I never really understood how these work but from what I've read I thought the steps to pull down guys were:

1. Call to see if you're a backup option.

2. If you're a backup, bombard with scouting trips until they accept a home visit.

3. Recruit as normal.

There's a recruit in my state that won't accept any home visits despite a lot of scouting evals, yet he's considering someone much farther away with a lower prestige. What am I doing wrong?

You bombard with scouting trips and a schollie offer (atleast I do) until they are considering you, that is when you have pulled him down. I don't think he will take any visits until you've gotten to that point.

My guess is the other school probably did just that, scouting trip after scouting trip until the player was considering him, now he has pulled him down but he remains on a higher level to all the other schools still. Seems odd the other coach would do it if he was really far away and had a low prestige, but if it worked for him more power to them.

Yeah, that is pretty much the steps. On a side note, I really hope seble considers putting the fix TK had in a few years ago. Pull downs have really dumbed recruiting down so much. There is no need to sit and be patients because everyone has been pulled down within the first few cycles then just sit and wait for them to all sign. To battle you'd need to blow over 2k just to get on the list, then whatever to battle after words so its hardly worth it. Its a draft, not recruiting.

Furry, granted you have been around way longer than me so I won't argue with you, but I will say I don't think pulldowns have just turned recruiting as a whole into a draft.

In reality you can't afford to try to pull down an entire class, especially in D3. To me I really only go for a pulldown when there is 1 player far and away better than everyone else on my radar. He also needs to be within a distance that makes sense to me. I don't think in D2 and D3 coaches can just go out and pulldown 3 or 4 players to fill a class.

Not to mention sometimes the pulldown just doesn't work. I have been burned for plenty of money spending 10-15-20 scouting trips on a guy who never even considers me. There is still a very high risk that stops a lot of coaches from building classes that way yet they still remain successful.

I just recruited all 5 guys using pull downs, and it wasn't an issue. I scouted states around me and even had 1 guy burn me out of 3,500 dollars and I still had no problem signing them. This was in div II. In div III, I can't pull down a whole class as easy as div II. I can get like 75-90% of it, but need a player or 2 to sign for under 400 to free up the cash to get the rest. I don't see the risk in it. I have 3 coaches 'battling' for my pull downs currently and its still so easy to hold them off. 


The div II class I signed 5 of is an insanely talented 5 that no way I'd be able to land if I couldn't pull them down considering I had a C+ prestige. I'm talking about a group of 5 who could lead me to a national title. Only 2 coaches jumped on my guys, and it was so easy to kick them off in 1 cycle. This is the efforts to the guys...

Date	Description	Cost
6/17/2010	guaranteed minutes - (20)	$10
6/17/2010	guaranteed starting spot	$10
6/17/2010	scholarship offer	$100
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (6)	$1,602
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (5)	$1,335
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (6)	$1,602
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (3)	$801
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (10)	$2,670
6/17/2010	phone call	$10
6/16/2010	Added to Watch List	N/A
	Total	$8,140

He starts out with 80 speed (avg pot) and 47 ath with high in it. Also has avg in per (40 rate) and high/high in bh/passing with 50+ in ach. Also has high in def/ft shooting. Guy will be 70+ ath/90 speed/ 90bh/passing with like 60 per guy.

Date	Description	Cost
6/18/2010	letters - (2)	$30
6/18/2010	phone calls - (3)	$30
6/18/2010	campus visit	$810
6/18/2010	guaranteed minutes - (20)	$10
6/18/2010	guaranteed starting spot	$10
6/17/2010	scholarship offer	$100
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (6)	$1,002
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (5)	$835
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (4)	$668
6/17/2010	scouting trips - (10)	$1,670
6/17/2010	phone call	$10
6/16/2010	Added to Watch List	N/A
	Total	$5,175

This is the other. He is a SF who is average/high at everything. He is high in reb/per/ft shooting/def /ath- everything else is average. He was 530 overall, and everything is above 30 on him.



