My opinion is that because this question comes up all too often that they are checking out the recruits and where they are coming from. After all, if you are on a team that has a winning culture, you want to make sure that the recruit has his priorities straight. Let's not be naive to think that our kids are not going to have temptations in college.
Why would a player risk that inquiry without thinking it would get back to the coach. maybe because the coach asked the players to check him out.
I know of a player that asked during recruiting where the nearest bar was where he could use his fake ID. It wasn't the fake ID but the asking of the question that had his commitment withdrawn, by the coach.