I know recruiting classes vary but what do you think the best states are to recruit for D1, D2 and D3? I've liked TN for D3 as it gave me several neighboring states. Do you find some locations have a hidden advantage (ex: Idaho due to lack of competition) or are better positioned geographically to get players who slip through the cracks?

It totally depends on how many the world because there could be a world where Cali (an example) has few D1s and D2s and that’s a great recruiting location then, but there also could be a situation where there’s a full D2 conference and a lot of Cali mid-majors in which it’s a tough spot.

Always pay attention to the regional conferences right above you. So if D3, look at how full the D2 conferences are - try to scout places they are not strong. If you are D2, look at mid-major conferences. If you’re low or mid-major D1, look at the power conferences. It will vary by world.

From what I've heard, recruits are populated based on open scholarships. I'd assume that the quality of recruits are based on the prestige of those open scholarships. For example, if several Cali schools with A+ prestige each have 5+ open scholarships, then there are going to be more elite recruits than usual.

If this is true, it somewhat balances the geographical recruiting advantages. It also depends on if you are rebuilding or not. I've found rebuilding on the east coast to be easier because there's a higher concentration of recruits and you're more likely to sign mid-tier recruits that fall through the cracks.

Posted by mlitney on 6/28/2019 4:44:00 PM (view original):
From what I've heard, recruits are populated based on open scholarships. I'd assume that the quality of recruits are based on the prestige of those open scholarships. For example, if several Cali schools with A+ prestige each have 5+ open scholarships, then there are going to be more elite recruits than usual.

If this is true, it somewhat balances the geographical recruiting advantages. It also depends on if you are rebuilding or not. I've found rebuilding on the east coast to be easier because there's a higher concentration of recruits and you're more likely to sign mid-tier recruits that fall through the cracks.

i think you are taking the idea a bit too far - it is (or at least was) true that the overall number of recruits is based on the overall number of open scholarships. however, i do not think this is regional. i think its just like, based on division? i would say im 95% sure on that.

edit: 5m later, i am seriously reconsidering my statement. maybe it does work how you say. in general, i seem to recall everyone being royally screwed when there were like 5 big time 5-6 opening schools in an area. if there is a regional effect, it definitely doesn't majorly offset, maybe minorly? maybe its regional across all divisions or something, where the extra recruits are not really generated where they are needed. also, i feel like the ratio of players across states season over season didn't change that much season over season, while the entire pool would float higher or lower by significant amounts. but im also remembering something about schools on the border (of the US) getting more in-state players because of some calculation about regional player availability that took into account dead space (through counting the regional schools or something), and this gave a school like michigan state an advantage.

Posted by shoe3 on 6/27/2019 5:55:00 PM (view original):
Always pay attention to the regional conferences right above you. So if D3, look at how full the D2 conferences are - try to scout places they are not strong. If you are D2, look at mid-major conferences. If you’re low or mid-major D1, look at the power conferences. It will vary by world.

this is very good advice, it totally depends on the circumstance.

in 2.0, there were some built-in geographical effects that had a real big impact, but in 3.0 its much less. for example, in the old game, florida state was much worse than florida or particularly miami fl, because florida state was over 200 miles from miami and some of the cities to the north, where players tended to be generated. and i think it was 1 bracket of distance further from PR than miami FL. but in today's game, that would matter much less, as 180 vs 200 or 340 vs 380 miles are not massive differences anymore. it used to be way more rigid.

i remember clearly at south carolina, in an acc-dominated world, feeling the squeeze of so many big schools - and finding on google maps, this city in south carolina that was 200 miles from every other big school, but not me (i counted myself even though i had lower prestige, because i was myself - but i didn't count like, other B schools). a couple guys would show up there per season, and if one was good, i knew to go for them super hard. meanwhile at kansas, i had a wide range of guys who were closer to me than other folks, and that meant there were a good range of placed where any great players were automatically mine. then at florida state it was the opposite, i remember being thrilled we (co-coached with storm) won our 2nd title over some period of time, because it was hard as **** to get top tier talent, recruiting from behind on virtually every player. i had better runs elsewhere in the same time frame that i wasn't nearly as impressed with. i think i had like a 5 year at kansas where we made 4 titles games and won 2, and i didn't consider it even half as impressive, as maybe winning 2 titles in 7 seasons with a bunch of mediocre BS in between at fl st. the geographic reality really made a *huge* difference.

i think one of the best 3.0 changes is that the above is no longer the situation. of course, if you are a d3 school in an area playing behind one of the game's elite d2 conferences, its going to be *way* harder to win. but at least its not this built-in geographical stuff that can make a massive difference on your ability to compete. its still a big factor for sure - but rounding out those distances was really a positive change IMO.

