Looking for thoughts on how I approached this past recruiting period with a B- d3 school...
1. Initial budget of approx. $16,000, 5 openings
2. FSS before recruiting begins, i do MN-WI-MI-IA-IL-IN-OH-MO for $4043. This encompasses all players within 360 miles or so, plus a few in the 400+ range.
3. I do my player evaluations for the scouted states for all players projected for D3 and D2. two d3 prospects appear inordinately good (the #5 pg and the #1 C/PF and projected for d3). i pick out 40 dropdown candidates in these states, give them phone calls. I also pick out all the international and puerto rican players who appeared pulldown-worthy, and either called them or sent a package (about 40 as well).
4. on the first cycle, i put in 10 calls, 10 letters, 1 eval and a schollie offer to each of the prodigious d3 prospects (about $600 each), as well as calls/letters to each of the pulldown candidates.
5. neither of d3 players are considering me after 1st cycle; the PG is considering two conference mates (one C- w/ 5 openings about 40 miles away (i was about 220), one C- w/ 3 openings) and the C is considering two other schools more close to him, one a d2 school. i decide to abandon the C and hold off, at least for now, on the PG.
6. i also narrowed my potential pulldowns based on who gave me the backup message. two potential pulldowns are within 50 miles so i send them each a "Weena"...phone call, letter, 10 evals and a coach call. neither is considering me after one cycle. i put in 2 more evals each the next cycle and both (SG and PF) are considering me, however the PF is also considering an A prestige 3-schollie conference mate. I hold off, for now, on the PF and put a guaranteed start/20 min to the SG to try and lock him down more (since i was going to start him anyway). i don't remember if this made FSS call him "very tight" or not.
7. i wait and get my first dropdown to call me back, a SG that was the #6 PG on my board. i decide to abandon the d3 PG and go after the SG with 10 calls, 10 letters, 3 evals and a schollie offer ($1200-ish)
8. i briefly consider going after the next two highest-ranked d3 prospects on my board (PF and C) and using the rest of my money on fighting for the PF or even stealing the d3 PG i mentioned earlier; i spend $600 on the C, who gets considered by a conference mate the next cycle and not me. i'm down to about 5k after this move, with only two players considering "only me" and the PF pulldown attempt considering me and the A prestige guy. i decide that it'd be best that i just wait for dropdowns instead of fighting for the d3 guys, the pulldown PF or d3 PG.
9. I sign the two players considering me, and two more players drop down who i grab and sign for $1200 and $1350 (both 10 calls, 10 packets, 3 evals and schollie offer.) i have about $2600 left and one schollie to go.
10. I don't like any of the scouted players too much, and since i only had 1 returning guard on my roster, go after the best guard from PR who called me back (2100 miles away). I start with a $700 eval, which tells me nothing. second eval helps a little, however i only have about $900 after the second eval. I put in 10 calls, 10 packets, a schollie offer, 10 minutes and another eval to land him. ended with $61.
comments?