Video: Glendora, CA - Chad Jeffries Jr. Quarterback
See the Azusa Pacific quarterback's highlights from his high school days.Azusa Pacific University head football coach Victor Santa Cruz has led his program to a 30-4 record in his last 34 Great Northwest Athletic Conference games and was the 2013 National Christian College Athletic Association Coach of the Year.
As APU is a Division II school, the NCAA allows the coaching staff to break up their scholarships into partials and stack scholarships on top of academic, state and federal aid. The best-case scenario for student-athletes is to earn a full ride. This can happen by using various accounts.
What does your staff like to see in order to evaluate a player?"Once the staff believes that a player has the potential to play at our level, they will start off the evaluation process by reviewing a prospective student-athlete's transcript. If the grades aren't the right fit for our institution we can't move forward. Next we look for measurable athletic talents that can project to be a fit for the college game as well as our need for that recruiting calendar year. If both of those categories check out, we then do a thorough character background check."
Does your staff like to hear from parents in the recruiting process?"Parents are major stakeholders in this process. While there are over-bearing parent exceptions, it's our experience that the student-athlete is the parent's pride and joy. Being a parent myself, I get it. Thus, we will include parents in the communication/recruiting process. College football is a dream for more than just the player; the parents share the enthusiasm at an equal or higher level."
Does your staff utilize recruiting services? "We haven't utilized recruiting services. In my opinion, the recruiting service emails are becoming too much. So much so that it has just become noise. My staff will hit the street each recruiting period and do their own research. The high school coach is the key recruiting relationship we strive to develop because they are the one constant factor on the campus that we can connect with each year. After that, we just need to see the film. In the age of the Internet, it has become relatively easy for any athlete to take it upon themselves to email their film to any college in the country."
How do you handle a kid who wants to walk on?
The hype from Signing Day will wear off. Student-athletes should choose what's right for them, not what is most exciting.
Photo by Nick Falzerano
"At Azusa Pacific, the walk-on athlete receives all of the rights and privileges that our football team has to offer. As a matter of fact, if you attended our practices I would be curious if you could identify the difference between the scholarship player and the walk-on. We treat all of our players the same. If they can play, we won't hold them back. Over time, it is possible for those that contribute at a high level to earn a scholarship, however I hate seeing a young kid step away from school if the finances aren't right.
"Therefore, any athlete that we offer a walk-on opportunity to is asked to count the cost of attending our school for four years. If scholarship money happens during that period, great. If not, the good news is that they were able to complete a college education at a premier institution. The NFL thoroughly evaluates all of our players every year, however the goal of any college bound student-athlete has to be first and foremost to graduate college."
What is your best advice to students on the recruiting process?"My best advice is to choose a school for personal fit and not public perception. The recruiting cycle is filled with quite a bit of hype that can confuse the priorities of any high school-aged male. The reality is that a recruit needs to understand that the hype will end after signing day and the reality will be that they are choosing a school that will be their home for the next few years.
"College football is amazing, however sometimes young men forget that the hype won't be there when you enroll. Student-athletes will need to be confident in their decision that the school they choose will offer them the best environment to develop into the man that they envision becoming academically, socially, athletically and spiritually."
Chris Fore is a veteran Head Football Coach and Athletic Director from Southern California. He consults coaches and programs nationwide through his business Eight Laces Consulting.
