1
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:05,960
Speaker 1: We do something here at the University of Idaho called

2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:06,560
Speaker 1: Real Life.

3
00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,840
Speaker 2: Wednesdays, where we have our morning meeting is completely non

4
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:10,760
Speaker 2: football related.

5
00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,240
Speaker 3: We don't talk anything specifically about.

6
00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:13,800
Speaker 1: Scheme or exit.

7
00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,160
Speaker 2: Those talk about life, and so those Wednesdays for us

8
00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,239
Speaker 2: have been a real great reminder of what we.

9
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:19,640
Speaker 1: Do this for.

10
00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:21,960
Speaker 2: Yes, we want to win every game, we prepare for it,

11
00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,360
Speaker 2: but we're trying to get these guys prepared for their

12
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:26,440
Speaker 2: lives after football.

13
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,680
Speaker 4: This is the Reform Sports Project, a podcast about restoring

14
00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,879
Speaker 4: healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sports through

15
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,519
Speaker 4: education and advocacy. Hi, this is Nick Bonacor from the

16
00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,360
Speaker 4: Reform Sports Podcast. Today, I'm speaking with Thomas Ford, running

17
00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,800
Speaker 4: backs coach and special teams coordinator at the University of Idaho.

18
00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,680
Speaker 4: Prior to joining the Vandals program in twenty twenty two,

19
00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,800
Speaker 4: Ford served as an offensive quality control analyst at the

20
00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,600
Speaker 4: University of Washington and as a head football coach at

21
00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:56,680
Speaker 4: Simon Fraser, a longtime coach, former multi sport collegiate athlete,

22
00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,200
Speaker 4: and father of two. Thomas and I discussed why he

23
00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,400
Speaker 4: recruits athletes with not only talent, but also character, the

24
00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,520
Speaker 4: value of building trust with players through vulnerability, and why

25
00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,520
Speaker 4: student athletes should feel empowered to speak for themselves during

26
00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,440
Speaker 4: the college recruiting process. I'm very, very excited to get

27
00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,920
Speaker 4: another awesome guest, someone I've spoken to several times. We

28
00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,880
Speaker 4: stay in touch, you know, definitely during the football season.

29
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,520
Speaker 4: I try to reach out to them and say what's

30
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,559
Speaker 4: up and congratulate them. But just a great dude, someone

31
00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:27,160
Speaker 4: who's in this space in particular of recruiting, but you know,

32
00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,440
Speaker 4: brings a lot of wisdom, helps a lot of kids,

33
00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:31,280
Speaker 4: and also I think this will be very insightful for

34
00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,240
Speaker 4: a lot of parents. The running backs coach, Special Teams coordinator,

35
00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,320
Speaker 4: University Idaho. The Vandals coach Thomas Ford, Junior T four.

36
00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:40,480
Speaker 4: Thanks for hopping on man.

37
00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,440
Speaker 5: Hey man, Nick, I appreciate you, and I'm excited to

38
00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:44,560
Speaker 5: beat with you again.

39
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,040
Speaker 2: Man, it's been a little while, so we've got a chance.

40
00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,040
Speaker 1: To chat, so I'm looking forward to it today for sure.

41
00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,320
Speaker 4: Well I appreciate you your family, man too. How many

42
00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:52,040
Speaker 4: kids you got?

43
00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:52,920
Speaker 1: I got two.

44
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,080
Speaker 2: I got a nine year old daughter and a five

45
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,640
Speaker 2: year old son that are aspiring little athletes themselves.

46
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,960
Speaker 4: So coaching college football and being a sports parent, man,

47
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,480
Speaker 4: those schedules got to come out. How do you navigate

48
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:06,640
Speaker 4: How do you navigate that?

49
00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:07,200
Speaker 1: Well?

50
00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,120
Speaker 5: I think one of the best parts about working for

51
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,880
Speaker 5: the University of Idaho is our head coach, Jason neck Is.

52
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,640
Speaker 1: He's a family man himself. He's got five kids.

53
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,080
Speaker 3: And so he really preaches balance to us.

54
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,720
Speaker 1: So, for example, I'm, you know, training my kids three

55
00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,520
Speaker 1: days a week during during the track season.

56
00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,000
Speaker 3: But we make it work because our Tuesday and Thursday

57
00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:27,120
Speaker 3: practice and are really early in the.

58
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,320
Speaker 1: Morning, so I'm able to get out there in the

59
00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:30,720
Speaker 1: afternoons and still train them.

60
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,080
Speaker 5: And then on the weekends, on what's our day off

61
00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,520
Speaker 5: for coaching becomes my Sunday.

62
00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:39,960
Speaker 1: Practice with my little guys. So it's definitely a tough balance.

63
00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,960
Speaker 5: But our our coaching, Cason Neck does a great job providing.

64
00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:44,400
Speaker 1: Us that balance.

65
00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:45,480
Speaker 6: That's fantastic.

66
00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,239
Speaker 4: That's something that we reform Sports project is like our

67
00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,359
Speaker 4: backbone is like trying to restore balance. So it's it's

68
00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,200
Speaker 4: really I want to get into that a little bit

69
00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:54,160
Speaker 4: more because it's not easy.

70
00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:55,120
Speaker 6: In today's culture.

71
00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,200
Speaker 4: Everything is year round and it's non stop. How did

72
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,320
Speaker 4: you you know you and I shear a little bit

73
00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:04,360
Speaker 4: of a commonality that we're both D three National champions

74
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,320
Speaker 4: bro Let's go, Yes, sir, I'm very very proud of that.