The rest were signed with just 8-20 evals. They are a guard with high in def/ft shooting/per/bh/passing and avergae in rest. He starts at 50 ath/50 speed/50 def. He will be a 4 year starter to help with his low WE. The big is high in ath/reb/def/sb and average in the rest. Comes in with 46 ath/61 reb and solid cores. Nothing outstanding, but should be a dominate rebounder. The other player is a SF with 50 reb and high in it, also has high in per. He could move to PF in my FB offence and give me another outside shooter, or be a dominate SG/SF rebounder.



I'd love to have any of these guys on my A prestige teams. They came with no real battles. I had them locked after cycle 2 and just waited until signings started to make sure they signed. It was a super bore and nothing like the good ol days where it took planning etc. Just my .02

Nipps, you crack PeteC up.

Hail Nipps!!

It seems I am being too patient by only going for 1 pull down

Seems  that way. I go after all my 'ships within the first 2 cycles unless I need 5-6 players then I go after 2-4 and then the rest a couple cycles later.

Posted by furry_nipps on 6/22/2010 10:52:00 PM (view original):
Seems  that way. I go after all my 'ships within the first 2 cycles unless I need 5-6 players then I go after 2-4 and then the rest a couple cycles later.

The only problem with this is if you run into multiple battles.  Last year, despite A+ prestige, I ran into 3-4 different battles (all off pull-downs at the same time/cycle), and only signed 1 good player out of 4 spots.  I filled one other slot with an also-ran basically to get to 10 players.  I basically put the program in jepordy.  Just goes to show you that the pull down can backfire from time to time.

Also, this year I played it a bit more patient, and while recruiting isn't over yet, I think I will get all 5 guys considering me (I am prepared for late battles this year!) ...  anyway, by waiting, I was able to pull down the No. 158 SG - which I have been denied upon in the past (don't think I have gotten under 160 at SG, even with A+).  So perhaps being patient in this instance paid off?

I'll have to check out that guard, John.  He's very near my school and my boosters have bottomless pockets.  Thanks for the heads-up!

Posted by alblack56 on 6/23/2010 9:14:00 AM (view original):
I'll have to check out that guard, John.  He's very near my school and my boosters have bottomless pockets.  Thanks for the heads-up!

Dang you Al!  I knew I shouldn't have opened my mouth.  Good thing I have the secret WIS code that overrides your booster's bottomless pockets!

I been able to get a 128 guard to consider me. of course he signed with the div 1 school. In this case, hes nothing special (avg in everything other then per.) My 2 guards I'll sign with  a C prestige will turn out to be better then him. Its no surprise you could get him. Nothing has changed that suddenly allowed you to get him to consider you.

Posted by furry_nipps on 6/23/2010 1:51:00 PM (view original):
I been able to get a 128 guard to consider me. of course he signed with the div 1 school. In this case, hes nothing special (avg in everything other then per.) My 2 guards I'll sign with  a C prestige will turn out to be better then him. Its no surprise you could get him. Nothing has changed that suddenly allowed you to get him to consider you.

DII recruiting has actually changed significantly under the new engine, IMO. I would elaborate, but then I'd have to dispose of you.

I've recruited 5 times in div II under the new engine - 1 team is still recruiting. I have not really noticed any change. My prestige has ranged from A to C-. The guys I could get before I can still get. Got a 550 overall guy/ranked guys on my C- team. Was able to get a 545ish rated guard with something like 50 ath/speed, 40-50 in per/bh/passing and 60 in def. He had high pot in all 3 of his cores, average in rest. At least nothing has changed for me with the way I recruit. Same players, still easy.

Posted by furry_nipps on 6/23/2010 1:51:00 PM (view original):
I been able to get a 128 guard to consider me. of course he signed with the div 1 school. In this case, hes nothing special (avg in everything other then per.) My 2 guards I'll sign with  a C prestige will turn out to be better then him. Its no surprise you could get him. Nothing has changed that suddenly allowed you to get him to consider you.

Yeah...I never said he was anything special.  I said I had not been able to get below 160 at SG before (4 yr player.  Jrs are a different story entirely), ratings or other wise.   And that has since changed... whether it relates to the new engine or not, I can't say.    BTW, I was also outright rejected on the No. 183 PF who was like 80 miles away from me.  So perhaps "rankings" are playing less and less of a role of who you can pull down.