Devotional: What Is On Your Game Film?

By Coach Jim Baxter

In 1974 I was twelve years old. The number one high school football team in the state was the Spartanburg Vikings. There were a lot of sports writers who had mentioned them as the top team in the country.

They started the season with wins over Gaffney, Byrnes, and Union and outscored them 134-7. After rattling off seven more wins, they finished the regular season 10-0 and outscored their opponents 595-35, giving up just 7 points by their first team defense.

This team, led by quarterback Steve Fuller (pictured left), met the Irmo Yellow Jackets in round one of the 4A state playoffs. They disposed of them easily 35-7 to advance to the second round of the playoffs to face the T.L. Hanna Yellow Jackets; of course, the Vikings were heavy favorites.

My dad took me to that game; each week, he'd pick what he felt was a really good match up and we'd go to see it. It was freezing, but I didn’t care because I was going to see the “greatest high school team in the country”, the Spartanburg Vikings. What I didn't realize was that what I saw and the story that came out of the game would be able to be used in the ministry of spreading the Gospel.

The Vikings found quickly that not only were they facing tough weather, but the T.L. Hanna Yellow Jackets posed a problem as well. Each time the Vikings’ offense broke the huddle and came to the line, T.L. Hanna linebacker Clay Evans would creep up to the line of scrimmage, peer into the backfield, and then bark out signals. The result of the play was almost always the same ? no gain, or at least very little gain. It was as if the Jackets KNEW where the Vikings were going every play.

At half-time, leading only 6-0, the Vikings coaches were going wild trying to figure out how the Jackets had their number. Of course, the line was blamed; one of the "big uglies" HAD to be pointing or giving the play away. They were confused; they had no idea how it was happening but they were failing and falling in defeat to a team they had no business losing to.

In the second half, the same continued. Vikings break huddle; Evans peered over the line; barked out some signals, and the Jackets shut down the Vikings attack. The final outcome of the game? T.L. Hanna, a fourth year football program, had upset the number one team in the country by a score of 21-6.

Talking with several members of each of those teams, the story came out. Hanna had picked up on something on the game film of Spartanburg; every time the play was going to the left, Viking fullback Jerry Kelly would have the heel of his right foot up so he could launch off of his right foot. When the play was going to the right, the heel was almost flat on the ground, as he was launching off of his left foot. Evans simply looked at Kelly every play to determine where the Vikings were going to run the football.

In the Art of War by Sun Tzu (which I recommend reading), it is stated to “know your vulnerabilities and weaknesses because if you don’t, your enemy will.”

That is what happened to the 1974 Spartanburg Vikings. Their enemy ? their opponent ? picked up on a vulnerability that they didn’t even realize they had. It cost them in the form of defeat.

In our spiritual life, we have an enemy, folks. The Bible tells us in I Peter 5:8 that “your enemy, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

He is seeking…who is he seeking? “Whom he may devour.” Basically, he’s seeking those of us with vulnerabilities that would allow him to gain advantage of us.

Guys, the devil is watching our game film. He’s searching…he’s prowling…he’s analyzing the film, looking for weaknesses in our walk and our faith that he can exploit and take advantage of. It may be lack of the fundamentals (prayer, praise, word); it may be pornography; it may be our language, not just foul language but how we talk about others; it could be alcohol; infidelity; it could be any number of things he’s looking for that is a weakness in our walk.

What vulnerabilities do you have in your life that the devil could take advantage of and use to control you? What do you need to do to strengthen your walk so that those vulnerabilities are not there? God knows, I have vulnerabilities and I have to work on them each day and rely on God helping me through prayer and faith.

Don’t let the devil see any weaknesses on your film; work on your fundamentals; work on your game. Frustrate him so much that when he looks at your film, he says ‘I can’t beat this one; there are no weaknesses.’

Know your vulnerabilities so that he will not; do not let the weaknesses in your game cause you defeat.

Recruiting Calendar - August, September: Be prepared.

Preseason football is finally here as practices kicked off around the state at midnight, August 2nd. With the focus shifting toward preparation for the upcoming football season, what does that mean for YOU as a recruit? What is next on the recruiting calendar? Well, I'll tell you. The best thing you can do from this point out is the best thing for your team: get ready for the 2013 football season and work hard to be the best student-athlete that you can be. The month of August is pretty much quiet in the football recruiting world so the best thing you can do is make yourself a better prospect. Work on your character, your skills, and get yourself in the right frame of mind to work on your academics when the school year begins.

That said, next month is going to be important. Here's an outline of what to expect beginning September 1st, which is just a few short weeks away.

