Head Coach Pete Mangurian's latest blog post is all about his approach to recruiting, and it's filled with some unique insights.
The first was that Mangurian says that his coaches spend more time evaluating prospects than actually "recruiting," or making a sales pitch to potential players. But that doesn't mean the coaches don't work very hard at getting a sense of what's in each recruit's head and heart.
Then Mangurian brings up a very interesting factor that we rarely, if ever, talk about here: the fact that in the Ivies there are clearly some players and parents who are gaming the football recruiting system just to get into an Ivy... not so much to play football.
Columbia has had its share of "players" likes this; guys who quit the team in the first few days of training camp, etc. It doesn't happen too often, but every time it does it's a tough pill to swallow.
Some former players I've spoken too believe Mangurian's approach is good, but we may need to take a more "Moneyball" approach to recruiting to beat the Harvards and Penns of this world who have a great deal of advantages. In fact, I think that's what Brown has been doing very successfully since the mid-1990's.
But I think Mangurian may already be doing that. But saying that he's looking for "our guys," there's a hint that maybe Columbia is seeking players that wouldn't fit in as well at any other Ivy... especially a Harvard or Penn.
Finally I'm glad that Mangurian continues to insist that Columbia has several recruiting ADVANTAGES, which it does. And how refreshing is it to hear a Lion coach NOT complain about systemic issues from the get-go?
4 comments:
I just read Coach M's most recent blog. I urge all of our Lion diehards to read it. He has thought deeply and carefully about what it takes to build a successful program, and he writes with intelligence and conviction.
Jake- exactly how many Lion coaches have complained about systematic advantages from the get-go? I do remember when Ray Tellier was hired and he made remarks along the lines that he hoped to sell New York City as a type of Disneyland to potential recruits.
Comment on Coach M's blog. He wants to hear what you think.
To the Tellier comment; I cant even tell you how many recruits would tell us on their trip "No way I am coming here I just wanted a trip to see NYC".
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