The acceptance letter to the university you’ve been rooting for your whole life came over a month ago. By now the coach knows that you’ve been accepted, yet the call offering you a college football scholarship has not come.
The truth is that even though you were accepted to your top choice, the coach may not be interested. There are a number of factors at play, and when navigating the world of college football recruiting it is important to be aware of them.
There is a misconception that all athletes receive full athletic scholarships, but only the bluest of the blue chips may get that full ride. At many schools, the coach has a pool of money each year to work with, and college football scholarships are augmented by grants and work study. Even if the coach would love to have you, the numbers may just not work for him.
This is where academics become important for potential student-athletes. Aaron Rodgers didn’t receive a Division I offer out of high school, electing instead to attend Butte Community College. Because of his 3.6 GPA and 1310 SAT score, however, he was able to leave after just a season for an offer from Cal.