75
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,919
Speaker 4: I love I love speaking to others who went to

76
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:11,840
Speaker 4: D three route. I guess I want to ask what

77
00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,000
Speaker 4: brought you into the coaching profession, like when, when did

78
00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,080
Speaker 4: you decide and kind of what was your like aha

79
00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,079
Speaker 4: or why? As to why you decided, Man, I want

80
00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:19,920
Speaker 4: to make this a profession.

81
00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,440
Speaker 2: Well, you know, I always knew I wanted to be

82
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,840
Speaker 2: a coach, probably from my high school days. I had

83
00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,440
Speaker 2: a coach in high school that was a really nice guy,

84
00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,200
Speaker 2: but I didn't think he did a great job in

85
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,040
Speaker 2: terms of teaching us not only like the fundamentals of football,

86
00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,040
Speaker 2: but really the just overall like fundamentals of life. And

87
00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,400
Speaker 2: so that was kind of a space for me where

88
00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,600
Speaker 2: I thought I could make a difference, Right, I could.

89
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,000
Speaker 1: I could coach some high school football, and you know,

90
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:46,240
Speaker 1: I was.

91
00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,760
Speaker 3: Going to teach history and that was kind of my thing.

92
00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,280
Speaker 1: Leave in high school. I quickly found that history was

93
00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:53,520
Speaker 1: probably not going to be my thing.

94
00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,160
Speaker 5: I took a Ancient Chinese civilization class. I think it

95
00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,880
Speaker 5: was the first class I actually physically went to at Lynfield,

96
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,440
Speaker 5: and yeah, I was quickly no longer a history of

97
00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,280
Speaker 5: major but the coaching bug never really left.

98
00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:05,800
Speaker 1: You know.

99
00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,720
Speaker 5: I had an opportunity after playing some arena football, I

100
00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,920
Speaker 5: was kind of working in the athletic and sports performance

101
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,640
Speaker 5: area and got an opportunity at my alma mater at

102
00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,640
Speaker 5: Lindfield to coach. Well, my best friend was coaching on

103
00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,880
Speaker 5: the staff at the time and said, hey, you know

104
00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:22,000
Speaker 5: Tremaine Payne.

105
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:23,800
Speaker 1: You're running backs coach that you played for. He's going

106
00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,480
Speaker 1: to move on and we really need.

107
00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,239
Speaker 5: Someone that's familiar with the program, familiar as our system.

108
00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,080
Speaker 1: Would you be interested?

109
00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,240
Speaker 5: And I said, yeah, absolutely, and it really kind of

110
00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:32,920
Speaker 5: took off from there.

111
00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:34,360
Speaker 1: You know again, I originally.

112
00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,320
Speaker 5: Thought I was going to coach high school football for

113
00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,960
Speaker 5: the majority of my career. I'm going on year seventeen now,

114
00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,440
Speaker 5: but for the most of it, I've been a college

115
00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:42,200
Speaker 5: football coach.

116
00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,480
Speaker 1: I had a stint at Stadium.

117
00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,960
Speaker 5: High School in Tacoma, Washington, where I was a head

118
00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,440
Speaker 5: coach at a high school for four years, but you know,

119
00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,599
Speaker 5: outside that really been in the college sector, and so

120
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,600
Speaker 5: it was kind of a passion of mind growing up,

121
00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,719
Speaker 5: just just helping other people learn, trying to give back,

122
00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,039
Speaker 5: and I ended up turning into a pretty unique and

123
00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:00,960
Speaker 5: special opportunity to have a career.

124
00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,120
Speaker 4: I think when you coach high school and above, like,

125
00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,840
Speaker 4: you're out there, you're trying to win, you know, especially

126
00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,240
Speaker 4: obviously the college ranks. Your livelihood is based on performance

127
00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,120
Speaker 4: and winning. And how do you juggle because it's clearly

128
00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,719
Speaker 4: I mean, I've talked to you enough and as you mentioned,

129
00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,480
Speaker 4: like using you know, to a certain degree, football is

130
00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,160
Speaker 4: a platform to help people and help kids.

131
00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,279
Speaker 6: In their lives right on an Oscar field.

132
00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,800
Speaker 4: How do you juggle the character piece or instilling I

133
00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,080
Speaker 4: guess the life lessons while still you know, trying to

134
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:31,880
Speaker 4: do the XO thing and technique thing.

135
00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:33,800
Speaker 6: Is it intertwined? Like how do you mix that up?

136
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:35,760
Speaker 5: Well, I think it's kind of like you said, I

137
00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,119
Speaker 5: think a lot of it is intertwined. But I also

138
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,640
Speaker 5: think you can you can get lost sometimes in the

139
00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,120
Speaker 5: competition part of it. Right, You're trying to win ball

140
00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:48,479
Speaker 5: games every week, and sometimes maybe the academic piece or

141
00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,360
Speaker 5: the social piece or the emotional piece can get lost

142
00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,360
Speaker 5: a little bit. But I stay pretty grounded really because

143
00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:56,880
Speaker 5: of our staff. We do something here at the University

144
00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,720
Speaker 5: of Idaho called Real Life Wednesdays where we have our

145
00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:01,599
Speaker 5: kind of our morning meeting.

146
00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,560
Speaker 3: Is completely non football related.

147
00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,200
Speaker 5: We don't talk anything specifically about scheme or exit and

148
00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,400
Speaker 5: those kind of talk about life. And so those Wednesdays

149
00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,560
Speaker 5: for us have been a real great reminder of what

150
00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:13,279
Speaker 5: we do this for.

151
00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:15,359
Speaker 1: Yes, we want to win every game.

