What About A Partial Scholarship?

It is exciting when a school says they are going to offer you a scholarship to play football at their university. All of the hard work in the classroom, weight room, and on the field have paid off. Whether you are a 5 star D-1 athlete, or you get an opportunity to play at a smaller school, you are part of a very small percentage of athletes who will get a chance to play at the college level. You are a part of an elite group. Less than 5% of high school athletes will have an opportunity to participate in college sports. The transfer portal and additional covid years of eligibility have only made it tougher to earn scholarships.

If you received an offer from a Division 1 FBS university that is either a Power 4 or Group of 5 school, your scholarship will cover all of your tuition, room and board, books, and additional expenses. Any financial aid you are awarded will be stacked on top of that and go into your pocket. But what if you receive a D2, D3, or NAIA offer? What about FCS schools? What does that mean financially? 

I wanted to write this specifically for the student-athletes that are not going to a Power 4 or Group of 5 school. Let's go through each of these and talk about what they mean. 

FCS schools have up to 63 scholarships they can award. Not all FCS schools give out 63 scholarships. To fund a roster of 95 to 115 players and only 63 scholarships to use, they are not going to give every athlete a full ride. They are going to give out many partial scholarships so they can field a full roster. Your offer may be only a partial scholarship, and this is something you must ask. 

**Note: The NCAA just increased the scholarship limit to 105 for FBS and FCS schools due to a house settlement. There are still many details to be worked out. 

NCAA Division 2 Schools have up to 36 scholarships to give to potential football players. Not all Division 2 schools use their full allotment. Very few, if any, athletes are given a full scholarship to a D2 school. Many D2's give out small scholarships to freshmen, and increase the dollar value based on playing time and contribution to the team. 

NAIA schools have up to 24 scholarships. Like D2 schools, they are going to divide these scholarships among 75 to 100 players. Many NAIA schools have limits to how much institutional aid an athlete can receive on top of their football money. 

D3 schools do not give out any scholarship offers. When you are "offered" by a D3 school, they are essentially telling you they will have a roster spot for you. They do not give athletic scholarships, so you will only get financial aid not related to athletics from a D3 school. 

While junior colleges can give up to 85 scholarships, not all use their full allotment. At many junior colleges your football scholarship is partially determined by how much federal financially aid you will get. This way they can recruit more players. 

In each case above, you are most likely getting a "partial scholarship." This means you are going to get a scholarship to cover some part of the cost of attendance. Scholarships are as small as $250 a year. Some partial scholarships are $5000, or $10,000 a year. The key is that the scholarship is only going to cover part of your cost of attendance. 

What does this mean for you, and what do you need to do to put yourself in the best position possible? 

1. Before you sign, ask to see the financial breakdown. Ask the school to show you the numbers. Many times I have heard from parents who thought their son was getting a full ride, only to find out they were getting a scholarship worth $1,000 or 2,000 dollars. The college can give you an estimated breakdown of costs if you provide them your income and family size information. If you have filled out the FAFSA, they can give you a very accurate picture of what your financial obligations will be to attend their school. YOU MUST SEE THIS BEFORE YOU SIGN!

I have seen many young people sign their letter of intent, only to find out later they were going to have to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket, take out student loans, or a combination of the two. If you are going to a D2, D3, or NAIA school, expect that you will have to pay some money out of pocket. 

It's Camp Season!

Camp season is upon us, as colleges across the country will be hosting opportunities for student athletes to get exposure this summer. There are one day camps, three day camps, elite camps, satellite camps, and more. During this time of year I get bombarded with questions about camps from prospects and parents. 

First: Camps Are A Time For Evaluation

    Camps give college coaches a chance to do three things. First, they get to watch you move in person. They get to see you live and watch you perform. They see first hand your athleticism. They see your ability to change direction. The watch your footwork, your speed, quickness, and explosiveness. Do you have good hip flexibility? They are also going to see if you can make plays against elite competition. 

    Next, they are going to see how coachable you are. They get a chance to work with you through drills, and see how well you respond to coaching. Do you listen when you are given instruction? Do you listen when other players are getting instruction? Do you take reps, or do you hang in the back of the line? Do you hustle around? 

    Finally, they get to see if you pass the eye test. Are you big enough to play there? Are you really the height you say you are? Do you really weigh what you say you weigh? Do you have long arms? 

