College sports recruiting has always been demanding, but coaches across the country say the process has become more chaotic than ever. According to a recent article via USA Today, Staffs are evaluating massive databases, juggling unpredictable rosters, and navigating a landscape shaped by NIL and the transfer portal. A behind the scenes look at the University of Pennsylvania football program reveals how heavy the workload has become and why pressure on both coaches and athletes continues to increase.
Why the process has accelerated so quickly
Recruiting at the Division I level is now an everyday operation. Coaches describe a world where evaluations begin as soon as they step into the office and continue long after practices end. The transfer portal has created new uncertainty, forcing staffs to rebuild rosters each year and adjust quickly when players leave.
Penn head coach Ray Priore says the shift has been dramatic. He once traveled with bags full of VHS tapes to evaluate prospects. Now he can access any player’s film instantly, but the speed of technology has multiplied the workload. More information means more players to evaluate and more decisions to make in less time.
Managing hundreds of prospects at the same time
During a live search of the program’s recruiting system, Penn’s defensive coordinator Bob Benson pulled up more than 580 high school safeties in the Class of 2027 who met basic academic requirements. His responsibility is to evaluate all of them.
This volume forces coaches to rely on more than film. Staffs contact teachers, office personnel, and even security guards to understand a player’s character and consistency. Since coaches cannot fully evaluate hundreds of athletes on tape, the impressions people give at school play a major role in recruiting decisions.
Academics come first at high academic institutions
At Ivy League schools, academic qualifications determine whether an athlete can even be considered. Recruiting coordinator Jon Dupont says GPA and course rigor are evaluated before athletic ability. Even talented prospects cannot move forward unless they meet admissions standards.
Coaches often help families adjust their academic schedules to improve their chances of being admitted. Adding Advanced Placement classes during senior year has become common for recruits who sit on the academic borderline.
Many athletes think they are being recruited when they are not
Automated graphics, camp invitations, and social media follows regularly mislead families into believing they are priority targets. Coaches at Penn emphasize that personal communication is the only true sign of real recruiting interest. A direct call or text during official contact periods carries actual meaning.
Mass mailings and personalized graphics are now part of the modern recruiting environment, but they do not guarantee that a school is pursuing a player. Priore encourages athletes to stay patient and focus on genuine conversations, not promotional messages.
Why explosive traits still catch a coach’s attention
Priore says he often looks for athletic qualities that show natural upside. Vertical jump, broad jump, and overall explosiveness frequently reveal potential that is not obvious on film. A player may not dominate games yet still display rare physical traits that make him someone worth evaluating closely.
Coaches encourage athletes to share videos that highlight unique abilities. Clips of a player dunking a basketball or showing multi sport skills can help them stand out among hundreds of similar prospects.
The relationship side of recruiting is more complicated
Priore compares recruiting to the stages of a relationship. Early communication does not equal commitment. Coaches and athletes build trust step by step.
This relationship building has become more challenging as staffs manage the uncertainty created by the portal while still investing time in high school recruits. Coaches are balancing the development of long term relationships with short term roster needs.
