I'm a mentor to a young man who experienced the portal madness from a basketball player perspective two years ago. He's now playing professionally and felt great about his decision, but it's hard to describe how complicated this week is for these players.
I've seen so many posts (and Tweets) that say something along the lines of, "We're Texas! Why wouldn't people just line up to play here?" OR "We're Texas! Why would anyone leave here given all they offer?" But that's not what they're thinking. I'm sure football is a little different, but I'd bet most of what my guy experienced translates. This guy was living at our home during the "visit season" and we set up a "war room" to go over every option. Here's what they go through:
Coaches are calling and texting constantly. I'm talking every every few minutes, the phone rings. 100's of texts.
Once they have a sense that the player has interest, graphics and videos start coming in. They'll send film cuts showing plays where the player would fit seamlessly into their game plan.
On a less technical side, some coaches would use technology to put the player in that team's jersey, on the court, in headlines, etc. Most of that was cheesy, but I'm sure it appealed to some kids who cared about uniforms.
The lead recruiters always ask the same question: "Besides your agent, who's helping you make this decision?" And once they get a name, that person begins receiving texts constantly and the coaches want to set up phone calls with them right away. Remember: these guys are 18-22 years old and tend to not be executive communicators. The coaches want to know what the hot buttons are. One SEC Coach called my cell phone and talked to me for an hour. Another Big East assistant coach texted me every hour on the hour until my guy said no. It's bonkers.
Their first priority is to get you on a Facetime or Zoom call. If it's a stud, it'll be at least the head coach. Their second priority is to fly you in ASAP.
Once you go in the portal, from an existing relationships standpoint, it gets lonely in a hurry. The current coaches who had been allies a day earlier go silent. They're not being mean; they're just moving on, and they're in a firestorm too. These athletes are trying to get transcripts in order and thinking about class starting in two weeks. It's unbelievable pressure for a kid.
Obviously, money talks, but it's not all about money. They're all asking TWO questions, and some are asking THREE questions that are not directly money related.
Will I start, and can I be a key part in the game-time strategy? Some coaches would come out and promise guarantee a starting role, which caused me to lose respect for them. I was far more impressed with coaches who said something like, "We'll give you every opportunity to be a star here, and if you work your butt off, we have plans for you that go far beyond just getting on the floor." Another part of this equation is asking how many players already on the roster are overlapping your skillset and position/role. (This is going to be a major issue with our wide receiver prospects, in my opinion, because there's a BUNCH of young WR's on the roster if they stay, plus Wingo and Mosely. Other schools are going to use this negatively against us. It's going to take a guy with supreme confidence who signs and says, "Let's do this.") This is the primary priority for most of the guys LEAVING Texas, I'd guess. They don't have a path to the field. I have tremendous respect for Sark and his staff, because it appears that there have been no empty promises. They've been brutally honest about their chances at Texas, and over time, other players will hear about that reputation. That will bode well. Some of guys will gladly go to a lower-tier program in order to prove themselves and maybe jump back in the portal after a productive year.
Will this school give me the best chance to get to the League? That often means they're in one of the elite conferences with maximum exposure (although smaller market coaches will try to sell the idea that you can come be the best player in their history and that scouts can find you anywhere). MOST guys are going to see this as a tightrope to walk with the first question: They're asking, "Where can I go where I can PLAY but also be on a great team and in a great league that proves I can play with the BEST?" Incidentally, top-tier guys are more than willing to take a "pay cut" if it means this path is stronger. This is where the ultimate payday comes. My friend turned down hundreds of thousands of dollars to go to the right coach and the right fit, and he's glad he did.
Can we win a championship? This question is for the elite players only. It mattered for my guy for sure, but it was also the THIRD priority by FAR. Lots of guys will choose to go one step from a championship contender to have a greater chance to play. Lots of guys will choose to go one step from a championship contender to have a greater chance to play. Again: the "bell cows" will have the luxury to choose this and know they're going to play. Most players will have to gamble their playing time to be on one of the top ten teams.
A few other very real factors that come into play : How far will I be from my support system/ family/ home? Do I like the coach? Did I grow up hating this school, and will I feel like a traitor? Is this the school I loved growing up and I wish I would have done it to begin with? Do I have high school friends (from all-star games, etc) or teammates who I know on the team who I know I can gel with? Do I like the town?
So now: imagine you're asking all of these questions, you're 20 years old, you have family and friends and alumni in your ear with all of their advice, and most of these well-meaning people don't know what they're talking about. Even worse, some have ulterior motives.
It's complicated. The good news is Texas has some GREAT wins in the portal these past few years, and that was when they seemed to be far more interested in in-house development. I have no doubt Sark and CO will do just as well with this new, more aggressive portal strategy. Hook Em!
