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+---- Thread: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics (/thread-739478.html)
Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - stanman505 - 06-04-2015 08:02 AM
This is most of the story. You can get the rest of it and the video here: http://cbs4local.com/sports/features/sports-headlines/stories/UTEP-football-coach-shares-recruiting-tactics-133668.shtml#.VXBKV01FA5u
EL PASO, Texas - El Paso is a tough sell. “I thought UTEP was in Utah,” said former defensive back Wesley Miller. “I had no idea where UTEP was,” said Miller’s 2015 teammate Jameel Erving.” Even UTEP head football coach Sean Kugler admits he thought a jalapeno was a pickle when he first came to El Paso in the late 1980’s.
The city is often a culture shock for recruits, especially those who live outside the state. That's why the UTEP coaching staff is very up front about what El Paso is and what it is not, and they do it before a recruit even visits El Paso.
"We deal with that before they even get here,” Kugler said. “In the home (of a recruit) and the things they've heard about El Paso. So we don't hide anything. We're honest about what we are and then we let them make a decision." Miller adds, “El Paso is a major change of scenery from other parts of the country. The first thing I saw was the proximity to Juarez and the violence there, so that was an immediate turn-off about how dangerous El Paso is but we all know it’s not. The Juarez danger is probably the No. 1 negative recruiting pitch that other schools say about UTEP.”
Erving also got a case of culture shock when he first saw El Paso.
“We're driving down I-10 and I was looking around and saying to myself ‘man, this is a lot of dirt. I come from California, I don't see any water. I just see a lot of dirt,’" Erving said.
Kugler said he takes recruits up to Coronado Country Club so they can see a wide view of West El Paso. “That’s when they say they had no idea how beautiful El Paso is,” Kugler said.
To lure a recruit, Kugler says his staff doesn’t talk about the negatives in El Paso because every city has its good parts and bad parts. When a recruit visits El Paso, the staff is honest about what El Paso is and what it is not, then it’s up to the player to decide if he wants to play for UTEP.
“We don’t try to talk kids out of playing here, and we make sure they’re not shocked when they get here, but our football program isn’t for everybody,” Kugler said.
Kugler is dead serious when he said his program is not for everybody. What he means is there may be a highly-touted player on UTEP’s radar, but Kugler is looking for something more than that. "A hard-nosed kid, a blue collar kid who isn’t afraid of discipline and isn’t afraid to work. A kid who is more about team and not me. Kids like that don't survive here," Kugler said.
Once Kugler finds the right player, here are the tools he uses to get that player into a UTEP uniform:
FACILITIES: It’s hard to find a better student/athlete environment than UTEP, especially in Conference-USA.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT/FAN ATTENDANCE: UTEP was tops in the conference in attendance last year.
TV/MEDIA COVERAGE: El Paso has six local television stations and a sports talk radio station.
PLAYING TIME: This isn't Ohio State where you have one or two All-America players ahead of you at your position.
CAMPUS SIZE/IMPROVEMENTS: UTEP's student population is 23,000, nearly 10,000 more than when Kugler played for the Miners in the late 1980s, and the campus is a lot nicer now.
WEATHER: We all know about this.
DISCIPLINE/ACCOUNTABILITY: Kugler runs a tight ship, and players that do not follow the rules on and off the field will be dealt with accordingly.
ACADEMICS/GRADUATION: The football team had its highest GPA in school history last year. Kugler tells his recruits that they will graduate, and he makes sure their parents know that as well.
"We don't promise playing time, a certain jersey number or that a kid is going to be an All-American. But you will be held accountable. The only promise we make is that you're going to get a degree. When we go into a home, we’re not car salesman and we don’t mislead parents. We don't sugarcoat things. We don't show them things they're not going to experience when they get here," said Kugler.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - Chatternooga - 06-04-2015 08:04 AM
(06-04-2015 08:02 AM)stanman505 Wrote: “I thought UTEP was in Utah,” said former defensive back Wesley Miller. “I had no idea where UTEP was,” said Miller’s 2015 teammate Jameel Erving.”