152
00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,920
Speaker 5: We prepare for, but in terms of the big picture,

153
00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,440
Speaker 5: we're trying to get these guys prepared for their lives

154
00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,480
Speaker 5: after football, because, as you know, the professional sports is

155
00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,080
Speaker 5: not for everybody, and a very small percentage of guys

156
00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,200
Speaker 5: end up playing in the National Football League, but you know,

157
00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,599
Speaker 5: the overwhelming percentage of our guys are going to go

158
00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,520
Speaker 5: on into life and be husbands and fathers and workers

159
00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,560
Speaker 5: and potential employeers.

160
00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,240
Speaker 1: You know. So we do a really good job of trying.

161
00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:42,240
Speaker 5: To keep that balance and keep everything in perspective every

162
00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:44,120
Speaker 5: week on Wednesdays during.

163
00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:45,279
Speaker 3: The season and in the off season.

164
00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:47,440
Speaker 5: So we get a pretty good reminder here with our

165
00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,919
Speaker 5: staff that we are here to win games, but we

166
00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:51,000
Speaker 5: are also here.

167
00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,799
Speaker 1: To really develop young men in the high character individuals

168
00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:54,520
Speaker 1: that are going to go on.

169
00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,560
Speaker 5: To society and their respective communities to do awesome things

170
00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:58,400
Speaker 5: outside of football.

171
00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,039
Speaker 4: So during that Wednesday meeting is that when you're like,

172
00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,240
Speaker 4: really trying to break down that barrier, you know, try

173
00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,279
Speaker 4: to get the guys to become vulnerable, to open up

174
00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,800
Speaker 4: and build that relationship, because I mean, I don't know

175
00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,720
Speaker 4: how many kids are on your roster. I would imagine

176
00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,200
Speaker 4: sixty seventy plus or something like that. You could answer

177
00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,520
Speaker 4: here in a second, but like to get that one

178
00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,920
Speaker 4: on one time to really cause I know some of

179
00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,440
Speaker 4: the best coaches I ever had. You know, I knew

180
00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,360
Speaker 4: they cared about me more as a person or just

181
00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,360
Speaker 4: as much as a baseball player. And it's not something

182
00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,200
Speaker 4: to tell me. It was the way they acted with me.

183
00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,040
Speaker 4: You know, they allowed me the space to kind of

184
00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,080
Speaker 4: feel like I could tell them anything, almost like a

185
00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:32,880
Speaker 4: father away from home. A lot of kids go away

186
00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,320
Speaker 4: to school. I know, I went to school ten hours

187
00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,800
Speaker 4: away from where I grew up. So having those coaches

188
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,240
Speaker 4: that made you feel like, hey, my door's open. Yeah,

189
00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:40,960
Speaker 4: a lot of people say that, But you know, at

190
00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,520
Speaker 4: the same time, having that kid know that they are comfortable, Hey,

191
00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,720
Speaker 4: something goes wrong, I can go to coach Ford or

192
00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,360
Speaker 4: whomever and get that, you know, get that counseling I need.

193
00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:49,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, one hundred percent.

194
00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,160
Speaker 2: I think that's a real big part of our program

195
00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:54,000
Speaker 2: is developing guys.

196
00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,840
Speaker 1: We really want development to be at the forefront of

197
00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:57,760
Speaker 1: everything that we do.

198
00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,880
Speaker 5: And development isn't just on the field in the weight room, right.

199
00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,800
Speaker 1: We're trying to develop these guys as.

200
00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:07,160
Speaker 5: Successful citizens in society. And so you know, we've got

201
00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,440
Speaker 5: I think eighty guys on our roster in the spring,

202
00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,280
Speaker 5: and then we'll bring in you know, almost thirty thirty

203
00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,360
Speaker 5: more for fall camp, and you know, have up to

204
00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,640
Speaker 5: one hundred and ten hundred and fifteen guys on our roster.

205
00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,000
Speaker 5: So getting an opportunity with those real life Wednesdays to

206
00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,080
Speaker 5: break off into some smaller groups, you know, create situations

207
00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,200
Speaker 5: where guys can feel really comfortable talking with not only

208
00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,920
Speaker 5: us as a coaching staff, right, but with their teammates.

209
00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,400
Speaker 5: I think that that's really been able to break down

210
00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:36,160
Speaker 5: those barriers, show our athletes that we truly do care

211
00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,040
Speaker 5: about them more than what they can do for us,

212
00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:38,959
Speaker 5: you know, on the field.

213
00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,199
Speaker 3: And so I think it's critical for that trust.

214
00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:43,800
Speaker 1: To be built, right.

215
00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,080
Speaker 5: I don't think that you can build trust by you know,

216
00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,439
Speaker 5: coaching guys all the time and never having scenarios being

217
00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,839
Speaker 5: vulnerable as a coach to kind of open the door

218
00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,840
Speaker 5: to let them know about some of our experiences, you know,

219
00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:56,079
Speaker 5: whether that's high.

220
00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,319
Speaker 1: School, college, or you know, before that, and then allowing.

221
00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,839
Speaker 5: Them to share their experiences not only with us, but

222
00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:03,560
Speaker 5: with their teammates as well.

223
00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,840
Speaker 4: So character, I'm sure, like with a lot of programs

224
00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:10,120
Speaker 4: and every sport is a big piece of the recruiting process.

225
00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,280
Speaker 4: And I know you're someone who's very vocal on your Twitter,

226
00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,200
Speaker 4: especially that I follow you know where you're you're really

227
00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,240
Speaker 4: giving kids like gold and parents whoever's following you on

228
00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,040
Speaker 4: how to go about it. You know, how to leverage

229
00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,440
Speaker 4: social media to their advantage. So I guess I would

230
00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,120
Speaker 4: love for you to kind of walk through the process. Right,

231
00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,120
Speaker 4: people are sitting there, you know, you have huddle, Right,

232
00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,320
Speaker 4: you have all these highlight serials and all these things.

