Freshman Verbal Offers

You are talking about the infamous Zach Shannon from Yappi. That kid who just played his first game on the freshman team at his high school, does not have those offers at all prior to the start of his freshman year. There may be some absolute stud kid at the conclusion of 8th grade getting some offer, but it is not this kid.

Please tell me it was an April Fools joke.....?

Unfortunately no, Fenway. His Dad started a thread about how great his son was/is in early March and now it is 5 pages long. Later his travel coach came on and talked about these so-called offers. there was another thread started in how he gave up 7 runs in his first start on the freshman team. Guess the kid throws very hard, but is wild and really not a pitcher.

If I've learned ANYTHING on this site, it is that these things work themselves out. In the end, most players end up where their skills fit them. I'm sure this will be no exception.

Forgetting about the freshman part for the moment....
We had a QB who somehow got it mentioned in the paper that he had offers from a couple of big time programs. At the end of the day, it became clear that he either never had those offers (my guess) or that, if he did have them, they did not turn into signing or attending opportunities.

I never figured out which it was, but frankly it was a disservice to him. I think it was perpetrated by his father, clumsily, in the hope that the kid "having an offer from _______" would trigger another school to offer something. Didn't happen. People need to be very careful what they brag about. It can have the opposite effect if it is not completely accurate.

Pedropere said....

quote:

I think it was perpetrated by his father, clumsily, in the hope that the kid "having an offer from _______" would trigger another school to offer something. Didn't happen.

Pedropere,

As I frequently remind my kids when my wife and I embarass them, you can't pick your parents.

I know a player who appears on pretty much everybody's list of top 2012s. During the summer before his freshman year of high school his father told me of a conversation he had with a SEC coach, which included "I definitely want your son to come to ***X. If I could sign him now, I would."

The father did not take this as an offer, but rather as a gratifying indicator of strong interest. He knew that a real verbal offer would include a definite financial aid percentage. Both he and the coach also understood that it was far too early for any committment, and so there was no point to making (or replying to) a firm offer.

But I suppose that many people would describe that conversation as a verbal offer, and, if so inclined, tout it as such.

A few years ago a freshman in Tampa verballed to Florida. He was all Tampa his freshman year. His parents were athletes at Tampa. Is the kid at Florida yet?

University of Washington basketball verballed an 8th grader last year. I believe USC football has a verbal from a 7th grader.

BUT, a verbal is not a legal contract.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RJM:
A few years ago a freshman in Tampa verballed to Florida. He was all Tampa his freshman year. His parents were athletes at Tampa. Is the kid at Florida yet?

That is Lance McCullers Jr from Tampa Jesuit. He committed to U Florida his freshman year. Currently he is a junior and runs it up to 98MPH. Father pitched in the bigs for 7 seasons and was drafted out of Tampa Catholic HS.

If you are the real deal at 14 and especially if you are the son of a successful professional athlete, then yes, a lot is being said verbally about your future including verbal college offers. Don't kid yourself though, these are very rare cases. Take Victor Martinez Jr., age 6, son of Detroit's Victor Martinez. Have you seen him swing a bat, throw, just carry himself around the field? You don't have to be a genius scout to be interested already.

The real challenge is the diamond in the rough, the late bloomer who turns into a blue chip prospect. That's how reputations are made.