Should we actively recruit 5* players

It’s a question of how do our coaches best spend their time, money, and resources.

They recruit and offer 5 star athletes, but when those recruits make it known pretty early in the process they aren’t interested in Utah or they only have their sights set on the blue bloods, the coaches have a choice. They can either move on to other athletes who are more likely to come to Utah and put all of their time, money, and resources into securing those committments. Or, they can waste time, money, and resources chasing someone who is not going to commit.

Actively is always hard to gauge unless you are on the phone calls, texts, etc. Clark Phillips was a highly rated recruit that committed elsewhere but Utah stayed engaged with him and eventually flipped.

Think of it this way: it’s okay for me to go up to the hottest girl in the bar and tell her i’m interested. If she laughs or smiles, I’ll keep the conversation going. If she tells me her boyfriend is standing right behind, I’ll probably move on.

Convincing any recruit to come to your school is not easy, especially if there’s an indication that they aren’t really interested. With a finite amount of time available, the staff has to constantly self evaluate whether continued effort has a likelihood of producing favourable results.

“Actively Recruit”, like via cash in a McDonald’s bag?   With NIL wide open now there are lots more opportunities for abuse.   What if a recruit comes and is introduced to someone from Ken Garff who says they may be open to some personal appearances at the dealership, etc.