The Blue Chip Quest: a Geographical Analysis of Collegiate Football Recruiting
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THE BLUE CHIP QUEST: A GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL RECRUITING, 1972-1981 By WILLIAM ANTHONY SUTTON 7 Bachelor of Arts Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1972 Master of Science Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1980 ·~.· ,::t· - Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May, 1983 Copyright by William Anthony Sutton 1983 1.168789 . THE BLUE CHIP QUEST: A GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL RECRUITING, 1972-1981 Thesis Approved: ii PREFACE This study is concerned with the analysis of production, migration patterns, and the decision-making process of the college-bound High School All-American football players. The objectives were to analyze player origins and migrations to see if and under what conditions trends and patterns emerge. The author wishes to express his appreciation to his major adviser, Dr. John F. Rooney, Jr., for his inspiration and guidance throughout the study. Appreciation is also expressed to Dr. Robert B. Kamm, Dr. Betty M. Edgley, and Dr. John P. Bischoff, for their assistance and guidance. A special note of thanks is extended to the following: Ron Touch stone, Chuck Neinas, Eric Zemper, and Kevin Dickey, for the time, assis tance, and suggestions they have offered during the course of research. Thanks are also extended to Gayle Maxwell for the excellent cartography, and to Charlene Fries for the preparation and typing of the manuscript. Finally, special gratitude is expressed to my wife Sharon and our sons Jason and Daniel, for their understanding, support, and encourage ment. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I . THE RESEARCH PROBLEM I I. PRIDE IN PLACE: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SPATIAL AFFINITY 6 Summary .. 33 I I I. METHOD AND PROCEDURE 39 IV. ANALYSIS OF DATA .. Player Production Areas (Origins) 44 Player Migration Patterns 56 Summary ..... 123 V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 127 Int rod uct ion 127 Hypothesis I 127 Hypothesis I I 13 l Hypothesis I I I 134 Conclusions and Summary 138 Concluding Statement 14 l BIBLIOGRAPHY 143 APPENDIX A - QUESTIONNAIRE 147 APPENDIX B - STATE ROSTERS OF HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICANS, 1972-1981 ....................... 151 iv LI ST OF TABLES Table Page I. COMPOSITE TOP TWENTY, 1972-1981 ...... 26 11. A COMPARISON BETWEEN OVERALL FOOTBALL PLAYER PRODUCTION AND BLUE CHIP PRODUCTION 47 I I I. TOP TWENTY PRODUCTION AREAS BY COUNTY: 1972-1981 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ALL-AMERICANS 52 IV. FOOTBALL COUNTIES ON THE BASIS OF TOTAL PLAYER 0 UT PUT ( 19 74 ) 53 V. COMPOSITE AP-UPI TOP COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL TEAMS, 1972-1981 61 VI. MIGRATION PATTERNS AND TOP TWENTY SCHOOLS OF STATES LOCATED IN THE SOUTHERN REGION 66 VI I. MIGRATION PATTERNS AND TOP TWENTY SCHOOLS OF STATES LOCATED IN THE FOUNDRY REGION . 69 VI ti. TOP TWENTY COLLEGIATE RECRUITERS BASED UPON TOP TWENTY RANKINGS (1972-1981) AND THE NUMBER OF ALL-AMERICANS SUCCESSFULLY SIGNED . 103 IX. SIGNINGS OF HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS BY COMPOSITE TOP TWENTY SCHOOL ( 19 72 -19 81 ) . 104 x. SIGNINGS OF BLUE CHIP ATHLETES BY SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE APPEARED IN THE AP-UPI TOP TWENTY ( 19 72-19 81) 105 XI. COLLEGE VISITATIONS MADE BY THE 42 RESPONDENTS 1981 PARADE HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN FOOT- BALL TEAM . 108 XI I. AGE OF RESPONDENTS 1 FIRST ORGANIZED FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE ............. 109 XI 11. ORGANIZATIONS SPONSORING FOOTBALL PROGRAMS PARTICIPATED IN BY RESPONDENTS . 109 v Table Page XIV. NUMBER OF YEARS RESPONDENT WAS VARSITY FOOTBALL PLAYER . 110 XV. OTHER SPORTS THE RESPONDENTS PARTICIPATED IN 1 11 XVI. APPROXIMATE ENROLLMENT OF THE RESPONDENTS' HIGH SCHOOLS . ..... 113 XVI I. ANALYSIS OF SIGNINGS ON A REGIONAL BASIS 119 XVI I I. RANKING OF FACTORS CONSIDERED IMPORTANT IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF BLUE CHIP ATH- LETES . 121 XIX. INTENDED MAJORS OF RESPONDENTS 122 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Player Origins by State; Total Population, 1,178 .. 45 2. Player Origin by State (Percent); Total Population, 1, 178 . 46 3. Southern States Blue Chip Production, 1972-1981 49 4. Origin of High School All-American Football Players, 1972-1981 . ..... 51 5. Player Migration (Percent) Per State; Based on Popu- 1 a t i on of 1 , 00 5 . 59 6. Migration of Georgia High School All-Americans, 1972- 1981; Population Sample, 50 Players; Retained 54%; Migrated 46% ............... 62 7, Migration of Florida High School. All-Americans, 1972- 1981; Population Sample, 54 Players; Retained 63?b; Mi grated 37?& • • • • • • .•••••• 8. Migration of Louisiana High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population, 27 Players, Retained 67%; Mi grated 33% . · · · · · · · 65 9. Migration of Virginia High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 25 Players; Retained 8%; Migrated 92% ........ 67 10. Migration of 111 inois High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 43; Retained 21%; Migrated 79% ....... · · · · · · · · 71 11. Migration of Michigan High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 28 Players; Retained 57.1%; Migrated 42.9% ..... 