What would you prefer or recommend?

[DinwiddieProud]

We often see kids go to big colleges and get disillusioned, or simply get swallowed whole.

Would you prefer a local athlete go to a lesser school, league, or division, and perhaps play earlier and more often, or go after the glory of one of the big name schools, and have a much steeper hill to climb?

 

[CRF4Dan]

We often see kids go to big colleges and get disillusioned, or simply get swallowed whole.

Would you prefer a local athlete go to a lesser school, league, or division, and perhaps play earlier and more often, or go after the glory of one of the big name schools, and have a much steeper hill to climb?

I say go where you feel most comfortable, be it smaller or bigger. Nothing wrong going small time.

Nowadays we are seeing players go small at first and then transfer to bigger.

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer... I think it depends on the player.

 

[BleedingNavy]

With the transfer portal being what it is I say it's worth a shot at the top. If things don't work out for the player they still have options without being punished.

 

[1MoreHokie]

If you actually care about seeing the playing field, much wiser to start small and maybe expand. You go get shirted and spend one or two years riding pine at a big school which forces you to jump down to see the field and you've burned years you'll never get back. Go somewhere you can see the field immediately and if you're a true talent you'll never struggle to see the field no matter where you go but if you hit your head on the ceiling at the small school at least you'll have three, four, maybe five years on the field there.

If it was me, I'd maximize playing time. You're never getting those years back ever, once they're gone, they're gone. Odds are high you hit your ceiling already, the NFL is never going to look at you so every game that goes by is not one you'll see again in the pros. I'd much rather say I spent my years on the field than tell everyone the year we won the Rose Bowl I was on the scout team and halfway through my junior year two guys ahead of me got injured and that's how I became the starter for the rest of my time.

 

[dblplaa]

With the transfer portal being what it is I say it's worth a shot at the top. If things don't work out for the player they still have options without being punished.

I agree with you it's worth a shot but now with the changes to the portal your second choice better be the right one because they will have a hard time getting in the portal again.

 

[FridayNightLights03]

It's all about what the individual player is more comfortable with. A big school and a big time football program isn't for everybody, especially when you actually get there and realize that playing college football is basically like having a job. Nothing wrong with going to a smaller school if that is what the kid is comfortable with.

It also depends on what type of personality the kid has. It would be my attitude that I want to try and go to the best possible program I can and compete against the best and get on the field that way.

 

[EPJr]

kids need to have adults around them at school as well at home.
They need to not only think school but also where it is located, what else is there, what else are they famous for.
What else can you do there when not playing and practicing. Can you take the classes you want to get you where you want to go.
Back in the ancient days I spent a great deal of time in my senior counselor's office, do kids even do that anymore?

 

[Researcher27]

Your question shows the problem. You call them "lesser" schools. There is no such thing but kids see that crap and believe it and end up somewhere they don't belong and thousands of dollars in debt.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

Your question shows the problem. You call them "lesser" schools. There is no such thing but kids see that crap and believe it and end up somewhere they don't belong and thousands of dollars in debt.

He didn’t mean it like that. There’s levels to it. Power 5, mid major, low major (teams that aren’t going to make the top 4 even if they go 13-0), then FCS. These days there’s no separation. ODU and Liberty (lower major) has whipped up on P5 Tech, saw another lower major in Marshall go into South Bend and take care of Notre Dame. App State played a bunch of 5 stars at A&M and whipped up on them. JMU was at the FCS level for years and could’ve beaten many P5 teams. You’re right there’s no lesser and DP didn’t mean it as such.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

DP this is a great topic. I believe all high school football programs need a recruiting coordinator. Someone who is qualified and sends out game film and transcripts out. Schedules tours for prospects and educates the players about the recruiting process and clearinghouse. A lot of kids and parents believe Georgia, Clemson and Ohio State are end all be all, there’s a lot of great opportunities for these young men but someone has to be the liaison for the information. I believe it’s just as important as having good good coordinators and position coaches.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

DP this is a great topic. I believe all high school football programs need a recruiting coordinator. Someone who is qualified and sends out game film and transcripts out. Schedules tours for prospects and educates the players about the recruiting process and clearinghouse. A lot of kids and parents believe Georgia, Clemson and Ohio State are end all be all, there’s a lot of great opportunities for these young men but someone has to be the liaison for the information. I believe it’s just as important as having good good coordinators and position coaches.