    Ultimately, they are going to determine if you will add value to their program. Will you help them win more games? Can they see you elevating their program? 

Next: A Camp Invite is NOT an Offer

    The University of Texas has come through your door to talk to your high school coach. They leave several camp brochures, and tell the coach they want to see some guys at camp. A Graduate assistant sends you a DM inviting you to camp. You get excited because Texas is your dream school. Up until this point they have not talked to you one time.  You were backup on varsity, and are undersized for your position. You sign up for the camp, and send the coach a link to your film. You go to camp, have the best day of your athletic career, and never hear from them again. This scenario gets played out thousands of times each year.

    Getting invited to camp does not mean a school is recruiting you. Question: Why would a college invite guys to camp that they aren't interested in recruiting? Great question. The answer is that they want a good turnout. They want the energy. You might think they would only want the guys they are recruiting. But that is really a non issue. You see, when they finish stretching and break into positions, athletes will then be grouped by ability. If you are a guy the school is recruiting, you will be grouped with the best players. You will be coached by the position coach. The guys who aren't being recruited will be grouped with the lesser talented players. They will be coached by a "guest" coach. This might be a Division II or Division 3 Coach, or a coach from outside who is hired to work the camp. This isn't a bad thing, and gives you an opportunity to be evaluated by a coach you might be able to play for.  

    Understand that when that college coach invites you to camp, he may just be looking for a guy to fill a spot. If the school hasn't talked to you at all before inviting you to camp, they probably aren't interested in evaluating you at camp. They want you at camp to increase the numbers. That doesn't mean you are a bad player, it simply means you aren't going to get an evaluation from the host school. 

Focus On Schools Where You Can Play

    You want to focus on attending camps at schools where you can play. If a school is actively recruiting you, their camp would benefit you. If a school does not know who you are, you are probably going to be a donation. Everyone wants to go to Alabama, or Oklahoma, or Ohio State, or some other major FBS Power 5 School. But realistically, if those schools haven't talked to you before camp, you are not going to come out of camp with an offer. Here are a couple simple things you can do to determine if you can play at the school: 

    Look at their roster. Are you comparable to the height and weight of the players they are recruiting? Do you have the grades and test score it would take to be admitted into school? Do you have similar statistics in high school to the guys they are recruiting, and are on their roster? This is a quick way to know if you even have a shot at being recruited by a school. 

    It is very rare that a player who is not being recruited walks into an FBS camp and earns an offer. While I say it is rare, it can happen. But it happens because you do something that "wows" the coaches. Several years ago I was at a camp at an FBS school, and a linebacker from a tiny high school showed up. He had no offers. The coaches tested 40's at the start of the camp, and he ran a 4.4. That got him some attention. He then did really well in every drill. When it came time for 1-on-1's, he covered running backs and tight ends like a blanket. He left camp with an offer. His 40 time became a difference maker. He did something that wowed the coaches. 

 Have A Camp Plan

    If you want to make the most of camp season, you have to have a plan. You don't want to go to camps to be a donation. You want to go to camp to increase your chances of earning a scholarship. You aren't going to be able to attend camps every day during the summer, nor do you want to. You want to make sure you are attending workouts with your own team, and you don't want to burn yourself out and risk injury attending camps every single weekend. Over the years I have seen many really good players pull a hamstring or a quad because they attend too many camps. You have to have a plan for your summer. If you finishing your junior year, it is vital you have a plan. You have one shot to earn a scholarship. 

    First, make list of schools who you have actually talked to. Then, find out when those schools are offering camps. Put those camp dates on a calendar. Look at your school workout schedule. if there are dates where a camp is offered when you don't have workouts, that is a camp you want to attend. See which camps are offered in close proximity and similar similar dates. If you are traveling over 2 hours to go to camp, try to find a couple of camps you can attend in that area. You might go to one camp on a Friday, and another on a Saturday. You can also set up campus visits when you attend camps. While there aren't a lot of students on campus, this gives you an opportunity to see the campus of a school you are interested in. 

Prepare For The Camp

    The first time you run a 40 should not be at camp. Make sure you are attending summer workouts for your own team. In addition to working hard in the weight room, make sure you are working on your speed and agility. Don't go into camp without being prepared to have a great performance. Over the years I have seen a number of guys go to camp as a prospect, and leave as a suspect. I have seen guys at the top of the board end up off the recruiting board because of a bad camp performance. Make sure you are prepared. 