233
00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,440
Speaker 4: How can they I guess walk us through the way

234
00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,720
Speaker 4: you might do a discovery process and maybe start the

235
00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,080
Speaker 4: recruiting process using social media.

236
00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:39,640
Speaker 5: Yeah.

237
00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:41,720
Speaker 3: I think social media can.

238
00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,640
Speaker 1: Be a really huge tool in recruiting. One way I

239
00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,000
Speaker 1: know for us is when guys.

240
00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:50,439
Speaker 5: Either post their highlights, maybe they post clips from a camp,

241
00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,080
Speaker 5: clips from their workouts, that can be a really good

242
00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,080
Speaker 5: starting point. Say, for example, we're looking at a defensive back,

243
00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,280
Speaker 5: and there's you know, a couple of clips of a

244
00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:01,720
Speaker 5: guy that moves really well and he's got really fluid

245
00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,839
Speaker 5: hips and we like his movement skills. That will get

246
00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,240
Speaker 5: us to investigate more. Right, So, now we'll get in

247
00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,760
Speaker 5: contact with their high school coach, kind of get some

248
00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,600
Speaker 5: character references from them, and then we'll get in touch

249
00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:14,559
Speaker 5: with the kid to really get a.

250
00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,400
Speaker 1: Chance to get to know them a little bit better

251
00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:17,040
Speaker 1: as a person.

252
00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,920
Speaker 5: One thing that's really important in our process is talking

253
00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,720
Speaker 5: with the families. I have a really big proponent of this.

254
00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,520
Speaker 5: I really believe that coaches that don't try to get

255
00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,320
Speaker 5: the families involved in the recruiting process are either a

256
00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,440
Speaker 5: not that interested or be there trying to hide something.

257
00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:33,320
Speaker 1: So that's really big for us too.

258
00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:38,400
Speaker 5: And again, social media can really be a great starting

259
00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,120
Speaker 5: point for a lot of these relationships that we build.

260
00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,840
Speaker 3: So we definitely use social media to our advantage.

261
00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,160
Speaker 1: You know, we want to make sure that not.

262
00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,760
Speaker 5: Only are guys doing the right things in the classroom

263
00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,040
Speaker 5: and on the field, but also on their social media.

264
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,520
Speaker 3: You know, I always tell guys be careful when you click.

265
00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,720
Speaker 5: You know, what you like, what you retweet, what you quote, tweet,

266
00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,400
Speaker 5: that tells us a lot about who you are as

267
00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,480
Speaker 5: an individual as well. And so again that starting point

268
00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,240
Speaker 5: can be good, but it can also cut a lot

269
00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,000
Speaker 5: of guys off, you know, out of the process early on.

270
00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,560
Speaker 5: You know, it's just your social media is filled with a.

271
00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:14,080
Speaker 1: Bunch of negativity and things that maybe don't represent our program.

272
00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:15,840
Speaker 1: It's pretty easy to say no to that kid.

273
00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,560
Speaker 4: So that's an interesting point you made about, you know,

274
00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:21,559
Speaker 4: getting the family involved, because I'll hear others who Now

275
00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:23,640
Speaker 4: it's interesting, Like, I've never heard a coach say when

276
00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,120
Speaker 4: we're recruiting, they don't want to talk to the family,

277
00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:27,920
Speaker 4: But I've heard coaches say they want to be able

278
00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,959
Speaker 4: to communicate with the kid one on one.

279
00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:32,760
Speaker 6: I've heard stories where someone will have some come.

280
00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,480
Speaker 4: On for an official visit or maybe not an unofficial visit,

281
00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,640
Speaker 4: and the parents answering everything for the kid. So how

282
00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:41,880
Speaker 4: does that you know, So where does the line get arle.

283
00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:43,480
Speaker 4: You want to build rapport, but you also want to

284
00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,520
Speaker 4: make sure the kid I would assume could communicate for

285
00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:46,280
Speaker 4: himself or not.

286
00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,200
Speaker 5: Yeah, no, I think what you said definitely matters. I

287
00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,440
Speaker 5: know that's something that's really big on our visits. You know,

288
00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,360
Speaker 5: there's different personalities for different kids, and I don't think

289
00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,040
Speaker 5: that it necessarily cancels the kid out if their parents

290
00:11:58,040 --> 00:11:59,520
Speaker 5: do a lot of the talking, because maybe they're just

291
00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,000
Speaker 5: by nature not a talkative person.

292
00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,000
Speaker 1: But that is definitely something that we look at. You know,

293
00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:05,760
Speaker 1: if we.

294
00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,600
Speaker 5: Find that there's either a parent that isn't a cultural

295
00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,240
Speaker 5: fit for our program, or maybe a parent that is

296
00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,240
Speaker 5: doing all the talking and we don't ever get to

297
00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,840
Speaker 5: talk to the kid, that can definitely be a red flag.

298
00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:18,840
Speaker 1: But I also think it is important to speak with

299
00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:19,480
Speaker 1: those parents.

300
00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,000
Speaker 5: But for the athletes that are listening to this podcast,

301
00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,880
Speaker 5: I really believe in speaking up for yourself. You should

302
00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,000
Speaker 5: never have a recruiting question that has to do with

303
00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:33,160
Speaker 5: playing time, really, anything that's football related. Those kind of

304
00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,640
Speaker 5: questions should really be for the student athlete. You know,

305
00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,720
Speaker 5: Obviously there's other things financial aid academics that parents are

306
00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,400
Speaker 5: going to want to know about, but I think for

307
00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,440
Speaker 5: those specific questions related to the sport, those are really

308
00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,320
Speaker 5: questions you want the student athlete to ask.