September

NCAA recruiting calendar
The fall evaluation period begins Sept. 1. Not exceeding a period of 42 evaluation days (54 for U.S. service academies) (see Bylaw 13.02.7.2) during the months of September, October and November selected at the discretion of the institution and designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics; authorized off-campus recruiters shall not visit a prospective student-athlete's educational institution on more than one calendar day during this period. All other dates shall be considered a quiet period.

So, if the recruiters could be in your school on one of these days, a couple of good ideas would be:

• Be in class. I had a college coach tell me they pulled a kid off of their board because the day they visited the school, he was on a three-day suspension from school for disciplinary reasons.
• Dress to impress; look like an athlete. They are looking for football players, not rock and rap stars. Wear clothes that fit you and accentuate your athletic frame.
• Stand tall. Wear some "tall shoes." That 1/4 to 1/2 inch could be the difference in the first impression you make in person. Don't think they aren't sizing you up.
• Be confident. If you do get the opportunity to "bump" into a recruiter while at your school, look him in the eye when he's talking to you; use a firm hand shake and make sure you're muscles are flexed because he will pat your arm and it's not just a nice gesture; he's checking out the goods.

Big events in September

Junior offers
The NCAA also says that Sept. 1 is the first day institutions can send written scholarship offers to high school juniors. Prior to this date, football prospects can only receive written correspondence in the form of a camp brochure and/or a questionnaire.

Official visits
Sept. 1 also marks the date when seniors are allowed to start taking official visits to campuses.

5 Characteristics Every Prospect Must Have

This blog was written in conversation with a very good friend of mine - Coach Zak Willis. Between the two of us, we have more than 60 years of experience in the recruiting world.

Message boards and recruiting analysts rage about what it takes to be the perfect recruit. Recruiting is an inexact science to say the least due to its subjective nature and the wide margin for error that characterizes the talent evaluation process. But there are 5 nonnegotiable traits that the smart recruiter sees before an offer is issued.

Baseline level of skill/talent - the recruit must possess a level of talent which will enable him to successfully compete on the level to which he is being recruited. What the everyday fan needs understand  is that talent is not a coachable commodity. Height, body structure/frame, speed, hand-eye coordination and arm strength are just a few of the talents that are not coachable abilities that set apart an elite recruit from a good high school athlete.

Character/will to win - The character of an athlete is the second step in the evaluation process but is one of the key predictors of the success or failure of each recruit. Character measures two things. First, is decision-making ability and second is the ability to develop mental toughness which allows the individual to respond effectively to adversity. These qualities effect the athlete's ability to develop into a championship level performer and effective team member.

Academic Eligibility - this one is simple. You can't play if you can't get into school.

Durability - do not mistake durability for toughness. Toughness is the ability to play through pain which is linked to character mentioned above.  Durability is the ability not to be easily injured. Unfortunately some athletes who are incredibly tough are not very durable. This is a physiological issue and is usually out of human control.

Football IQ/Instinct - this is the ability to understand the game at a very high level and to react on a level that is faster than human thought can process on a verbal level. Therefore, we refer to it as Instinct It's the great cut made by a Running back or the perfect pass by a Quarterback under heavy pressure. Just watch Adrian Peterson run or Peyton Manning make a perfect throw and you will get the picture.

These are five characteristics that coaches look for when evaluating a recruit. It should be noted that the ability to properly and objectively evaluate athletes the rarest ability in coaches. One example is that of character. A coach with poor personal character will often recruit players of the same character and vice versa. Rest assured a lack of character will eventually raise its' ugly head.  It's why football is such a beautiful game; because its a microcosm of life. And that's what separates champions from contenders on the field and in life.

Football Recruiting: The Vast Unknown: Part I

Ok...I'm going to throw a LOT of information at you at one time. I'm going to give you what I know as a parent of two college football players who has been through this as well as a recruiting analyst who has been in the business since 1984. That said, there is a lot more to the recruiting game that you need to be versed on, as mentioned in this article as "do your research!"

PART I: THE BASICS

Year in and year out, I get contacted by hundreds of parents and players about the entire recruiting process.........and the questions usually run about the same....."How can I get my son more exposure? Is my son good enough?" and on and on. This special is written to give some of what I have learned over the last 27 years years about the entire recruiting process from a football perspective. Others I'm sure have a better knowledge, others basically make a living off of a lot of the information that I hope to provide with this four-part series. I hope to inform all of you a little bit of what I have run across.......both the Do's and the Don't! Hope this helps!

First off........is your son really a recruit?????