Camps Are An Audition

    Camps are your chance to audition for college coaches. It is your opportunity to show the coaching staff that you have the ability to play at their school. Do you have the measurables they require? Do you have the athletic ability they are looking for? Do you have the right mindset and attitude to be a championship player? Everything you do at camp will be evaluated. Treat the camp as a business trip. You are not there to clown around and make friends. You are there to make an impression. 

Wear Something That Sticks Out

    This is key! If you look like everyone else, you will make it harder to get noticed. Wear a colorful bandana or wear your hat backwards. Get bright colored cleats and bright colored gloves. These are examples of things that will help you get noticed. When there is a break the coaches will be talking, and they will say, "hey, did you see the kid with the backwards hat running routes? He's explosive!" Or they will say, "hey, that kid with the bright orange cleats is the kind of guy we want." If you look like everyone else, you won't get noticed. 

    Always have a bag in the car with a couple of options. If you show up at a camp and a bunch of guys have something similar to you, it is good to have a backup. I always tell guys to bring a backup pair of cleats as well. You don't want to have a pair of shoes rip and then you can't perform. 

    With that said, your athletic ability, coachability, and effort are the most important things. Wearing something to differentiate yourself doesn't help if you don't perform. Make sure you go out there and compete.

Camps Are Important

    If you don't attend camps, you are going to reduce your chances of earning a scholarship. If a school tells your high school coach they really like you, but they need to evaluate you at camp before they will offer you, go to the camp. Over the years I have seen many athletes wonder why they are being "slept on" when they didn't go to any camps. Colleges won't recruit you if they don't know who you are. And just having a good film is not enough. You need to go to camps, and it is important you make sure you go to the right camps. 

4 Keys To Getting An Athletic Scholarship

For most of my coaching career I have been heavily involved in recruiting. I have been a high school recruiting coordinator for over 17 years, helping our athletes to get recruited. I also coached at the college level, where I evaluated and recruited student athletes. Over the years I have directed camps and showcases, and hosted recruiting seminars for parents, prospects, and coaches. 

Recruiting is ever-changing. It never stays the same. But one thing remains unchanged. It is competitive. There will be over $3.6 Billion in athletic scholarships given by NCAA schools this year, and another $500 million or so given by NAIA schools and junior colleges. Only 2% of high school athletes will earn any sort of scholarship. Most scholarships are going to be partial, but regardless of the amount, can help make college more affordable. 

How do you get recruited? How do you become one of those 2%. What does it take for you to earn an athletic scholarship? There are four things that parents and prospects must know when it comes to scholarships. 

1. You have to be talented

    

    If you do not have talent, you most likely will not be recruited. This is important to understand. Coaches need to have a reason to recruit you before they will do so. What do you do that no one else can do? If you don't separate yourself, your recruiting will be limited. Before you can earn an athletic scholarship, you have to be a very talented player. Can the college coach see you having the ability to help them win more games? Talent is often measured based on your film. 

2. You have to have the measurables

   

    Recruiting is a lot like a beauty contest. If you run a modeling agency, it doesn't matter how good someone can walk, if they don't have beauty, you won't hire them. This is how measurables work. If you are the best offensive linemen in your state, but you are 5'11," your chances of being recruited are slim. If you are 6'6" and 275 pounds, you will get interest based solely on your size. 

    There are certain measurables that college coaches are looking for at each position. For some schools, not meeting their measurables means they will not offer you a scholarship. They are going to look at your height, weight, wingspan, shoe size, hand size, body type, and more. Again, how are you going to set yourself apart? The better your measurables, the better your chance at a scholarship. If you don't have the measurables, it makes it harder to earn a scholarship. 

3. You have to gain exposure

    No one will recruit you who doesn't know who you are. You have to get your name in front of college coaches. You have to attend camps and showcases. One of the biggest myths in recruiting is that if you are really good, coaches will find you. This simply isn't the case. There are literally thousands of really, really talented athletes who don't get recruited each year, that are good enough to play. They aren't getting recruited because no one knows who they are. 