309
00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,120
Speaker 1: I don't really want to talk to a parent about

310
00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,400
Speaker 1: playing time, right, That's not going to happen when they.

311
00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:52,319
Speaker 5: Come to campus, So it's not something that we want

312
00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,040
Speaker 5: to set a precedent for in the recruiting process either.

313
00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,080
Speaker 4: When return coach Ford and I discussed the importance of

314
00:12:58,080 --> 00:12:59,960
Speaker 4: being patient with the process.

315
00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:01,480
Speaker 6: For both student athletes and parents.

316
00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,120
Speaker 4: Where we left off, Thomas and I were about to

317
00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,520
Speaker 4: talk about how parents can help their young athletes by

318
00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:19,880
Speaker 4: being more supportive as opposed to assertive. I'm glad you

319
00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,560
Speaker 4: brought up the word playing time because you know everyone

320
00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,360
Speaker 4: wants to play, you know, I mean very rarely do

321
00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:25,559
Speaker 4: you say I want to go somewhere and I just

322
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:26,800
Speaker 4: want to I just want to be a part of

323
00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:27,679
Speaker 4: I mean a lot of people want to be a

324
00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:28,760
Speaker 4: part of it, but it's like you want to be

325
00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:29,760
Speaker 4: in some way.

326
00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,920
Speaker 6: You know, have an opportunity to be a contributor.

327
00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,440
Speaker 4: You know, sometimes it's have to wait longer than others, Right,

328
00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,480
Speaker 4: you have to wait a few years. You know, what

329
00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,320
Speaker 4: should be the expectation of a young student athlete, because

330
00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,160
Speaker 4: I mean, you got transfer portal kids you have you're

331
00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,880
Speaker 4: competing against every single year. You know, I think I

332
00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,439
Speaker 4: don't think it's ever been more challenging for a rising

333
00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,560
Speaker 4: freshman in college. You know, you got to really, in

334
00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,360
Speaker 4: my opinion, stand out to really be a massive contributor

335
00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,200
Speaker 4: at the collegiate level, really at any level as a freshman.

336
00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:01,360
Speaker 4: But I would imagine as a coach, and I don't

337
00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:02,559
Speaker 4: want to put words him up, but if I was

338
00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:04,040
Speaker 4: a coach, I would think, you don't want every freshman

339
00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:05,559
Speaker 4: to come in here thinking I know I could be

340
00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:06,480
Speaker 4: an impact player.

341
00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:07,839
Speaker 6: I know, I just got to go earn it. So

342
00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:08,800
Speaker 6: you don't want to take away that.

343
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:10,720
Speaker 4: You don't want someone to come in and like settle

344
00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:12,720
Speaker 4: for like being a backup for three year, still on

345
00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,679
Speaker 4: the compete. Sure, how should they juggle that? Hey, I'm

346
00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:17,480
Speaker 4: used to being the star at my high school and

347
00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,800
Speaker 4: pop Warner my whole life, and now, man, I'm just

348
00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,160
Speaker 4: one of the guys who's trying to earn my keep

349
00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,120
Speaker 4: and not only make the team, but hopefully be a contributor.

350
00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,280
Speaker 5: May take some time, Yeah, And I think that's one

351
00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:29,240
Speaker 5: thing that I really appreached to guys, is just being

352
00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:30,440
Speaker 5: patient with the process.

353
00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,280
Speaker 1: You know, not everybody's process is exactly the same.

354
00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,840
Speaker 2: For example, this past year, I had a senior running

355
00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:38,360
Speaker 2: back that kind of was penciled in to be the

356
00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,800
Speaker 2: starter all through his thing, and he did a really

357
00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:42,600
Speaker 2: good job, and he was a really good player, for

358
00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:44,440
Speaker 2: us did some really good things, but we had.

359
00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,040
Speaker 5: A true freshman that just kept being patient.

360
00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,920
Speaker 1: He really learned the system and as he.

361
00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,160
Speaker 5: Got better and better in the system throughout all camp,

362
00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,360
Speaker 5: you got to see his ability, you know, and he

363
00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,280
Speaker 5: ended up being our starter really pretty much three quarters

364
00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:01,400
Speaker 5: of the season. And so again, just that patience I

365
00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,880
Speaker 5: think is critical. You know, it's easy to want to

366
00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,560
Speaker 5: leave when it's not easy for you, and maybe it's not.

367
00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:07,320
Speaker 1: Your freshman year.

368
00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,320
Speaker 5: But I think if guys can be patients kind of

369
00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,000
Speaker 5: see a clear path for them as their future.

370
00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,600
Speaker 1: Grows and they grow.

371
00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,160
Speaker 5: As an individual, that is the best advice I could

372
00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,760
Speaker 5: give you. Because quite frankly, if you have too many

373
00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,960
Speaker 5: true freshmen playing on any team in any sport in

374
00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,600
Speaker 5: college athletics.

375
00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:28,640
Speaker 1: You're probably not a very good team. And so really

376
00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,520
Speaker 1: you either have to be a really special true freshman

377
00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:33,640
Speaker 1: or your team isn't very good.

378
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:35,840
Speaker 5: So I think a lot of guys that want to

379
00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:37,800
Speaker 5: play as freshmen, that's exactly what you want.

380
00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,520
Speaker 1: You want that attitude. You want them competing and preparing

381
00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:42,640
Speaker 1: life they're going to be a starter.

382
00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,040
Speaker 5: But also having the objectivity to take a step back

383
00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,520
Speaker 5: and go, hey, you know these guys have been in

384
00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,440
Speaker 5: college for two or three years, they've been in a

385
00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:52,600
Speaker 5: college strengthen and conditioning program.