Thank you sir for clarifying for Researcher27. Unfortunaly my choice of a word led to him or her missing the point of my post. For that, I apologize.
By lesser, I meant as you said, a lower classification. I think we all appreciate that it’s where you “fit”. Or don’t fit!

Two examples from Dinwiddie. Bryce Witt went to Chowan and had a great career. He set record after record, and got more accolades that you can count. Would his career have been as rewarding if he had gone to a much larger school and it had taken him three years before he got any meaningful playing time?

And consider K’Vaughan Pope. Playing at Ohio State was surely the big time. But it ultimately turned out it was not the right choice for him. In hind sight, it was a big mistake. Like you said Bo, we need better guidance for these young athletes. After he moved on to a smaller school, Tennessee State University, he quickly became a starter and excelled. I’m sure he is a lot happier and I trust he is working hard to complete his degree.

Certainly, much more important is the quality of the educational experience. Let’s face it, a degree from big name schools will open some doors. But so does a degree from smaller schools. I can’t think of a better example than VMI. If you graduate from there, you are all but guaranteed a shot at a darn good job and career.

Our daughter graduated from little old CNU. And trust me, she got a tremendous education. A lot of graduates from Power 5 schools would love to have her career and income.

So, lesser can be more!

Thanks again Bo.

 

[WP02alum]

Right, and to go one step further, I try to avoid the phrase “small school” or “big school” to refer to level of athletic affiliation. There are FCS & low major football programs at huge schools. And some P5 football programs at schools with fairly small enrollments. Not trying to nit-pick, just figured it was on-topic. I always chuckle when TV crews call schools with 30,000+ students “small”, just because they don’t have a history of big-time athletics.

 

[Cat45]

Thank you sir for clarifying for Researcher27. Unfortunaly my choice of a word led to him or her missing the point of my post. For that, I apologize.
By lesser, I meant as you said, a lower classification. I think we all appreciate that it’s where you “fit”. Or don’t fit!

Two examples from Dinwiddie. Bryce Witt went to Chowan and had a great career. He set record after record, and got more accolades that you can count. Would his career have been as rewarding if he had gone to a much larger school and it had taken him three years before he got any meaningful playing time?

And consider K’Vaughan Pope. Playing at Ohio State was surely the big time. But it ultimately turned out it was not the right choice for him. In hind sight, it was a big mistake. Like you said Bo, we need better guidance for these young athletes. After he moved on to a smaller school, Tennessee State University, he quickly became a starter and excelled. I’m sure he is a lot happier and I trust he is working hard to complete his degree.

Certainly, much more important is the quality of the educational experience. Let’s face it, a degree from big name schools will open some doors. But so does a degree from smaller schools. I can’t think of a better example than VMI. If you graduate from there, you are all but guaranteed a shot at a darn good job and career.

Our daughter graduated from little old CNU. And trust me, she got a tremendous education. A lot of graduates from Power 5 schools would love to have her career and income.

So, lesser can be more!

Thanks again Bo.

K'Vaughan got his degree from Ohio State now working on his masters at Tennessee State so not a total bust. I believe the coaching change hurt him, he was one of Urban Meyers guys as well as his LB coach at the time Coach Davis who recruited him. Washington and Day never seemed to give him the opportunity. He went to them at one point during the process and discussed with them whether he should transfer and was advised by them to stay, obviously trying to string him along just in case and the end case we all know. I'm proud of him for hanging in there through all of it and getting his degree which at the end of the day is the goal that I have for all my players who go on to the next level.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

K'Vaughan got his degree from Ohio State now working on his masters at Tennessee State so not a total bust. I believe the coaching change hurt him, he was one of Urban Meyers guys as well as his LB coach at the time Coach Davis who recruited him. Washington and Day never seemed to give him the opportunity. He went to them at one point during the process and discussed with them whether he should transfer and was advised by them to stay, obviously trying to string him along just in case and the end case we all know. I'm proud of him for hanging in there through all of it and getting his degree which at the end of the day is the goal that I have for all my players who go on to the next level.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in life so I’m in no shoes to judge. I just hate it for the young man. He killed his NFL dreams, any kind of connections he could’ve gotten for being associated with Ohio State, and a lot of jobs. Glad he was able to get his degrees and hope he can rectify his image.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

K'Vaughan got his degree from Ohio State now working on his masters at Tennessee State so not a total bust. I believe the coaching change hurt him, he was one of Urban Meyers guys as well as his LB coach at the time Coach Davis who recruited him. Washington and Day never seemed to give him the opportunity. He went to them at one point during the process and discussed with them whether he should transfer and was advised by them to stay, obviously trying to string him along just in case and the end case we all know. I'm proud of him for hanging in there through all of it and getting his degree which at the end of the day is the goal that I have for all my players who go on to the next level.