    When you make a decision that you want to play college sports, you have to immediately begin to put your name out there. You have to be willing to do the leg work to get yourself known. If you come from an elite high school program, coaches might find you. But if you are like most kids who come from less well-known programs, you have to be very proactive. Reach out to college coaches. Go on their website and fill out their questionnaires. Go to camps and showcases. Use Social Media. There are so many things that you can do right now. If you want to be recruited you have to be willing to get your name out there. Just like in sales, the more contacts you make, the more chance you have of someone being interested in you. 

4. You have to have good grades. 

    The first thing a college coach asks for is your transcript. If you have below a 3.0 GPA, you are sabotaging yourself. The number of schools who can recruit you is reduced every tenth of a point your GPA falls. Every time you get a zero on an assignment, you sabotage yourself. 

    Getting good grades starts with being in class, and being there on-time. Second, you put your phone away and look at the teacher. Listen to them and take notes. Then, complete your classwork in class. Never say, "I'll do it at home" when the teacher gives you time to work on things in class. And when you do get homework, do it. Homework should be the first thing you do when you get home. Don't turn on the game system or FaceTime your girlfriend until your homework is done. 

    If you are struggling in class, go to tutorials. Your teachers will help you. Someone right now is reading this and saying, "but my teacher won't help me, she's mean to me when I ask for help." That may be true. It might be because your teacher is mean. Or, it might be because you haven't put forth much effort in class, and the teacher wants you to work harder. If the teacher doesn't like you, ask yourself what you need to do to change. Most likely, you have done some unlikable things. College coaches don't want to recruit guys that aren't going to do well in school. And if your GPA is too low, they can't recruit you. It is vital you do well in school. 

    Part of having good grades is knowing what your core GPA is. Your core GPA is not your overall GPA. Your core GPA is based on your math, English, science, social studies, and foreign language courses you take in high school. These courses must be on your school's 48H form. If you don't know what this form is, see your counselor. It lists every NCAA approved core course offered by your high school. I have seen kids lose scholarships because they took courses that didn't count towards the NCAA core course requirement. 

BONUS KEY: Your highlight film matters! Your film with either move you up the recruiting board, or move you down the recruiting board. Your film might even get you taken off the recruiting board. Your highlight film should only be highlights. Don't put average on film. 

Make sure you put your best plays first. Don't put plays in chronological order. Put your most explosive plays first. If they would say WOW, then that play should be the first thing they see. Don't worry if your film is too short. Don't put average plays on film to make it longer. This is a huge mistake too many prospects make. Only show them film that would make them want you to be a part of their program.

    

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TODAY TO GREATLY INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF A SCHOLARSHIP! Recently I made my recruiting webinar available online for parents and prospects. This has hours of valuable information that will help you with the entire recruiting process. It has everything you need to navigate the recruiting process. For less than the cost of attending a college camp, you can learn everything you need to know to increase your chances of earning a college athletic scholarship! Click the link below to take advantage! I have put this on sale for a limited time! Click HERE to take advantage of this offer!

How to Win The Recruiting Process Course!

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This course has literally everything you need as a parent or prospect to greatly improve your changes of earning a scholarship! I take you the entire process, teaching you what you need to do, and how you need to do it. I educate you on some very important details that will help you to better navigate the entire recruiting process! Click the link to get your discount, and improve your chances of earning a scholarship. 

Additional Resources for Coaches:

Last year I got hooked up with CoachTube, and put together three courses for offensive football coaches. I put together two courses on RPO's, and a course on Building An Elite System of Communication. All of these courses will help you to score more points!  https://coachtube.com/users/coachvint

Installing Post-Snap RPO's

Installing Pre-Snap RPO's To Get Your Skill Guys More Touches

Building An Elite System of Gameday Communication

All three of these courses are detailed, with everything you need to be more explosive and to score more points. 

The course on communication gives you a detailed approach to your gameday communication. I give you a system and a process to improve the quality of conversations, leading to improved play calling on game day. This course has received outstanding reviews from coaches at all level of football. A coach with multiple state titles told me this course helped them to be much more efficient and explosive this season. 

My two RPO courses take you through a systematic process of installing RPO's into your offensive system. RPO's put the defense in conflict, forcing them to defend all 53 yards of width and all 6 skill players every single play. I not only give you a system, but I teach you the methods to develop your own RPO concepts. 

https://coachtube.com/users/coachvint