Ole Miss came out of nowhere last week and locked down one of the top recruiting classes in the country on national signing day, standing toe-to-toe with powerhouse programs like Florida, Alabama and Ohio State. The nation’s No. 1 recruit, defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, committed to the Rebels along with two other five-star recruits. Of course, the success Ole Miss had was accompanied by a great deal of skepticism.
Many have been speculating that Hugh Freeze and company are paying these recruits or offering improper benefits. Since recruiting violations are an epidemic across collegiate athletics, we can never completely rule it out. However, it’s also possible that they are flattering recruits by sending them dozens of letters in a single day. Check out this photo that Clifton Garrett, one of the top linebacker recruits in the class of 2014, shared on Twitter:
“#OleMiss aint playin no games!!” Garrett wrote in an accompanying tweet. “54 hand written letters today #RebelNation!!”
Much of recruiting is making players feel as though you truly want them to join your program, as opposed to giving off the impression that they are just another good player you’re reaching out to. Sending 54 hand-written letters in a day is one way to get a 17-year-old’s attention. Watch out, SEC — Ole Miss ain’t messing around anymore. We could be in for more fake reactions from coaches next season if this keeps up.
H/T Crystal Ball Run
