Should I Attend Summer Camps?

When you're going through the recruiting process, summer camps are nothing like what it was like when you were a kid. There are no s'mores, no campfire, no sleeping bags and certainly no staying up late talking with your buddies.

When you go to a college football summer camp it is one thing and one thing only: A TRYOUT!!!!!

You will be invited to many camps, and every college coach has the same agenda when they invite you – they want to see if you can play on their team. You are coming on campus so they can evaluate you in person.

Your high school coach may have told the college coach about you, and surely the coaches have seen your video, but summer camps are your chance to stand out.

Don't believe that's true? Former Kansas offensive lineman and high school coach Dr. Joseph Hornback, in his book “College Football Recruiting Handbook,” offers a valuable lesson about how camps are tryouts.

Hornback tells about how he made a major mistake when he was going through the recruiting process:

The first thing we did at camp was to run a 40-yard dash. I was a typical offensive lineman who mocked the idea of having to run a 40. "If I ever have to run 40 years in a game, something has gone terribly wrong." I didn't think it was important for me to be fast for 40 yards. Unfortunately, the University of Iowa did not agree.

I lumbered up to the start line, shot out of a football stance, and ran as hard as I could. When I finished, I jogged over to the O-line coach who had been watching and asked what my time was. "5.47," he replied.

"Is that good," I asked, already knowing the answer by his expression.

"If you are running backward," he quipped.

"Why don't I run it again," I followed up.

"That would be a good idea. Make sure you are really stretched out," the coach encouraged.

Again, I approached the line, fired out of my football stance, and labored for 40 grueling yards. Again, I was slow.

"Was that better," I asked cautiously.

"Yeah, that was 5.45," he responded.

What I did not realize at the time leading up to the camp was the Hawkeyes were not going to put all their eggs in one basket.

There was another guy that day trying to get recruited, too. His name was Casey Wiegmann.

Casey Wiegmann ended up signing with Iowa, had a great college career, and played 15 years in the NFL.

Casey was from a small school in Iowa, and I was from one of the largest and best-known high schools in the state. I thought I had an advantage, and I did until it was time to run.

The camp really worked out for Casey.

I went to that camp about 25 pounds overweight and in terrible shape. I knew right away I had made a mistake, and Casey proved me right.

Before you go to any college football camp, you should ask yourself this important question:

WILL GOING TO THIS CAMP INCREASE MY CHANCES OF A SCHOLARSHIP?

Some guys pass the "eyeball test" with ease. When they walk down the street – they look like a big-time football player. If you're one of those guys, and you run well, too, then camp is the best thing for you.

If you don't pass the eyeball test and you don't test well, you'll be at a big disadvantage in a camp setting. You should not go and hope your film is good enough to get you recruited.

It is a gamble, but if you are good enough to play there, they will see it on film.

Before you go to any camps, INCLUDE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL COACH in the process. Ask your high school coach to call the college coach. Have them ask if they are serious about their intent to recruit you to play at their school.

The college coach will answer that in one of three ways – yes, no, or we are not sure.

• If the college coach says, "Yes, we are going to offer him," then what do you have to gain by going to that camp? If your goal is to get a scholarship, and they have already offered you one or will offer based on film alone, what happens if you do poorly at the camp? Most likely, you're going to lose that offer.
• If the coach says, "No, he doesn't fit our plans," then why in the world would you go to spend your money on that camp? If the school already knows they're not going to recruit you, save your money and time and focus on something with potential.
• If the college coach says, "We don't know. We'd like to see him in person," then you need to go back to the previous question – will going to this camp increase my chances of getting a scholarship? If you think you can test well and you look the part, create an opportunity for yourself at the camp. If you don't fall into that category, don't go and make so many plays on tape that it forces them to recruit you.

Go old school and score touchdowns, make tackles, intercept passes, dominate the line of scrimmage, throw touchdowns, out hustle, out care, and outplay everybody on the field. Force them to look at your tape and say, "That guy just makes plays, and we have to have him!"

College football camps are an audition, a tryout, and an interview all wrapped into one.

If you decide to go, make sure you understand that, and you're in the best shape of your life. Understand that it's a business trip and make sure you get plenty of rest and fluids before you arrive.

Be the first in line to every drill, and make sure you stand out!

They're not looking for average. They are looking for guys that are the best of the best. Don't go if you're going to be average. Average guys don't get recruited in camp settings. If you go, be exceptional!

Before you go to any camps, INCLUDE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL COACH in the process. Ask your high school coach to call the college coach. Have them ask if they are serious about their intent to recruit you to play at their school.

The college coach will answer that in one of three ways – yes, no, or we are not sure.

• If the college coach says, "Yes, we are going to offer him," then what do you have to gain by going to that camp? If your goal is to get a scholarship, and they have already offered you one or will offer based on film alone, what happens if you do poorly at the camp? Most likely, you're going to lose that offer.
• If the coach says, "No, he doesn't fit our plans," then why in the world would you go to spend your money on that camp? If the school already knows they're not going to recruit you, save your money and time and focus on something with potential.
• If the college coach says, "We don't know. We'd like to see him in person," then you need to go back to the previous question – will going to this camp increase my chances of getting a scholarship? If you think you can test well and you look the part, create an opportunity for yourself at the camp. If you don't fall into that category, don't go and make so many plays on tape that it forces them to recruit you.

Go old school and score touchdowns, make tackles, intercept passes, dominate the line of scrimmage, throw touchdowns, out hustle, out care, and outplay everybody on the field. Force them to look at your tape and say, "That guy just makes plays, and we have to have him!"

College football camps are an audition, a tryout, and an interview all wrapped into one.

If you decide to go, make sure you understand that, and you're in the best shape of your life. Understand that it's a business trip and make sure you get plenty of rest and fluids before you arrive.

Be the first in line to every drill, and make sure you stand out!

They're not looking for average. They are looking for guys that are the best of the best. Don't go if you're going to be average. Average guys don't get recruited in camp settings. If you go, be exceptional!

• Try to be early: Get there in time to check in and do what you need to do to get warmed up and ready. If you're not early, expect a long line to check-in.
• Try to stand out (in a good way): You can do this by being first in line, helping younger or inexperienced campers with a drill, being vocal, but most of all, by making plays. Personally, I don't think you need flashy colors, headbands, leg bands, 19 wristbands, sunglasses, and a visor with a bucket hat on top, but if that makes you play better, then you do you.
• Respect all competitors but fear none: There is no better way to grab attention than to win a couple of one-on-one matches against high-level opponents.
• Build that bond: Remember this is a great opportunity to meet and start building a relationship with the position coach at the school. You can get a read on him and how he coaches, and he can do the same with you.
• Come prepared: It's probably a good idea to spend a little time on the position-specific drills your position will utilize at camp. Familiarize yourself with the 5-10-5 drill, the L cone, and the 40 start. Falling down repeatedly in the 5-10-5 is not an option.
• What if you don't get an offer? If you went to camp and didn't get an offer, that's OK. It doesn't mean you're done. Just digest the feedback and improve on the deficiencies.