386
00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,440
Speaker 1: They were their best players at their high school too,

387
00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:57,600
Speaker 1: and their freshman year they might not have played. So

388
00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,000
Speaker 1: it's just again.

389
00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:03,680
Speaker 5: Having some objectivity, have the ability to see your future

390
00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:05,840
Speaker 5: path and not just what's in front of you on

391
00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,840
Speaker 5: that next step. Because again, that patience will really pay

392
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,480
Speaker 5: off for a lot of people that really stick it out,

393
00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,160
Speaker 5: you know, and work on the things they can control

394
00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,920
Speaker 5: and really focus on the process versus just the results.

395
00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:19,600
Speaker 5: And I think the guys that are able to do

396
00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,120
Speaker 5: that are normally the ones that have really successful for

397
00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:22,840
Speaker 5: your careers.

398
00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:24,360
Speaker 6: I'm just listening to it.

399
00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,720
Speaker 4: I'm thinking, how often maybe a kid's being patient, but

400
00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,600
Speaker 4: he's got his buddy or his aunt or his mom

401
00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,520
Speaker 4: or his dad telling him how great he is, right,

402
00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,320
Speaker 4: And it's like, you know, these are the people that

403
00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,440
Speaker 4: you love the most, you trust and care about the most.

404
00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,600
Speaker 6: And oftentimes I guess, as someone.

405
00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:44,680
Speaker 4: Who recruits, how can parents be their kids ally versus

406
00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,160
Speaker 4: potentially probably not coming from a bad or malicious place,

407
00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,680
Speaker 4: but really put toxic thoughts in their mind in borderline

408
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,040
Speaker 4: derail a career by not allowing them to be patient, right, Like,

409
00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:58,160
Speaker 4: how can parents be the ally?

410
00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,400
Speaker 5: I think one thing parents and do is also be objective.

411
00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:05,040
Speaker 5: You know, for example, if their young athlete is not

412
00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,199
Speaker 5: playing a whole bunch, taking a look at who is

413
00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,120
Speaker 5: playing and not necessarily trying to compare, but seeing what

414
00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:17,119
Speaker 5: physical or mental attributes that player has and going, hey,

415
00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:19,600
Speaker 5: you know what, I can see that my son or

416
00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,800
Speaker 5: daughter is really talented, but I can also see how

417
00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,160
Speaker 5: this person is really talented, and just having a little

418
00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:29,080
Speaker 5: bit of that objectivity because everybody wants their kid.

419
00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,480
Speaker 1: To be the best kid, and it obviously is going

420
00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,600
Speaker 1: to think very highly of their student athlete. But at

421
00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,280
Speaker 1: the same time, just being able.

422
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,520
Speaker 5: To take two steps back and removing the emotion out

423
00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,280
Speaker 5: of the situation can really help parents because obviously, just

424
00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,399
Speaker 5: like any parent, right, I know, I'm super emotional with

425
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,360
Speaker 5: my kids, they're my kids, but when it comes to sports,

426
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,680
Speaker 5: I always have to remind myself I got to take

427
00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,080
Speaker 5: two steps back because not only you know, as my

428
00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,560
Speaker 5: kid playing, there are other parents' kids playing as well,

429
00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,720
Speaker 5: And so just being able to take a couple of

430
00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,679
Speaker 5: steps back, really seeing the big picture, being objective and

431
00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:06,800
Speaker 5: being supportive as opposed to assertive I think can really

432
00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,920
Speaker 5: help a student athlete because oftentimes, you know, parents, uncles, cousins,

433
00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,400
Speaker 5: things like that can only see one side of the story,

434
00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,240
Speaker 5: and I don't necessarily think that helps the student athlete.

435
00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:20,320
Speaker 1: I think if they can have.

436
00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:22,080
Speaker 5: A voice of reason that says, hey, well, you know

437
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:23,680
Speaker 5: you're doing a great job, but I.

438
00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,640
Speaker 1: Think this other guy's doing some really good things.

439
00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,679
Speaker 5: Too, you know, so you've got to really focus on,

440
00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,080
Speaker 5: you know, what you can do to improve your game,

441
00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:32,760
Speaker 5: and talking to your coaches about what you can do

442
00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:33,720
Speaker 5: to improve your game.

443
00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:35,040
Speaker 1: And so I think parents can.

444
00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,000
Speaker 5: Just be really supportive again, taking those couple of steps

445
00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:39,800
Speaker 5: back to be objective can really.

446
00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:40,639
Speaker 1: Help their athlete.

447
00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,359
Speaker 4: So when you're when, I mean, you played at Division

448
00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:44,840
Speaker 4: three and no one did you play at Division three.

449
00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,119
Speaker 4: You were a national champion, So you played at the

450
00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,600
Speaker 4: highest level Division three, which I'm sure in your mind

451
00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:50,920
Speaker 4: and I don't want to put words in your mouth,

452
00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,600
Speaker 4: but I'm sure you would feel very confidence. Say there's

453
00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,600
Speaker 4: some D two and maybe even some D one teams

454
00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:57,400
Speaker 4: that your national championship.

455
00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:57,920
Speaker 6: Team would have ran through.

456
00:18:58,560 --> 00:18:58,840
Speaker 1: Sure.

457
00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,399
Speaker 4: Sure, So with that said, you're at an FCS school,

458
00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:06,320
Speaker 4: very very very competitive FCS school. But there's FBS right right,

459
00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:08,800
Speaker 4: you know the Ohio States, the Power fives and whatever

460
00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,960
Speaker 4: that everyone knows. The Alabama's there's Division two, there's NAI,

461
00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,000
Speaker 4: there's D three, there's a junior college. How can kids

462
00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,320
Speaker 4: know what's the best fit for them? And also how

463
00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,520
Speaker 4: to pair? Like, how do you differentiate whether my kid

464
00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,800
Speaker 4: will be an impact player at you know, Idaho versus

465
00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,440
Speaker 4: you know, go to a D three school maybe be

466
00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,480
Speaker 4: an impact player? Like how how can they figure those

467
00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:31,600
Speaker 4: things out? What are the things that you believe they

468
00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:33,440
Speaker 4: can look at hard data and be like, okay, here's

469
00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:34,119
Speaker 4: my fitness.