It's the best place I can think of to start............is your son really a recruit? So how do you find this out? Is there some magical formula that tells you........YOU'RE A RECRUIT? No. When do you find out if your son is a recruit? Senior year? Junior year? Sophomore year? Earlier? My experience tells me that there really is no set time.......kids are discovered EARLY, while others are found late......or your Late Bloomers if you will. So how can you get an evaluation?

So how can I get my son evaluated and by whom should it be?

My first and most important piece of advice is simple, yet is without question one of THE most important pieces in the entire recruiting process.......talk to your son's High School coach. A High School coach is without question THE person who will in most cases give you an honest evaluation of your son's abilities, his physical strengths as well as his weaknesses. Your High School coach in most cases has been personally involved in the recruitment of other players and has seen first hand if your son has what it takes. Many coaches will talk to parents throughout the year about the entire recruiting process, and have the experience and knowledge to help guide you thru the process. It is imperative to rely upon your coach for advice on the recruiting process. Your son's coach is your number one source for recruiting information as well as for an honest evaluation! Your son's coach is one of the MAIN people that colleges and recruiters rely upon for information.......the coach is who these people talk to FIRST!

I have yet to find a High School coach that isn't interested in promoting their kids.........now to which degree of interest of course varies from coach to coach. Some coaches will make and send out highlight tapes.....some coaches will work tirelessly in promoting kids whom they feel deserve a fair shot. Others might go further, others might not go as far.......but when a coach gets a request for information on your son, trust me they will ALL reply. So let's say that your High School coach thinks that your son is a recruit and that your son has some serious ability. Great! Now, is it all in the coaches hands? Nope! Not even close! You as a player/parent have some serious work to do! So get crackin!

At SCVarsity.com, we offer numerous opportunities for the players to get evaluated by myself and our coaching staff. The SCVarsity.com Elite Football Combine is one of the top combine events in the entire country, drawing more than 500 players to each event. Our evaluations are honest and we'll tell you where we feel your best suited in the recruiting game. And most importantly, we communicate either by phone or email with your son's high school coach. For more information on SCVarsity.com opportunities, email us at scvarsity@sc.rr.com

Know the Recruiting Game.........Learn the Rules!

Most parents and players really don't know the rules! So how can you find out what the rules really are? When can a college contact your son? What is a "silent" period? Phone calls? The FIRST place to get information on the entire recruiting process is located at the NCAA website! This is an excellent source for all of the NCAA rules regarding everything about the recruiting process.......from when the NCAA rules determine when you are considered a recruited athlete and everything in between! It is imperative to KNOW THE RULES! It's YOUR responsibility!

Recruiting Services..........from free to major fee $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

This certainly becomes a sticky subject.......can a recruiter or a recruiting service really make a difference? Are those "Pay" recruiting services really worth it? How important is it to impress those "recruiting" gurus? What are the different type of recruiting services available? My experience tells me a few things........first off......let the buyer beware!

Recruiting Services...............what, why, and most importantly how much and is it worth it?

A prospective recruit will be besieged by many different type of services, all with the claim that "we can help your son get a scholarship!" Many of these services come at a price.......in some cases a HEFTY price tag! My experience? I have heard from many parents who have used various services.........some claim with success.....but in MANY cases it's almost impossible to judge if the service actually helped.

These "services" come in many various sizes and shapes.......some will charge you $25 dollars for a T-Shirt and they will also claim to put your son's bio on a list that "will be read by hundreds of colleges" while others offer a more "personalized" service. The more "personalized" services also can vary......many claim to help your son get more exposure and they too offer a "comprehensive" listing that is sent to many colleges and universities.

Best advice? Research! Many of these services claim to have helped "thousands" find scholarships.......just ask them for a list of those names. Ask for references.....in most cases, you'll either get a short list of "kids" that in many cases are relatives/friends of the service, or you won't get any names or references at all. Remember this folks.......if anyone could pay anywhere from $25 to $2,000 for a scholarship, then sign me up! Sign all of us up!

Now, as far as those "lists" that get sent out to the colleges......guess what? These either never get sent, or if they do get sent, they wind up in the shredder and the wastebasket! Any major college and university has staff that compiles a listing of all potential recruits, and the chances of your son getting noticed from these "lists" is a long-shot at best. Again, let the buyer beware. Play it smart. Do research. Do LOTS of research. Talk to your coach. Talk to other parents who have already gone thru the recruiting process. Learn as much as you can BEFORE you decide to fork over that hard earned money.......these "services" are more than aware that you want to do what's best for your son.....that is there "hook". Let the buyer beware! Remember, if any of these services can guarantee your son a scholarship.....go for it! Just get it in writing

coming....Part II: Develop a gameplan