A: If the quarterback isn’t throwing your way often, you’ll worry your stats won’t be good enough to get recruited. College coaches know that stats can be misleading and many coaches don’t put too much weight on their importance, instead they evaluate overall skills, size and speed. If you have the base traits, they can coach you.
Don’t panic, there are ways to address, improve and offset the situation!
#1- Does your QB trust you? Have you had enough practice time together? Do you have chemistry? If not, talk to them about practice time outside of regular practice. Can you both stay late and get reps together or work out together in the offseason to build that trust and chemistry? Off-the-field chemistry never hurts—get the QBs and WRs (and offensive players) together for meals, movies or just regular hangout time.
#2- Are there ways you can help the offense and strengthen the WR unit? You won’t touch the ball on every play—are you doing everything you can without the ball in your hand to help your unit? Do you run the right routes, make all your blocks, can you get open, are you tough? Do you know the playbook?
#3- Get extra individual work. Ask your coaches for drills you can work on at home. Work on the three base traits that coaches are evaluating – position skills, size and speed. Focus on improving in those areas with fundamental position work instead of focusing on just your stats. Coaches know that stats don’t tell the entire story. Can you improve YAC, hands, speed, quickness, blocking abilities, leadership, ball security and your ability to win the one-on-one?
#4 – Can you get more involved on special teams? If you fee you can be a playmaker, try to make a difference on special teams. Work on your explosiveness, vision and speed on returns, that can translate to offensive playmaking.
#5- There are “8 Reasons Why Players Get Recruited” and only one involved a coach watching you on gameday. What else can you do to get your skills seen by college coaches?