470
00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:35,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that number one.

471
00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:37,760
Speaker 5: That's an awesome question because I think this is one

472
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:39,720
Speaker 5: of the most relevant questions in recruiting.

473
00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:42,080
Speaker 1: And it's really kind of a two prong thing.

474
00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,960
Speaker 5: I think the first thing parents can do, especially when

475
00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:46,120
Speaker 5: they're student athletes.

476
00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:46,719
Speaker 1: Are a little bit younger.

477
00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,679
Speaker 5: For example, they're they're in their sophomore here, they just

478
00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,680
Speaker 5: finish their software competitive season, and they kind of take

479
00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,400
Speaker 5: a look at, you know, rosters at schools that they'll

480
00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,720
Speaker 5: be interested in. Well, you probably need to go watch

481
00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:03,040
Speaker 5: video of those players in those positions when.

482
00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:03,800
Speaker 1: They were in high school.

483
00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,560
Speaker 5: Maybe their sophomore year or junior year, because that can

484
00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,399
Speaker 5: give you a really really good example of what you know,

485
00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,840
Speaker 5: Alabama's looking for, what Idaho is looking for, what runs

486
00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,360
Speaker 5: Field's looking for. And I think obviously everybody has their

487
00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,280
Speaker 5: site set on, you know, playing at the highest level,

488
00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,639
Speaker 5: which I think is a great goal, but I also

489
00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,439
Speaker 5: think you've got to be realistic about your ability. I

490
00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,720
Speaker 5: think you've got to be realistic about the level of

491
00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:28,760
Speaker 5: ability that the.

492
00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:29,960
Speaker 1: Rosters currently have.

493
00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,600
Speaker 5: So say, for example, and you're looking at Ohio State,

494
00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,360
Speaker 5: you're play running back, you need to go watch those

495
00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:37,160
Speaker 5: running backs.

496
00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,280
Speaker 1: That are on their roster sophomore in junior.

497
00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,560
Speaker 5: Films, be objective, compare it to your sophomore in junior film.

498
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,159
Speaker 5: If the film is not comparable, and you can say, ah,

499
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,479
Speaker 5: I can see a lot of similarities, we probably need

500
00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:48,920
Speaker 5: to start looking at a different place.

501
00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:50,920
Speaker 1: And that kind of brings me to my second point.

502
00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,480
Speaker 5: And I've always said this, especially through your junior season.

503
00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,120
Speaker 1: Once you kind of complete your junior season, you kind

504
00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,600
Speaker 1: of are the level of who is recruiting you.

505
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,200
Speaker 5: So, for example, if you're getting a bunch of Division

506
00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,399
Speaker 5: threes that are recruiting you, you don't have a lot

507
00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:07,760
Speaker 5: of Division ones recruiting, you're probably more of a Division

508
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,160
Speaker 5: three guy that's probably going to be your fit.

509
00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,200
Speaker 1: And there's nothing wrong with that, I.

510
00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,000
Speaker 5: Know obviously, you know you've played at this level, and

511
00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,560
Speaker 5: you probably played with some really good players in your

512
00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,920
Speaker 5: playing days in college, and you know, probably guys that

513
00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,200
Speaker 5: maybe could have played at a higher level, especially you

514
00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,240
Speaker 5: know they're a junior and senior season. And so again,

515
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,080
Speaker 5: finding your fit is critical, but also being objective is

516
00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:32,280
Speaker 5: even more critical. So if you can kind of see

517
00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,000
Speaker 5: your talent, your ability compared to some of those that

518
00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,399
Speaker 5: are already there, that's probably the best way to do

519
00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,640
Speaker 5: it preemptively. And then once the recruitment process actually starts,

520
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,440
Speaker 5: you are who you're getting recruited by. And so again,

521
00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,159
Speaker 5: don't take that as a knock. Don't don't look at

522
00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:49,440
Speaker 5: it as like, oh, people are sleeping on me. Look

523
00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,439
Speaker 5: at it as, hey, this is my level. I'm going

524
00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,159
Speaker 5: to excel at this level and I'm going to be

525
00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,639
Speaker 5: the best I can't be at whatever level that is.

526
00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,120
Speaker 4: That is the first time I heard that, and it's

527
00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,719
Speaker 4: so funny. It's like I would have loved to have

528
00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:03,399
Speaker 4: you know, I'm a baseball player, but I would have

529
00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:07,320
Speaker 4: loved to have like watched you know Jason Veritech for instance,

530
00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,359
Speaker 4: you know famous red Sox back when he was in

531
00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:10,919
Speaker 4: high school, and I would have known right away that

532
00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:15,040
Speaker 4: I had no business sending Georgia tech and whatever it

533
00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,760
Speaker 4: was like, of course, But my point is that information's

534
00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:19,879
Speaker 4: out there, like huddles are out there, like videos are

535
00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:20,399
Speaker 4: out there.

536
00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,000
Speaker 6: You can go look at the starting.

537
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,199
Speaker 4: Tailback at Idaho or wherever and say what did they

538
00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,720
Speaker 4: look like four or five years ago and compare It's

539
00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,280
Speaker 4: that's a phenomenal piece of advice and a great way

540
00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,880
Speaker 4: for these kids to leverage this technology and all these

541
00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,040
Speaker 4: assets that are out there for them to put themselves

542
00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,440
Speaker 4: in the best position. Coach, where can people find you?

