Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/140903
The Sun Belt's love of high school footfrom nine different states across five difball has helped that region develop a near ferent time zones, and only one player monopoly on the sport's talent production — linebacker Dan Fox — played high market. Twenty-five of the top 50 high school football within 700 miles of Notre school seniors in the country this year, acDame's campus. cording to 247Sports, attend school south The talent has shifted to the south, and of Nashville, Tenn., and east of Shreveso has the success. No team north of Tusport, La. Only 26 percent of that same list caloosa, Ala. has won a national champilives in the northern half of the country. onship since Ohio State in 2002. Most recruiting experts agree the geoMartin said there is no way to compare graphical gap only stretches wider as the the level of talent available in that area list of prospects expands to include the of the country to regions where football top 250 or 500 players. is far more prevalent. The time southFor schools like Notre Dame, that presern players spend practicing during their ents a problem. Plucking talented players youth careers gives them an insurmountfrom states such as Florida, Texas and able lead on players with an equal amount California — by far the three most fertile of natural talent from places where foothunting grounds — is a challenge for ball is restricted to a fall sport. schools located elsewhere. The Irish cast "It's impossible," he said. "If you take one of the nation's largest nets when it the same kid as a 5-year-old and he gets comes to recruiting from coast to coast, to practice 100 percent more over the next but they still swing and miss more often 12 years of his life, how could the kid not than not when pursuing players outside of be better? It's not a level playing field." their home base. Coaches and recruiting experts point to "It's harder, no doubt. It takes a lot of spring football practices as a major differwork," said Irish offensive coordinator Clifton Garrett, a Chicago-area 2014 linebacker prospect, ence maker. Most southern high schools Chuck Martin, who is responsible mainly was one of many Midwest recruits that played in the IMG practice for a full month in the spring. for recruiting in the Midwest. "You've seven-on-seven national championship this June. Most northern states don't allow it. Tom Photo courtesy 247sports Lemming, who has covered football rejust got to try to find enough of them. You're not going to win the majority of those battles." cruiting across the country for 35 years, said the number of prosNotre Dame did a good job of corralling the best local talent pects from Midwest states started to drop shortly after schools did during the past two recruiting cycles. The Irish signed the top away with spring ball in the 1970s. player in Indiana in back-to-back years, quarterback Gunner Kiel The timing of spring practice, along with the ability to be outand linebacker Jaylon Smith, plus defensive end Sheldon Day, side in all seasons, fuels the year-round cycle of football in the who was the runner-up to Kiel for the state's Mr. Football Award South. Shortly after the fall season ends, the next crop of players in 2012. (Kiel transferred to Cincinnati this spring.) has reason to get excited about preparing to impress their coaches But Martin and the rest of the coaching staff don't have a in the spring. That momentum carries them through to spring long list of in-state players with which to stock their roster on a practice, and summer provides time to stay in shape before the yearly basis. That luxury is one that exists almost solely below year starts again. the Mason-Dixon Line today. It used to be a feasible reality in Spring practice at many schools coincides with the time that the Midwest when Notre Dame and a smash-mouth style of play college coaches are allowed to travel the country and watch prosdominated the college football world a generation ago. pects in action — providing another incentive for players in those The school's 1977 national championship defense started nine states to work hard during the winter months in hopes of catching players that grew up within 350 miles of South Bend. The defense a coach's eye and perhaps picking up a few scholarship offers that started last year's BCS National Championship Game hailed when they swing through town. Branching Out As the talent pool has shifted to other parts of the country, Notre Dame has had to reach further and further from home to fill its roster. The difference between the starting lineup for Notre Dame's 1977 defense and last year's championship game defense shows why it's become harder for the Irish to find the players they need. Senior nose guard Louis Nix III came from Jacksonville, Fla., to help rebuild a defense that had been having difficulties attracting top linemen from the South. Photo by Bill Panzica 1977 Pos.Player DT Mike Calhoun DT Ken Dike DE Ross Browner DE Willie Fry LB Doug Becker LB Bob Golic LB Steve Heimkreiter CB Ted Burgmeier CB Luther Bradley SS Jim Browner FS Joe Restic Hometown Youngstown, Ohio Merrillville, Ind. Warren, Ohio Memphis, Tenn. Hamilton, Ohio Cleveland Cincinnati Dubuque, Iowa Muncie, Ind. Warren, Ohio Milford, Mass. 2012 Pos.Players NG Louis Nix III DE Stephon Tuitt DE Kapron Lewis-Moore LB Prince Shembo LB Manti Te'o LB Dan Fox LB Danny Spond CB KeiVarae Russell CB Bennett Jackson Matthias Farley S S Zeke Motta Hometown Jacksonville, Fla. Monroe, Ga. Weatherford, Texas Charlotte, N.C. Laie, Hawaii Rocky River, Ohio Littleton, Colo. Everett, Wash. Hazlet, N.J. Charlotte, N.C. Vero Beach, Fla. Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview ✦ 33 32-35.Can the North Rise Again.indd 33 6/25/13 1:18 PM