The secret ingredients to South Carolina's recruiting approach
April 22, 2018
South Carolina defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson revealed his secret recipe for recruiting to a crowd of Gamecocks fans in Augusta last week.
“I think we recruit differently from everybody else,” Robinson told the Augusta Gamecock Club. “We do a thorough background check. We don’t just ask the head coach.”
Who do they ask about potential recruits?
“I want to talk to the janitor,” Robinson said. “If that janitor knows your name in the school, that means you’re doing something right. That tells me something. That tells me you’re a good person. It’s easy to talk to the principal. I know the principal knows your name, but does the equipment guy know your name? Those are the kinds of people I like to talk to in recruiting.
“We have to get some better players and we’re doing that. We have to get the right kind of guys in the building.”
South Carolina’s assistant coaches are constantly pushed in recruiting by head coach Will Muschamp, Robinson said.
“He’ll talk to the kids and if he knows more about what they’re up to than you do, that’s a problem,” Robinson said. “He holds you to a standard because of the way he recruits. He out-recruits us so that makes us better recruiters.”
Robinson also explained to the crowd how his recruiting message has changed from his time at Auburn to his time at South Carolina.
“When I was recruiting for Auburn, I was like, ‘Little Johnny is not going to get lost on campus,’ ” Robinson said. “At South Carolina, it’s a little different.”
Because the USC campus is located within the city of Columbia, Robinson sells that to recruits as a way of learning to adapt to city life in anticipation of living in a large city while playing professional football, he said.
“All about how you sell it,” Robinson said.
THE STATE
April 22, 2018
South Carolina defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson revealed his secret recipe for recruiting to a crowd of Gamecocks fans in Augusta last week.
“I think we recruit differently from everybody else,” Robinson told the Augusta Gamecock Club. “We do a thorough background check. We don’t just ask the head coach.”
Who do they ask about potential recruits?
“I want to talk to the janitor,” Robinson said. “If that janitor knows your name in the school, that means you’re doing something right. That tells me something. That tells me you’re a good person. It’s easy to talk to the principal. I know the principal knows your name, but does the equipment guy know your name? Those are the kinds of people I like to talk to in recruiting.
“We have to get some better players and we’re doing that. We have to get the right kind of guys in the building.”
South Carolina’s assistant coaches are constantly pushed in recruiting by head coach Will Muschamp, Robinson said.
“He’ll talk to the kids and if he knows more about what they’re up to than you do, that’s a problem,” Robinson said. “He holds you to a standard because of the way he recruits. He out-recruits us so that makes us better recruiters.”
Robinson also explained to the crowd how his recruiting message has changed from his time at Auburn to his time at South Carolina.
“When I was recruiting for Auburn, I was like, ‘Little Johnny is not going to get lost on campus,’ ” Robinson said. “At South Carolina, it’s a little different.”
Because the USC campus is located within the city of Columbia, Robinson sells that to recruits as a way of learning to adapt to city life in anticipation of living in a large city while playing professional football, he said.
“All about how you sell it,” Robinson said.
THE STATE