543
00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,399
Speaker 4: And before you tell us that, I guess what's the

544
00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,399
Speaker 4: best way for someone to jump off the radar if

545
00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:44,440
Speaker 4: they want to come play? You know, for coach t

546
00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,360
Speaker 4: Ford at Idaho, how can they get on your radar?

547
00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:48,679
Speaker 4: What's the best way to get up with you?

548
00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,000
Speaker 5: I think there's two things you can do. The number

549
00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,200
Speaker 5: one thing is the easiest thing possible. Be really good

550
00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,080
Speaker 5: on Friday nights, and not just on Friday nights.

551
00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:00,480
Speaker 1: Be really good Monday through Thursday. All the way until

552
00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:01,240
Speaker 1: you're Friday night.

553
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,720
Speaker 5: So number one, you have great film, but number two,

554
00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:07,480
Speaker 5: and probably more important, you have great character references. Because

555
00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,320
Speaker 5: we do see a lot of players that are super talented.

556
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:11,880
Speaker 5: Right then they're taking care of business on Friday night,

557
00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,760
Speaker 5: but they might not be taking your business Sunday through Monday,

558
00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,719
Speaker 5: Sunday through Thursday, right, And so I think that's the

559
00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:21,000
Speaker 5: best way. Just be really good at your craft. And

560
00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:23,680
Speaker 5: then the second way is to get in front of

561
00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,520
Speaker 5: our coaches in person. The in person evaluation process here

562
00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,440
Speaker 5: at the University Idea Go is huge. In fact, last year,

563
00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,879
Speaker 5: in our class of twenty twenty three, seventy six percent

564
00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,520
Speaker 5: of our committed and signed guys attended one of our camps.

565
00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,399
Speaker 1: Right. So, I think if.

566
00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,600
Speaker 5: There's a school that you're really excited about, let's say

567
00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,119
Speaker 5: University Idaho is a school you're really really excited about,

568
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,639
Speaker 5: you really want a great opportunity there, right, come to

569
00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,400
Speaker 5: our camp, get on our campus, do it in front

570
00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,760
Speaker 5: of our coaching staff's eyes. And it's very very difficult.

571
00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,440
Speaker 5: When a guy is excellent at your camp.

572
00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:58,880
Speaker 3: It's almost impossible to not want him on your roster.

573
00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:00,800
Speaker 6: I love it.

574
00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:02,800
Speaker 4: Coach for where can I know you're on Twitter? What's

575
00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,200
Speaker 4: your handle? Your Instagram all that stuff? Where can people

576
00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:05,679
Speaker 4: get up with you?

577
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:06,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, you've been.

578
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,119
Speaker 2: I'm on Twitter at coach T four so coach T

579
00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,280
Speaker 2: F O R D and it's the same thing as Instagram.

580
00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:14,560
Speaker 1: So those are really probably.

581
00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,000
Speaker 2: The two platform platforms I'm on the most. I don't

582
00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,800
Speaker 2: really have Snapchat, not really a TikTok guy, but Twitter

583
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,159
Speaker 2: and Instagram are definitely good places to find me.

584
00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,320
Speaker 5: Twitter is a place that you can find a bunch

585
00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,920
Speaker 5: of stuff. I always kind of tweet out recruiting tips,

586
00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,399
Speaker 5: kind of dos and don'ts, not only for athletes, but

587
00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,119
Speaker 5: also for high school coaches and also for parents. You know,

588
00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,920
Speaker 5: I think I've got a very unique perspective of this.

589
00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:39,800
Speaker 1: You know, I've been a high school coach, I've been

590
00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,320
Speaker 1: a D three coach, D two coach, at SCS.

591
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:43,879
Speaker 5: Coach, I've coached at the Power five level, So I

592
00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,320
Speaker 5: kind of have a really good understanding of what the

593
00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,600
Speaker 5: recruiting process looks like and how people can really excel

594
00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,120
Speaker 5: and there get their film to the front of the pack,

595
00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:52,879
Speaker 5: so to speak.

596
00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:57,040
Speaker 4: Coach Thomas Ford Junior University of Idaho the Vandals, man

597
00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:58,320
Speaker 4: I can't thank you enough for coming on.

598
00:24:58,320 --> 00:24:58,480
Speaker 1: Bro.

599
00:24:58,520 --> 00:24:59,480
Speaker 6: I really appreciate you.

600
00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,000
Speaker 1: I appreciate you man. Just a couple of D three

601
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,280
Speaker 1: athletes trying to live the good life and pass on

602
00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,280
Speaker 1: the knowledge. We've got to the next generation.

603
00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,280
Speaker 6: Hey, you sold the short. Couple of D three national champs.

604
00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:09,800
Speaker 6: Let's go.

605
00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,440
Speaker 1: You're right, a couple of D three national champs.

606
00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:14,680
Speaker 6: We've got to pat ourselves in the back every once

607
00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,080
Speaker 6: in a while. I appreciate your coach.

608
00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:17,280
Speaker 1: I appreciate you as well.

609
00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:17,560
Speaker 5: Nick.

610
00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,200
Speaker 4: That's Thomas Ford, running backs coach at the University of Idaho.

611
00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:24,639
Speaker 4: Thanks for listening to the Reform Sports Project podcast. Dominick

612
00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,199
Speaker 4: Bonacort and our goal is to restore a healthy balance

613
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,159
Speaker 4: and perspective in all areas of sports through education and advocacy.

614
00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,800
Speaker 4: For updates, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,

615
00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,199
Speaker 4: or check out our website by searching for the Reform

616
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:38,040
Speaker 4: Sports Project