The Rock or Principal that Oklahoma State Football Recruiting is Built On
STILLWATER -- It is absolutely my favorite topic to debate. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to cover the process of football recruiting. A course in college from Dr. John F. Rooney on The Geography of Sport, which focused extensively on the geography and the factors that go into college recruiting, football and basketball drove me toward the topic. At KTVY in Oklahoma City, I sold my boss, Bob Barry Sr., on a series on recruiting through the eyes of a blue-chip recruit. That recruit was Mike Gundy and we later followed the series up with his younger brother Cale.
Now, 35-years later after writing for numerous recruiting publications, running internet sites that cover Oklahoma State and Big 12 recruiting, I still have a thirst for the coverage of the process. There are evaluators that I trust, indicators that I feel are accurate and there are many I feel lean toward the outside factors of money (profit for their site), blue-blood blindness, and simply being inadequate.
I recently, did a look back at all the recruiting classes at Oklahoma State with Mike Gundy as head coach. It was inspired by The Athletic piece on re-evaluating all the recruiting classes in college football for 2016 and how an Oklahoma State class rated No. 45 back then now with the 20/20 hindsight of how all those recruits actually fared and produced is No 19.
I love to debate recruiting with anybody and everybody, but especially love to debate it with those Oklahoma State fans that are Gundy detractors and feel his recruiting has not been as good as it could be.
Along those lines, I can tell you Oklahoma State still suffers some from isolation. Stillwater is not a major metropolis, but it has improved with the increased airline service. Oklahoma State, while enjoying 15 consecutive winning seasons and bowl trips, is still not considered a blue-blood. The shadow of in-state rival is a factor one many can barely talk about, but it must be recognized. Oklahoma State has many advantages. It is a college town with so much avid support and interest. There is not a lot of competition for interest in Stillwater. It is a safe place. The facilities are strong, but especially in football it is a constant battle to stay up there.
Recruiting factors range from evaluation, budget, communication, making best use of time with regards to the recruits you focus and invest the effort in. The Cowboys program enjoys an advantage with their constant and creative use of digital graphics, which we are working on a special project on.
We did ask new recruiting coordinator, veteran coach and recruiter Todd Bradford his thoughts on what is most important. Head coach Mike Gundy identified Bradford, even with this most recent class that he was only around a couple of months to assist with, as a major factor in Oklahoma State recruiting.
Todd Bradford has coached at a number of schools including Oklahoma State, BYU, Southern Miss, and Kansas. He has the reputation of an excellent recruiter.
Marshall Levenson - Pokes Report reporter and photographer
"Well, I think the most important thing when you're getting started right now (2021 class) is that you are evaluating kids correctly," Bradford started. "That we are recruiting prospects that fit our culture number one, that fit our schemes and our coaches number two, and then fit Stillwater and the University. So, the most important things to us right now are that our evaluations are done so that we are getting the right kids to Oklahoma State to help us win."
That could be perceived as a general type of answer, but if you read it or listen to it closely, it is much more precise than you might think.
Bradford really feels that if the first step, the evaluation is done correctly than most other aspects to the process such as communication and making the best use of time fall into place. The list of players or prospects is divided. There is a top level, a next level, a level below that. If a prospect commits to another school, immediately there is a name there to replace that player. You have to be prepared.
"Everything after we decide who are the right guys to recruit, it just comes down to hard work and we have a lot of people that aren't afraid of hard work," Bradford explained. "Now it comes down to grinding and getting the best kids to come here. The most important thing is that in evaluations that we have the right kids coming to Oklahoma State."
