Commitment Issues

The way Jackson Richards figured, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt where he wanted to play college football, so why wait? Richards, a defensive end for the Southlake Carroll Dragons football team, verbally committed earlier this summer to play for the Texas Tech University Red Raiders after he graduates from Carroll. In 2010. "I didn't have to think too much about it," said Richards, a starter as a sophomore in one of the nation's top high school football programs. "At first I thought I'd wait it out, but the more I thought about it, I finally realized why am I even thinking about this?" Richards is an extreme example, sure, because most high school athletes do wait until their senior year to decide where they will play college. For most, colleges don't even make the offer until they become seniors and have finished, or are at least on the verge of finishing their high school careers. But for a select few--and the number appears to be growing more each year--verbals offers are made while they are still underclassmen. It is not common for a sophomore such as Richards to receive such an offer, but it is becoming more and more common for players between their junior and senior season to receive a verbal offer.] "It's a different deal than it used to be," said Fossil Ridge head football coach Tony Baccarini. "The major [colleges] are looking at our freshmen. "It started with Mack Brown (University of Texas head football coach) when he came here from North Carolina. I like it for the most part." Three of Bacarrini's players made early commitments. One, however, is no longer in school, and will not likely be seeing his commitment through, an obvious drawback in the philosophy. "That's one detriment to early committing," said Baccarini. "It's all about making choices, and this is without question one of the biggest choices they will make in their entire life, so they have to be mature about it and think about every angle of it. "In college they're basically starting over again, and if you don't get started correctly, it can create some very difficult situations. But do it right, and it can be the greatest experience of their lives." In the case of Richards, who was born in Levelland, he simply couldn't see himself playing anywhere else. "I grew up a Tech fan. My dad's family is from up that way. My cousins and uncles went there. My grandparents live there. "My dad was friends with an assistant weightlifting coach. The stadium, the field house are very familiar to me." And even though he and his family moved to the Metroplex--Aledo--when he was 4 (he moved to Southlake in the eighth grade), there's not a weekend in the fall that goes by that he's not watching Texas Tech football. When he's not at the game with his grandparents--who also often drive up to see him play for the Dragons--he's watching on TV and catching highlights on Sportscenter. "I had been to other schools, and there were nicer climates (Lubbock can have some harsh storms hit in the winter--often from out of nowhere), but this is where my heart is," said Jackson. Richards also advises against players committing early because it seems like the cool thing to do. While he had no doubts, it isn't necessarily for everyone. "I think it depends on who the person is," said Richards. "I'm sure there are some people who might be thinking, `Wow, now my college is paid for!' But it shouldn't be like that. Your college is going to be paid for no matter what if you get the scholarship, but it is up to you to pick the place that's right for you." For Fossil Ridge linebacker Brandon Mahoney, family played a key role in his committing to Oklahoma in February. His father lives and works in Mobile, Ala. and commutes to Fort Worth each weekend in the fall to see him play, so going a little farther up to Norman, Okla. won't change things much. Besides, Mahoney has two younger siblings whom his father will want to see play before making the trek up to Oklahoma. "From where we live, Oklahoma is only two hours away. My dad can still come in on the weekends, see both of my brothers and come up and see me," said Mahoney. One of the main reasons players cite for committing early is to avoid the distraction of deciding during their senior year of high school. For Carroll defensive lineman Brayden Burnett, a recent Missouri commitment, he plans to put every ounce of his football focus on getting the Dragons another state championship and forgetting the nightmarish ending to last season. "I wasn't going to settle on a school just for that reason, but with the way our last season ended, it is important that I don't have that distraction," said Burnett. "We've got a chip on our shoulder now. "But I always wanted to get it out of the way before my senior season." Unlike his teammate Richards, however, Burnett wanted to see as many schools as possible before making up his mind. He had a little bit of an inside track in being able to do that. Of course, they weren't all official visits, but he was still able to get a glimpse of the campuses--and the climates. "My mom works for American Airlines. It made it nice," said Burnett. "I had offers from just about every major conference. Michigan was too cold. Arizona State was too hot. The weather in the Big 12 (Conference) is great." As for how he knew Missouri was the school for him, Burnett said, "You just get that feeling of a home away from home." Burnett will be following in the footsteps of another Dragon who chose Missouri a few years ago. Quarterback Chase Daniel is a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, college football's most prestigious award, this fall. "I did get to visit with Chase while I was up there," said Burnett. "It's been great for him. And they're only getting better as a team." Under Daniel's guidance, the Tigers reached the nation's No. 1 ranking late in the season before falling to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. Baccarini likes the idea of highly recruited players having less pressure as they enter their senior season. He thinks it's good for the player and the entire program. But he stresses to each player to make certain it is what they want before they make the commitment. "It takes a lot of pressure off the kid, but it might not always pan out," said Baccarini. "And it doesn't necessarily come down to the kid changing his mind. "An oral commitment is not binding for either side. I know of two oral commitments that were pulled." And that, of course, can add even more pressure to a player. Baccarini said he does not ever tell his players where to play in college, but he will offer advice if asked. He is always ready to sit down and talk to them about their future, as he did with Mahoney and senior-to-be wide receiver Aaron Fisher, who committed to Texas Tech in May. "We sat down and talked, but the advice I always give is to go somewhere where you believe you'll be happy in five years," said Baccarini. "Go somewhere where the coach is stable. "But ultimately it has to come down to them and their family. They have to sit down, talk, say their prayers and do everything they can to make the right decision." - THOUGHTS ON EARLY COMMITMENT WITH COACH WASSON With its legacy of success, it follows that Southlake Carroll would have plenty of players in the sights of college recruiters. Each year, Carroll sends a number of players to the college ranks, a trend that is likely to continue. Hal Wasson, entering his second year at the helm of the Dragons, offered VYPE his opinions on recruiting and early commitments. "I do like it when our players commit the summer of their senior season when possible. I think it eliminates many of their anxieties and helps them focus on their team and their particular goals. It also eliminates the distractions that can come from recruiting during the season. Obviously, we ask them to educate themselves and help guide them through the process before they commit. "We do our best to advise without making the ultimate decision. I visit with them individually, as well as their family. I advise them to narrow their choices down to three or four and then study the school. What is its track record in meeting an athlete's personal needs? Talk to the present players on campus and visit on their own, if possible. See what it has to offer academically, athletically, geographically, etc. Finally, if football were taken away, could you be happy continuing your education at that particular university? "I do think recruiting has gotten a little out of control. Too much emphasis is placed on websites and how one is rated. I do think this trend will continue, however. I hope making money is not at the expense of kids and everyone keeps their priorities in order. I hope everyone involved respects the integrity of the game and the individuals involved. "College football, in my opinion, has come down to a business. A great deal of pressure is placed on the college coach to win the recruiting battle. Many times, if a player is offered by one TV school, many others will follow and their high school coach has never even communicated with that school. As I mentioned earlier, I hope we don't lose sight of the integrity of the game and what it stands for."