New NCAA stance on coaches’ use of social media raises stakes for prospects
Considering himself “a little bit old school,” the allure of social media tends to be a tad lost on Carolina Forest head football coach Marc Morris.
Though it is not necessarily something he would call a pastime, it does not keep him from stressing the importance of players using discretion while online.
“I’m an old-timer, I’m not a big social media type of guy,” Morris said. “But with that in mind, the colleges have a hard job now, and more pressure is on these kids day in and day out.
“... But we warn our kids about (social media), coach them up on what to do and what not to do.”
College coaches have long used social media as a resource in recruiting. But a recent change in NCAA bylaws now allows their intentions regarding certain recruits to become a bit more visible.
On Aug. 1, NCAA proposal 2015-48 allowed coaches to endorse and republish prospects.
What does this mean?
In terms of endorsement, coaches can now scour certain social media services — whether it be Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. — for prospects, liking and favoriting their posts if they please.
As far as republishing, coaches are permitted to retweet posts by high school standouts on Twitter. Sharing posts on Facebook is also allowed.
We talk about it often, about using social media as a positive entity instead of something negative. I’ve seen multiple college coaches look past a recruit based off of certain things on their accounts. It is real, and has to be addressed.
North Myrtle Beach head football coach Blair Hardin
Previously, social media communication between coaches and prospects was done in private.
“It is difficult, especially with the better ones because the colleges recruit them much earlier than they used to,” Morris said. “They’re to the point where they are identifying (prospects) as sophomores and juniors as opposed to doing so at the end of their junior or senior year.
“Social media certainly has changed that, far different from what me and some of the other old guys dealt with back in the day.”
The status quo regarding college coaches and them commenting on posts by prospects via social media remains a no-no, along with tagging a recruit in a post that is retweeted or shared. Coaches also are not permitted to retweet a recruit during an official visit.
With such a tool at their disposal, the power sometimes is in the hands — better yet, fingertips — of players and what they choose to share with the masses. And as result, colleges and universitiesare better able to decide if a prospect is a good fit character-wise for what they are seeking to build.
“We talk about it often, about using social media as a positive entity instead of something negative,” said North Myrtle Beach football coach Blair Hardin. “I’ve seen multiple college coaches look past a recruit based off of certain things on their accounts. It is real, and has to be addressed.”
Another fear of coaches, however, is the potential effects of such added attention.
“We’re talking about kids here, and kids are going to make mistakes,” Morris said. “We just hope to minimize them and not let things get to their head, because with social media just about anything can get exploited rather quickly.”
Joe L. Hughes II: 843-444-1702, @thejournalist44
This story was originally published August 15, 2016 at 5:46 PM with the headline "New NCAA stance on coaches’ use of social media raises stakes for prospects."