| Ohio State football: Camps play increasingly pivotal role in recruiting |
Ohio State football coaches weren’t sure whether Pentello, a standout quarterback at Westerville South, could succeed as a Big Ten defensive back.
So they strongly encouraged Pentello to attend one of the school’s senior advanced camps last summer.
"My junior year had been a disappointment because I had a hamstring injury, and I kind of fell off the (recruiting) radar," Pentello said. "I felt I had to go to the camp to prove that I still was what I was before."
The OSU staff scrutinized Pentello through numerous drills on that day last June.
"Footwork and hips is what you’re looking for," said safeties coach Paul Haynes, referring to a back’s ability to swivel and turn quickly in reaction to a receiver. "Just seeing him backpedal was important."
They liked what they saw. Although the scholarship offer didn’t come until December, Pentello knows his performance in camp was what clinched the deal. He reports to Ohio State this summer for his freshman season.
"Definitely, (camp) contributed the most," he said.
More than 4,000 kids, some as young as fifth grade, will attend one of five sessions at Ohio State in the next two weeks.
The stated purpose for the camps is instruction, but there is little doubt that camps have become an integral part in the recruiting process. That’s particularly true for Ohio State’s two one-day, senior-only camps, which take place today and June 22.
NCAA rules state that camps cannot be "invitation only" and can only be limited by age and number of campers. They are not supposed to serve as tryouts for top prospects.
Although they might follow the letter of the law, most schools clearly compete heavily to get prized recruits to their camps.
"They have to do it or they’ll get blown away," said Jamie Newberg, national recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "Teams are offering (scholarships) earlier and earlier."
Newberg said that by June 1, 2003, 61 prospects had committed to schools in Bowl Championship Series conferences. By June 1 of this year, the number was 323. That’s a five-fold increase in early commitments in just four years.
"If you wait and evaluate prospects on their senior season, so many of them are off the board by then," Bill Kurelic of Ohio Football Recruiting News said.
Ohio State is no different. The Buckeyes have nine oral commitments to their 2008 class, out of a projected total of 16.
Typically, several offers and/or commitments come out of the camps, although coaches are prohibited from offering one during the camp. Recruiting Web sites have been posting almost daily updates on which players will attend which camps.
Ohio State recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach John Peterson said it is crucial to see a prospect perform in person.
"One aspect is the player-coach relationship can be developed through camp," he said. "It’s a two-way street. The player gets to see a coach coach and a coach gets to see a player learn. We’re so limited on how many times we actually get to go watch a kid play in person.
"And also, there is the intangible part that sometimes you don’t see on tape — is the kid consistent and competitive?"
| " | They liked what they saw. Although the scholarship offer didn't come until December, Pentello knows his performance in camp was what clinched the deal. He reports to Ohio State this summer for his freshman season |