4th grade geography teachers are weeping.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - Cnelson203 - 06-04-2015 08:09 AM
I admire Coach Kugler's strategy. He knows what he is looking for and he seemingly sticks to his guns. That's admirable.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - AdoptedMonarch - 06-04-2015 11:17 AM
You should introduce them to Felina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfI5Ep4GDK8
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - Saint Greg - 06-04-2015 11:25 AM
(06-04-2015 08:04 AM)Chatternooga Wrote:(06-04-2015 08:02 AM)stanman505 Wrote: “I thought UTEP was in Utah,” said former defensive back Wesley Miller. “I had no idea where UTEP was,” said Miller’s 2015 teammate Jameel Erving.”
4th grade geography teachers are weeping.
I think it's the UT part of UTEP...He didn't say he didn't know where El Paso was.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - Fitbud - 06-04-2015 11:30 AM
I wonder how many recruits get here on the first day and say to themselves, " I thought I was being recruited by Utah?"
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - ESE84 - 06-04-2015 12:28 PM
(06-04-2015 08:02 AM)stanman505 Wrote: FACILITIES: It’s hard to find a better student/athlete environment than UTEP, especially in Conference-USA.
Positive article overall, and I like what Kugler is doing in El Paso. West may be really strong soon across Louisiana Tech, Rice, UTEP and Southern Miss!
But I think about 13 other C-USA schools would take exception to the statement above, especially a particular C-USA school in Houston.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - olliebaba - 06-04-2015 12:53 PM
This site does a very good job of highlighting the UTEP campus even though there's a few pictures that have no business in the site. Most are of the campus though. Kuglar should emphasis this site.
https://www.google.com/search?q=utep+campus+pictures&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=s45wVc2oH4bYsAXT-oHgBw&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1304&bih=745
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - MinerInWisconsin - 06-04-2015 02:01 PM
(06-04-2015 12:28 PM)ESE84 Wrote:(06-04-2015 08:02 AM)stanman505 Wrote: FACILITIES: It’s hard to find a better student/athlete environment than UTEP, especially in Conference-USA.
Positive article overall, and I like what Kugler is doing in El Paso. West may be really strong soon across Louisiana Tech, Rice, UTEP and Southern Miss!
But I think about 13 other C-USA schools would take exception to the statement above, especially a particular C-USA school in Houston.
Well he didn't say it was impossible, just hard.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - Herd-in-ATL - 06-04-2015 02:21 PM
Take recruits there at night... The downtown lights with the Franklin Mountain range as a backdrop is quite stunning...
![[Image: el-paso-night-lights-kvia.jpg]](http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/kisselpaso.com/files/2013/05/el-paso-night-lights-kvia.jpg)
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - FIU4Ever - 06-04-2015 02:47 PM
(06-04-2015 12:53 PM)olliebaba Wrote: This site does a very good job of highlighting the UTEP campus even though there's a few pictures that have no business in the site. Most are of the campus though. Kuglar should emphasis this site.
https://www.google.com/search?q=utep+campus+pictures&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=s45wVc2oH4bYsAXT-oHgBw&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1304&bih=745
The coach should tell recruits about google?
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - Volkmar - 06-04-2015 11:53 PM
Seems to be working so far. Going from 2-10 in your first year to 7-6 in your second year is impressive.
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - SApuro - 06-05-2015 12:05 AM
I have never been happier to see hot ass El Paso every time driving through. That stretch of I-10 is one of the hardest drives in the country.
Didn't they only sign 2 recruits this year?
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - mistabinks - 06-05-2015 01:15 AM
(06-05-2015 12:05 AM)SApuro Wrote: Didn't they only sign 2 recruits this year?
http://www.utepathletics.com/signingday/signingday-15.html
RE: Interesting Story on UTEP football recruiting tactics - olliebaba - 06-05-2015 01:42 PM
(06-05-2015 12:05 AM)SApuro Wrote: I have never been happier to see hot ass El Paso every time driving through. That stretch of I-10 is one of the hardest drives in the country.
Didn't they only sign 2 recruits this year?
Yes, it is a long stretch of nothing but desert. Beats driving through miles and miles of forest like from Savannah to Charleston though. At least you see mountains.