with that type of recruiting. The problem is when guys do visit, they like to work out. They can’t do that now.”
Now Division I coaches are experiencing some of the same challenges Division II coaches face with recruiting players over the phone. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, coaches from around the country have had to manipulate their recruiting strategies and how they interact with players.
With live periods shut down and tournaments canceled, coaches only have high school film and conversations with other coaches on which to base their decisions.
Josh Pastner, Georgia Tech men’s basketball coach, and Tom Crean, University of Georgia men’s basketball coach, have quickly adapted to a new way of staying in touch with players they hope to sign.
“Nothing will take the place of in-person evaluation because you can’t see body language and eye contact, expressions, how they deal with adversity. You can’t see any of that,” Crean said.
“I’ve enjoyed it. I watch a lot of film anyway. We have a system that gets into, how we watch their shots, defensive possessions, then we’ll watch their turnovers, their rebounding and at the same time getting some minutes on the floor and build our own edits.”
This time of year is naturally slow, even with the absence of Metress’ annual summer basketball camp. Usually in the two or three weeks following the NCAA Tournament, players are finishing their spring studies. This also involves individual meetings with coaches before departing for the summer.
For Pastner and Crean, the summer means a chance to look at prospective talent. Now they are waiting for an announcement from the NCAA about how it’s going to come up with new live periods and finding creative ways to draw in their recruits.
“What’s been interesting is we’ve been doing unofficial visits in a sense through the computer. Through graphics, video, slides, interactive stuff so they can have a feel of the best they can do, to have an unofficial visit to campus without being on campus,” Pastner said. “It’s almost kind of giving a virtual tour in a way.”
This week, AU president Brooks Keel announced it would be returning to in-person instruction in August, much to Metress’ delight. UGA and Georgia Tech announced they would start phasing faculty and students back to campus beginning June 15.
“I’m not a Negative Nelly, more like a Positive Polly,” Metress said. “I kept saying we would be back on campus in August.”
With a lack of face-to-face time this summer, that means the fall workout schedule will move faster. Metress expects the October practice schedule to be pushed up to the beginning of the semester to make up for lost time. Considering the abrupt end to last season, he said his players are anxious to get back in the gym.
“You have to be very nimble in this time period,” Pastner said. “Each day is something new with recruiting.”
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