Pride, Ragland take official visits

BY LINDSAY VAUGHT

With Christmas just a few days away, college coaches are busy filling out their wish list. The regular season may have ended but another season is just heating up.

Recruiting is in the final stages and between now and National Signing Day on February 1, 2012 colleges will zero in on players that will one day determine the not just the outcome of games but coaches careers.

Locally, Reggie Ragland of Bob Jones has solidified his Alabama commitment with an official visit. Ragland was in Tuscaloosa on December 1-2 where he met with coaches and academic advisors.

“I got there that morning and ate breakfast with the coaches and the other guys taking their visit,” Ragland said. “They were T.J. Yelding, Eddie Williams, and Jameis Winston. We were taken on a tour of the campus. We went inside Bryant Hall where the academic center is. We saw where players stay and where they eat. I met with Coach Saban, Coach Smart, Coach Sal, and Coach Pruitt.”

He also attended the Alabama-Georgetown basketball game. He had taken numerous unofficial visits where he attended football games including the LSU game this season.

Athletic Director Mal Moore also gave the recruits a presentation on the history and success of Alabama football.

“I met with academic advisors who explained that if players don’t go to class they are docked points and so many points and you have to get up at 6 o’clock in the morning and go to the center and study. So I don’t want to do that,” said Ragland who is still unsure of a major but knows it will be in the College of Business.

“It means a lot how I present myself to the coaches. I am always respectful to them. I will be representing their school and I want to project a positive image,” said Ragland who is academically qualified.

Today coaches must achieve Academic Progress Rates so athletes must demonstrate good character, academic achievement, and leadership qualities. Communication skills are a must for players who want to play at the next level.

Football players are limited to no more than five Official Visits defined as expense paid visits to college campuses. Only one visit per college campus is allowed beginning the opening day of classes in the senior year.

Few players take all five allowable official visits. Most players today commit early and limit themselves to official visits to only the school they are committed to.

Prior to taking an official visit the athlete must provide the college a high-school academic transcript and a score from a SAT or ACT entrance exam.

During the official visit (which may not exceed 48 hours), athletes may receive round-trip transportation between home or high school and the campus, and athletes and their parents can receive meals, lodging and complimentary admissions to campus athletics events, provided the seating is only in the facility’s general seating area not special seating in a sky box, press box, or bench area.

During an official visit coaches will sell their athletic and academic program to prospective athletes and in some cases assess whether an athlete is a good fit for their program. Athletes are encouraged to talk to current players, academics advisors, and meet students in the general population.

This year the dead period started December 19 and runs through January 3, 2012. No visits of any kind between recruits and coaches can take place during the dead period.

Today coaches must achieve Academic Progress Rates so athletes must demonstrate good character, academic achievement and leadership qualities. Communication skills are a must for players who want to play at the next level.

Bob Jones head football coach Kevin Rose said that Marquez Pride has offers from a number of schools including Troy, South Alabama, Middle Tennessee State, Samford, Marshall, and Louisiana Lafayette. He has some official visits scheduled and is uncommitted at this time.

Pride is a 6-foot-2, 260 pound defensive lineman who was voted Co-MVP of the Patriots this past season.

“When a school brings a player in on an official visit they are paying for you and your parents to come. They are very serious about offering you a scholarship. A letter means nothing. You might one of 3,000 to get a letter. They have either already offered you or are going to offer you on that visit if you don’t mess it up,” said Rose.