What you say to a degree, is very true, BUT. I think that you folks are missing the boat as to the WHY! Most of the teams in the Northeast and Midwest have LOW national footprint, contrary to that of schools such as OSU, MEEECHIGAN, and ND, for some of the reasons you delineated. THAT being said, Region 1-7A in SOUTH Georgia, has traditionally had kids trekking to the BIG TEN. I believe that at least three have gone to Ohio State, from Lee County. And I believe that before Colorado scoffed up the DL from Leesburg/Valdosta. He was being courted by OSU. My school alone, has sent at least two to the Big Ten. (One WR currently at Minn. and a TE to Ind.) And the leading receiver in the Big Ten two seasons ago, came from South Georgia's Tift County, Rashad Bateman. And three North Georgia kids have STARRED for OSU in the recent past.
But contrary to popular belief, UGA does NOT have a chokehold on local talent. Of the top 100 players from the past three years in the state, during Kirby's reign. Fewer than 30% have signed with the DAWGS. They compete with not ONLY Ohio State, MEEEchigan, and Alabama. But Clemson, Florida, Auburn, Ky., LSU, South Carolina, TENN., MISS., MISS St., Florida, and FSU, as well.
As an aside, addressing the better weather aspect. TRUE to a point, BUT. MORE so than that, is the fact that Southern high schools, especially in Georgia, tend to emphasize ALL aspects of development, twelve months a year, within our state rules and regulations. I can't speak for all but, at our school, we have a 24/7/365 nutritional program. We have a fifth quarter cafeteria for additional nutritional needs after practice. We also have the fifty-yard strength/conditioning/agility room for our football team. We have film rooms and personal I Pads for scouting reports, and that full sized indoor practice facility, for those inclement weather days. We have OTA OL/DL drills in the summer with other schools. As well as ten days of Spring and Fall practice, accompanied with a Spring and Fall scrimmages with outside opponents. And we also schedule national quality Seven on Seven tourneys, which are in some cases, national 7 on 7 qualifiers. Last season, Colquitt participated in the defending State Champion's tourney at Collins Hill. We also participated in the Hoover, Ala. Invitational tourney, and the Kirby Smart Invitational tourney in Athens. And lifting is a TWELVE-MONTH endeavor at most schools in Georgia. And in the interim, our coaching staff treks to Power Five schools in the SEC/ACC to get updates on training, nutrition, and tweeks to the offense and defense.
There were a few instances on this forum, where the fundamentals in Georgia were brought into question. I'm not certain where those allegations were founded. But they CERTAINLY weren't born from watching ANYBODY that plays the Colquitt Co. Packers!
And as far as loooooong distances being an impairment to recruiting. Nothing could be FURTHER from the truth. Since Kirby came back to UGA eight seasons ago. They have successfully recruited star players from Washington State (Kelee Ringer) Kendall Milton and Brock Bowers, and now a HUMONGO OL from St. John Bosco in Southern Cal. But many players came from MIAMI, which is about the same distance to Athens, as Columbus, Ohio is to Georgia. UGA currently has two OL from NEW England. And how far do you think that MINN. is from Moultrie, Georgia? I can assure you that WR Lemeke Brockington from Colquitt, will be as good as most ANYBODY in the Big Ten, before he's finished. Just as Rashad Bateman was for MINN., in the recent past. In short, DISTANCE for recruiting is a copout, with most Big Ten schools. NATIONAL FOOTPRINT is the key. And RECRUITING BUDGET follows closely behind. HELL, Jim Hardpaw tried to set up a RECRUITING camp in GEORGIA, can you believe THAT? I'm STUNNED he didn't get charged with a MISdemeanor violation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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