My 2012 is facing the exact same dilema. This week he has D1 schools at his baseball games and has D1 football coaches calling him (it is permitted for football right now) and meeting with his HS coach. Yes, he is very fortunate and I am not ashamed to say it. I have thought a lot about this issue and he and I have had several candid discussions about pros and cons. Here are my thoughts for what they are worth (probably not much).
After attending a number of high academic/high performing baseball camps on campus this winter and attending a couple of major D1 football Junior days I came to the quick realization that baseball programs are much more interested in the "student" part of the "student athelete" than the football programs. Right or wrong, that was the impression I came away with. If I am wrong, football coaches need to revise their message and attend a baseball coach's speech. For example:
1. football coaches all talked about "during your 5 years here ...." read - everyone redshirts.
2. One mom asked the head football coach while he was giving his address to the players at a major football conference program's junior day where the middle 50% ACT for most students ranges from 26-30 what will it take to get in academically? The response - Get through the NCAA clearinhouse and we will get you in. There was no discussion about academics, other than we keep track so we make players go to class and stay on top of their work. I spoke with one of the student trainers who grew up in my neighborhood and she said it was sad in that while there are certainly many fine exceptions, most of the football players default into less rigorous majors and many never see a diploma. Compare football graduation rates with baseball. My guess is there is no comparison. I want my kid spending time with kids who understand they have a dual mandate while in college - school and sports.
3. Baseball appears (and I think is) much more of a close knit "family" environment than football. I think this in large part numbers driven. 35 baseball players vs. 100+ in the football program.
4. Each of the baseball coaches at the camps we went to placed a major emphasis on academics first. Football - never discussed.
5. Most kids at this level (D1 football interest) play both ways, at least some, in HS even at the largest schools. I had a discussion with mine about the fact that with football you redshirt the first year, are on the practice squads the next two, maybe a special team or two, then finally by your junior year (your 4th year in the program as a tackling dummy) you start cracking the lineup. Great, but the experience will be nothing like your high school experience in that a)you will now only be playing one side of the ball, and 2) you will likely only be in for certain packages, so you are in for only 20 or so plays a game.
6. compare that with baseball and the HS and Junior draft creates lots of opportunities for Fresh and Soph's to contribute early on. Not saying it will happen but many more opportunities. Also, you are likely to experience playing an amount similar to a hs game instead of like football where you played the entire game in HS and then in college, even when you crack the lineup, it is much more specialized limited action.
We went to a number of football recruiting events last fall and were down on the field, in the locker room ect.... and it is intoxicating with the 75k fans, marching band and all the pomp and circumstance associated with a football Saturday. That said, for the reasons above, I am hoping my 2012 comes to the conclusion himself and if he ends up in football, its because he did not generate the interest to play baseball at the level or school he wanted to. He will have time to play out the football recruiting hand after the baseball recruiting plays out. I don't want to be the one to tell him what I think is best but would rather he come to that conclusion on his own.
The other reality that we are facing is that the baseball recruiting calendar is about 4 months ahead of the football calendar, especially over the past couple of years. It is likely that for kids in this situation the baseball decisions will need to be made before football has played itself out.
The big advantage for football - full rides for 85 kids vs. the 11.7 for 27. It just isn't right.
Just my opinion based on what we have been through and seen the last 6 months. Would be interested to hear other's perspectives.
