DI Recruiting Maps

[star2city]

MapGameDay.com gives the hometown locations of all Division IA football recruits. There is no surprise that states like Florida, Texas, and California dominate the ranks of scholarship players. What is seemingly an anomoly is that outstate Minnesota (with a population of 2 million) did not produce a single DIA recruit, while the Twin City metro area (with three million people) generated 18 recruits. Either outstate Minnesota produces no football players capable of playing DIA football, or outstate Minnesota is totally ignored as a recruitment ground.

http://www.mapgameday.com/recruit/state/MN/

The same effect is seen to a lesser extent in "Outstate" Wisconsin beyond Madison and Milwaukee:

http://www.mapgameday.com/recruit/state/WI/

Both Outstate Minnesota and Outstate Wisconsin have a greater population than Nebraska, yet Nebraska produces many more DI recruits than either with approximately the same ethnic demographics:

http://www.mapgameday.com/recruit/state/NE/

IMHO, clearly the caliber of athletes available in "Outstate" areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin are being underestimated by DIA teams. The ability of NDSU as well as hopefully UND to compete at the FCS level is fueled by the lack of competion from DIA teams for recruiting outstate Minnesota and outstate Wisconsin.

[GeauxSioux]

I wonder how much this proposed law will impact the number of Florida athletes in the BCS division.

Bill passed to require steroids tests for some high school athletes

Random tests for steroids will begin in July for high school athletes in weight lifting, baseball and football.

The House approved the bill Thursday and senators approved it Friday. Now it heads to Gov. Charlie Crist, who indicated he would sign it into law.

During debate, some senators said it didn't make sense to single out the three sports.

According to the article, New Jersey and Texas have also approved steriod testing.

[MplsBison]

What is seemingly an anomoly is that outstate Minnesota (with a population of 2 million) did not produce a single DIA recruit, while the Twin City metro area (with three million people) generated 18 recruits.

Jacobs (Northfield) and Potter (Big Lake) are both outstate.

[star2city]

Jacobs (Northfield) and Potter (Big Lake) are both outstate.

While Northfield and Big Lake maybe are not technically be within the Twin Cities metro, they are within a 30 minute drive. My point is that IA recruiters do not expend much effort in Outstate region: too much travel and effort when they can reach more than half the potential recruits in a metro area. Outstate athletes (as well as ND athletes) are also hurt by the perceived level of competition, so abilities don't translate well on film. Statistically, Outstate has to have diamonds in the rough (i.e. Craig Dahl types).

[MplsBison]

While Northfield and Big Lake maybe are not technically be within the Twin Cities metro, they are within a 30 minute drive.

50 minutes from Northfield to Mpls, with light traffic.

2 hour commute at least for rush hour.

Same with Big Lake.

My point is that IA recruiters do not expend much effort in Outstate region

If there is a kid out there with talent, they'll find him.

Plus Brewster is visiting every high school in the state.