Thank you. I did not realize he completed his degree at Ohio State. That’s impressive, especially considering all the turmoil in his life at the time.
It sounds like he listen to his old high school Coach, and “ found a way!”😏

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in life so I’m in no shoes to judge. I just hate it for the young man. He killed his NFL dreams, any kind of connections he could’ve gotten for being associated with Ohio State, and a lot of jobs. Glad he was able to get his degrees and hope he can rectify his image.

It sounds like K’Vaughan has done about all he can to rectify his image. It’s unfortunate the way his “departure” paints him in such a bad light, but as stated above, it certainly appears he moved past it and is a better man for the experience.

I had to laugh as I included myself in your comment, “I’ve made a lot of mistakes.” LOL you would hope we would learn more, but I’m here to tell you, after nearly 69 years, I still regularly stumble or put my foot in my mouth.

 

[BleedingNavy]

After reading yesterday's post and being a long time fan of Dinwiddie football I was truly excited to learn that K'Vaughan Pope received his degree from Ohio State. I did not discuss the reason or feelings regarding his removal from the Ohio State football team on this board when it happened, nor will I do so now. I will say that K'Vaughan is highly competitive and a freak of nature when it comes to athleticism. Yes, many Dinwiddie fans selfishly wanted Mr. Pope to play in state, but he dreamed of playing big time football since he was a tiny kid. Even when it appeared Ohio State would not have a spot for him he never wavered.

I agree with @Cat45 about K'Vaughan's initial fit under Urban Myers; however, I also realize the new coaching staff's schemes did not fit Popes style of play as well. Under Coach Mills and the defense employed K'Vaughan appeared to be able to use his God given talents of speed, hands, instincts, and hard hitting to make unbelievable plays while having the support around him to protect against a few athletic mistakes. I am not an expert, but it appeared Ohio State attempted to turn Pope into a scheme robot; therefore, eliminating his strengths from his game. If you ever saw how this kid jumped seam and post routes from the linebacker position you would understand why it is foolish to restrict his instinctive playmaking ability. With that being said I believe Pope made the right decision for himself and we should not question him or any other kid who has worked their butts off to brighten their future and to give us the fans some pleasure on Friday nights. Coaches and parents should encourage kids who desire to play college sports to pick a school or transfer to a school where the coaching staffs schemes match their abilities and opportunities to play. Pope has done that now and with Coach Georges help he still has a shot at the next level. Awesome discussion guys and gals.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

After reading yesterday's post and being a long time fan of Dinwiddie football I was truly excited to learn that K'Vaughan Pope received his degree from Ohio State. I did not discuss the reason or feelings regarding his removal from the Ohio State football team on this board when it happened, nor will I do so now. I will say that K'Vaughan is highly competitive and a freak of nature when it comes to athleticism. Yes, many Dinwiddie fans selfishly wanted Mr. Pope to play in state, but he dreamed of playing big time football since he was a tiny kid. Even when it appeared Ohio State would not have a spot for him he never wavered.

I agree with @Cat45 about K'Vaughan's initial fit under Urban Myers; however, I also realize the new coaching staff's schemes did not fit Popes style of play as well. Under Coach Mills and the defense employed K'Vaughan appeared to be able to use his God given talents of speed, hands, instincts, and hard hitting to make unbelievable plays while having the support around him to protect against a few athletic mistakes. I am not an expert, but it appeared Ohio State attempted to turn Pope into a scheme robot; therefore, eliminating his strengths from his game. If you ever saw how this kid jumped seam and post routes from the linebacker position you would understand why it is foolish to restrict his instinctive playmaking ability. With that being said I believe Pope made the right decision for himself and we should not question him or any other kid who has worked their butts off to brighten their future and to give us the fans some pleasure on Friday nights. Coaches and parents should encourage kids who desire to play college sports to pick a school or transfer to a school where the coaching staffs schemes match their abilities and opportunities to play. Pope has done that now and with Coach Georges help he still has a shot at the next level. Awesome discussion guys and gals.

Extremely well stated BN.