On Thursday, May 18th, I was on the road for work and received a call from Vanderbilt University's defensive coordinator, looking to get information on Erod. It's always flattering to have a school reach out and contact you concerning the availability and interest of someone you are looking out for.
The coach said Vandy was very interested in Erod, had read about him, seen the highlights, and were very impressed with seeing him in person at the Elite Combine. The one problem they were having was getting information about him from his high school. The coach asked if I could shed any light on the current situation with Erod and if he even had any interest in playing for Vandy. ("Of course he does," is ALWAYS the right answer, by the way).
We then went on to discuss Erod's impending SAT and ACT tests and his struggles with his studies. Vanderbilt is a rigorous educational experience and probably not suited for Erod, but the bigger issue was the lack of information being released to them by Erod's high school. It's being requested, and in an effort to protect Erod from the embarrassment of a poor report to an outside institution, I am hearing some schools are just not getting ANY information. That is wrong - and it's one reason why I push so hard to get him Press, and JUST as hard to put the truth out to schools: Erod has struggled academically, but he knows he has a chance to work on that issue still.
Part of the BIG GAME is to try to analyze what coaches are "saying," whether there are words involved or not. When you're told during a campus visit by the coach "we're THIS close to offering you" and then you don't hear anything from them for a few weeks, the message is clear: "we're spooked" about something. In Erod's case, and in the case of thousands of others, it's his academics. He's working on improving his grades and taking a prep course for his SAT test. His lack of effort over three years of HS is rearing its ugly head very clearly now. But it's not too late...and never should it be suggested it might be for a 17 year old.