In my humble opinion, this is not fake billyg, but this sounds very much like the real Gillispie.

Posted by gillispie1 on 6/28/2019 7:30:00 PM (view original):

Posted by mlitney on 6/28/2019 4:44:00 PM (view original):
From what I've heard, recruits are populated based on open scholarships. I'd assume that the quality of recruits are based on the prestige of those open scholarships. For example, if several Cali schools with A+ prestige each have 5+ open scholarships, then there are going to be more elite recruits than usual.

If this is true, it somewhat balances the geographical recruiting advantages. It also depends on if you are rebuilding or not. I've found rebuilding on the east coast to be easier because there's a higher concentration of recruits and you're more likely to sign mid-tier recruits that fall through the cracks.

i think you are taking the idea a bit too far - it is (or at least was) true that the overall number of recruits is based on the overall number of open scholarships. however, i do not think this is regional. i think its just like, based on division? i would say im 95% sure on that.

edit: 5m later, i am seriously reconsidering my statement. maybe it does work how you say. in general, i seem to recall everyone being royally screwed when there were like 5 big time 5-6 opening schools in an area. if there is a regional effect, it definitely doesn't majorly offset, maybe minorly? maybe its regional across all divisions or something, where the extra recruits are not really generated where they are needed. also, i feel like the ratio of players across states season over season didn't change that much season over season, while the entire pool would float higher or lower by significant amounts. but im also remembering something about schools on the border (of the US) getting more in-state players because of some calculation about regional player availability that took into account dead space (through counting the regional schools or something), and this gave a school like michigan state an advantage.

Yeah, I have no idea or proof of how it actually works. That's just my assumption. I think the prestige and open scholarships just works to amplify a certain region, but it won't completely change the normal tendencies. Maybe there is a standard deviation or something.

Posted by mg050369 on 6/26/2019 7:35:00 PM (view original):
I know recruiting classes vary but what do you think the best states are to recruit for D1, D2 and D3? I've liked TN for D3 as it gave me several neighboring states. Do you find some locations have a hidden advantage (ex: Idaho due to lack of competition) or are better positioned geographically to get players who slip through the cracks?

The short answer is no, no state or region has a consistent advantage. Temporary advantages vary by world and are based on the things other guys have said in this thread.

Places with more recruits available also tend to have more schools around to fight for them. And even remote places like Idaho are surrounded by the Washington, Oregon, and northern Utah schools, so good players will attract interest from close-enough schools.

Posted by cedarberry on 6/28/2019 7:57:00 PM (view original):
In my humble opinion, this is not fake billyg, but this sounds very much like the real Gillispie.

wait, what? was there at one point a fake billyg?

Posted by mlitney on 6/28/2019 10:20:00 PM (view original):

Posted by gillispie1 on 6/28/2019 7:30:00 PM (view original):

Posted by mlitney on 6/28/2019 4:44:00 PM (view original):
From what I've heard, recruits are populated based on open scholarships. I'd assume that the quality of recruits are based on the prestige of those open scholarships. For example, if several Cali schools with A+ prestige each have 5+ open scholarships, then there are going to be more elite recruits than usual.

If this is true, it somewhat balances the geographical recruiting advantages. It also depends on if you are rebuilding or not. I've found rebuilding on the east coast to be easier because there's a higher concentration of recruits and you're more likely to sign mid-tier recruits that fall through the cracks.

i think you are taking the idea a bit too far - it is (or at least was) true that the overall number of recruits is based on the overall number of open scholarships. however, i do not think this is regional. i think its just like, based on division? i would say im 95% sure on that.

edit: 5m later, i am seriously reconsidering my statement. maybe it does work how you say. in general, i seem to recall everyone being royally screwed when there were like 5 big time 5-6 opening schools in an area. if there is a regional effect, it definitely doesn't majorly offset, maybe minorly? maybe its regional across all divisions or something, where the extra recruits are not really generated where they are needed. also, i feel like the ratio of players across states season over season didn't change that much season over season, while the entire pool would float higher or lower by significant amounts. but im also remembering something about schools on the border (of the US) getting more in-state players because of some calculation about regional player availability that took into account dead space (through counting the regional schools or something), and this gave a school like michigan state an advantage.

Yeah, I have no idea or proof of how it actually works. That's just my assumption. I think the prestige and open scholarships just works to amplify a certain region, but it won't completely change the normal tendencies. Maybe there is a standard deviation or something.

i think you are right that recruit generation is regional. regardless of how it works, the primary factor is definitely who happens to be near you, and what the state of their programs happens to be.