I was waiting for this. Not that I knew he was working on it, but it seems so obvious about how down the local talent is, and has been, that it is alarming. But with the bye week, good opportunity to examine and discuss.
Here are some key numbers.
*Only 5, maybe 6, WPIAL kids will sign P5 offers this year.
* Pitt for the first time in memory may not sign one.
* 10 years ago, 24 kids signed P5 offers.
* 20 years ago, 31 kids signed P5 offers. Think about that, that is 25 more than will this year.
* Next year or the year after doesn't look much better.
It is not just P5 level kids, the top kids......
* From 1988-1997 there have been at least 31 FBS level kids, with a couple of years around 50.
* This year, there will be less than 20.
* PA is 11th averaging 61.5 FBS recruits over the past decade, but Ohio (same demographics) has averaged 138 recruits!
* The WPIAL started to drop appreciably 10 years ago, with a severe drop starting over 6 years ago. Yet, the colleges are giving out the same number of scholarships and while participation is down, it is nowhere near as down at the same rate.
In regards to Pitt:
High school coaches commented that it’s not the number of WPIAL recruits that is key for Pitt. It’s who Pitt gets from the WPIAL that is vital, meaning they have to get most of the best ones.
Regarding Quarterbacks:
The quarterbacks are way down. I’m seeing right now that there isn’t one senior quarterback in the state of Pennsylvania that I know is going to a [FBS] school on a full scholarship. That’s unheard of in Pennsylvania.”
College Coaches:
Most college coaches won’t go on the record criticizing an area of recruits, mainly because they still might want to recruit that area. But Joe Butler has run a Western Pennsylvania high school football scouting service (Metro Index) for 42 years.
“I talk to college coaches all the time,” said Butler. “They can’t believe how the talent level has diminished in this area. They say, ‘Joe, what’s happening out there?’”
I just think this is the perfect week to discuss this since we are on a bye week. Please read article below.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...alent-decline-recruiting/stories/201810170104
Here are some key numbers.
*Only 5, maybe 6, WPIAL kids will sign P5 offers this year.
* Pitt for the first time in memory may not sign one.
* 10 years ago, 24 kids signed P5 offers.
* 20 years ago, 31 kids signed P5 offers. Think about that, that is 25 more than will this year.
* Next year or the year after doesn't look much better.
It is not just P5 level kids, the top kids......
* From 1988-1997 there have been at least 31 FBS level kids, with a couple of years around 50.
* This year, there will be less than 20.
* PA is 11th averaging 61.5 FBS recruits over the past decade, but Ohio (same demographics) has averaged 138 recruits!
* The WPIAL started to drop appreciably 10 years ago, with a severe drop starting over 6 years ago. Yet, the colleges are giving out the same number of scholarships and while participation is down, it is nowhere near as down at the same rate.
In regards to Pitt:
High school coaches commented that it’s not the number of WPIAL recruits that is key for Pitt. It’s who Pitt gets from the WPIAL that is vital, meaning they have to get most of the best ones.
Regarding Quarterbacks:
The quarterbacks are way down. I’m seeing right now that there isn’t one senior quarterback in the state of Pennsylvania that I know is going to a [FBS] school on a full scholarship. That’s unheard of in Pennsylvania.”
College Coaches:
Most college coaches won’t go on the record criticizing an area of recruits, mainly because they still might want to recruit that area. But Joe Butler has run a Western Pennsylvania high school football scouting service (Metro Index) for 42 years.
“I talk to college coaches all the time,” said Butler. “They can’t believe how the talent level has diminished in this area. They say, ‘Joe, what’s happening out there?’”
I just think this is the perfect week to discuss this since we are on a bye week. Please read article below.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...alent-decline-recruiting/stories/201810170104