72 12. Migration of New Jersey High School Al I-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 23 Players; Retained 4.4%; Migr~ted 95.6% .... · .... 73 vii Figure Page 13. Migration of Ohio High School All-Americans, 1972- 1981; Population, 83 Players; Retained 41%; Migrated 59% ........ · · · · · · · · · 75 14. Migration of Pennsylvania High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 49 Players; Retained 61.2%; Migrated 38.8% ..... 76 15. Migration of Texas High School Al I-Americans, 1972- 1981; Population Sample, 100 Players; Retained 81%; Migrated 19% ............. 78 16. Migration of California High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 86; Retained 74.4%; Migrated 25.6% ............... 79 17. Migration of Washington High School All-Americans, 1972-1981; Population Sample, 15 Players; Retained 73.3%; Migrated 26. 7% ....... 80 18. Composite AP-UPI Top Twenty College Football Teams, 1972-1981 ....... 82 19. University of Alabama Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --26 Signees . ......... 84 ... _, 20. University of Oklahoma Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --41 Signees .................. 85 2 l. University of Michigan Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --33 Si gnees . 86 22. University of Nebraska Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --22 Si gnees . 87 23. University of Southern California Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981--50 Signees ......... 88 24. Ohio State University Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --54 Signees . 89 2 5. Penn State University Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --39 Signees 90 26. Notre Dame Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981--76 Signees 91 2 7. University of Texas Blue Chip Recruiting, 19 72-198 l --34 Signees ... 92 28. University of Pittsburgh Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972- 1981--17 Signees . 93 viii Figure Page 29. University of Arkansas Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --16 Signees . ......•... 94 30. University of Georgia Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --28 Si gnees • . • . 95 31. UCLA Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981--36 Signees 96 32. University of North Carolina Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981--19 Signees ..... 97 33, University of Tennessee Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972- 1981--25 Signees . ..•• 98 34. University of Florida Blue Chip Recruiting, 1972-1981 --23 Si gnees . • . 99 35. Points of Origin: 1981 Parade Al I-Americans 114 36. College Visitations Made by 1981 Parade All-Americans 116 37. Selections and Enrollments of 1981 Parade All-Americans at Top Twenty Institutions ................ 117 ix CHAPTER I THE RESEARCH PROBLEM Recruiting is one of the most important elements that separates the powerful collegiate footbal 1 programs from the powerless. It is the fac- tor that distinguishes successful programs such as Notre Dame, Alabama, and Oklahoma, from programs such as Washington State, Kansas State, and Oregon. The successful football programs, those schools consistently ranked in the top 20, have for years attracted the nation's elite high school football performers. As a result of this attraction or recruit- ment the strong teams remained strong, while those teams considered weak remained so because of their inability to attract or recruit quality players to help their program. NCAA legislation in recent years has sought to correct this situation by limiting the number of scholarships or grants-in-aid that a college or university can utilize for football. The intent of this legislation was not only to de-emphasize the football factory approach of many of the universities, but also to achieve parity for all football programs and thus mor,e of a balance regarding the empha- sis on athletics and winning. In recent years, however, recruiting scan- 1 dals have been commonplace. Violations all have one thing in common: they were caused by the pressure to win. The win-at-all-costs philoso- phy is especially evident in the recruitment of high school athletes, particularly those blue-chip athletes referred to as high school Al 1- Americans. The amount of time and money spent to "sell'' a potential 2 recruit on attending a certain school is certainly out of proportion when compared to the recruitment of an outstanding professor. The purpose of this study is to examine geographical origins, by city and state of high school graduation, of high school All American football players. This examination will show where the supply of blue chip football players originates or simply where they come from. The second phase of the study will deal with the migration patterns of these players, focusing on the colleges (if any) that these athletes chose to attend. This phase wil 1 deal with the demand aspect of where players are attending college relative to their point of origin. The third phase of the study will.examine the relationship between recruiting patterns and the success of major collegiate football programs. A composite (AP and UPI) top 20 teams ranking has been established for the years 1972- 1981, and wi 11 be compared with the colleges chosen by the athletes dur ing the same time period.