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The Great Divide The southern half of the United States produces a disproportionate amount of the country's football talent, and the gap between other regions has grown larger during the past 10 years. Szczesny and company have been searching. There are stronger forces at work, they said, keeping the North from pulling even in the recruiting trail battles. Population shifts, for example, are helping southern states produce more talent because of sheer numbers. According to data from the most recent U.S. Census, Florida, Georgia and Texas all grew at least 17 percent in total population from 2000 to 2010. Arizona, which has seen a recent uptick in high-level prospects, grew by 24.6 percent in that time frame. Meanwhile, Illinois grew 3.3 percent and Ohio only 1.6 percent, while Michigan lost 0.6 percent of its population. Colder weather sends athletes in the North inside basketball gyms and hockey rinks during the winter months rather than keeping their minds focused on one sport. The new, faster style of play at the college level lends itself to the speedy players of the South better than the traditionally big and powerful Midwest players. The biggest obstacle to restoring balance from one region to the next, though, is a vast difference in culture. Fewer cities and fewer professional sports franchises lead to a higher interest level in local athletes and high school teams. That environment produces towns like Allen, Texas, where the high school team plays in a $60 million stadium complete with a 38-foot video board. Lemming said he can remember interviewing a junior quarterback at a McDonald's in South Carolina not long ago and looking up to notice that same prospect's pictures hanging on the wall above him. "It's a different way of life," said Notre Dame's Martin. "Football is everything down in the South. It's a year-round deal down there." A year-round approach to football breeds better players. It increases practice time exponentially during the course of their development. It ingrains football movements into their muscle memory without having to relearn them every August. It's what ■ Nor the as t Top-50 Recruits In 2003: 0 2008: 0 2013: 0 First-Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 2 2010-13: 2 ■ Midw est Top-50 Recruits In 2003: 8 2008: 6 2013: 4 First-Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 23 2010-13: 20 ■ Atla ntic Top-50 Recruits In 2003: 5 2008: 6 2013: 10 First Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 26 2010-13: 15 ■ R ockie s Top-50 Recruits In 2003: 0 2008: 0 2013: 0 First-Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 2 2010-13: 4 ■ Southe as t Top-50 Recruits In 2003: 20 2008: 23 2013: 25 First-Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 43 2010-13: 47 ■ Southwe st Top 50 Recruits In 2003: 9 2008: 7 2013: 7 First Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 16 2010-13: 25 ■ W est Top-50 Recruits In 2003: 8 2008: 8 2013: 6 First-Round Draft Picks From 2006-09: 15 2010-13: 13 Szczesny and others felt was missing. Ultimately, the culture is what needs to change if the South is ever to be caught. To call that ambitious is an understatement. "That's the plan." Szczesny said. "The problem with the culture is there has never been anything like this before. Slowly you're seeing a few guys here and there saying I won't play basketball, I'll focus on football. It's going to take a while, but I could see it happening. Obviously I'm betting on it happening." There are plenty who would take that bet. The labors of yearround football have yet to bear any significant increase in the number of scholarships being awarded in the North. The idea of year-round football is starting to grow, though. There is no doubt that the process of college recruiting is changing. Can the culture change with it? ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview ✦ 35 32-35.Can the North Rise Again.indd 35 6/25/13 10:45 AM