Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown

Heading into Week 3 of College Football, we are joined by a repeat visitor in Carina Hargreaves - Director of On-Campus Recruiting for Georgia Tech!   In her last appearance on Up Close In Personnel for Episode 12 - "Inside The Process Of Coordinating Campus Visits", Carina talked through her personal journey in the world of college football, her football background and how she approaches setting up recruiting visits! This week, we briefly touched on her training camp internship with the Cardinals and honed in on what all goes into a GAMEDAY recruiting visit. It was a fun episode to record, we broke down what coaches and recruiters should be paying attention to during the interactions with recruits and their families, and so much more!   Please be sure to like, share, retweet and respond with what you liked from the show, and stay tuned for more from Up Close In Personnel! Lastly, you can find and follow Carina on Twitter at @CarinaH_GT! 

Week 1 across the country is HERE for college football! This week we're joined by my good friend, Bryan Carrington - Offensive Quality Control Analyst with the USC Fighting Trojans!   Since his last appearance on the show for Episode 1 - "Building Relationships with College Recruiters", Bryan made the move from recruiting at UT to coaching running backs at USC in Los Angeles! We discuss how he made the move, how he's advanced his football knowledge through interning with the Rams and the growth he's experienced along the way! It's a great episode for coaches and recruiters alike, especially when it comes to working cohesively as a staff!   Please be sure to like, share, retweet and respond with what you liked from the show, and stay tuned for more from Up Close In Personnel!

It's fall camp for football teams across the country (and games have started for some high school teams as well)! With that being the case, I decided to bring in my first scouting mentor - Russ Lande to talk about his scouting process!   Notes for the next couple of episodes will be sparse due to the business of this time, but this is one episode you'll need a pen and paper nearby! We talk through Russ' approach to teaching the art of scouting, how he evaluates practices, his thoughts on organizational culture, and much more on the evaluation process!   Please be sure to like, share, retweet and hit me back with what you learned from the show!

Joining the show this week, Zach Brandon with the Diamondbacks breaks down his job as the Mental Skills Coordinator and unpacks what his role is in the team building process.   From the selection process in the MLB Draft to on-boarding and player development, Zach explains why mental skills are more important than ever to identify, train and develop. Physical ability sets the bar of what we can achieve, but mental skills are what allow us to reach peak performance and how consistent we are able to do so!   I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did recording! Please share from whatever platform you're tuning in from, let us know what you took away from Zach & be sure to follow him on Twitter at @MVP_Mindset!

We've all known that NIL rules would be coming into effect for quite some time and now that the time has arrived here in July of 2021, I figured it was time to bring in an expert to weigh in!   For those unfamiliar, NIL (which stands for "name, image and likeness") now allows athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness in ways previously not allowed. Players are able to seek marketing representation or advisory, participate in marketing or branding off their own likeness, open a business, start a camp or clinic, or engage in non-profit activity.   It's a big step in the right direction in allowing athletes to prepare themselves for the real world, but there needs to be education to avoid potential pitfalls.   That's where someone like our guest, Luke Fedlam comes in for support. He's had over 15 years of experience working with professional athletes in representing (or protecting as he says throughout the episode) their marketing interests. On the show, Luke brings valuable insight on defining what the rules are today, trends through the first month of NIL and lessons on what to look for in contracts.   The Timeline: 5:00 - "This is what I wanted" & Luke's Passion for NIL 9:15 - Luke's "Aha" Moment for NIL Education 13:00 - "Without using your job title, who are you?" 19:40 - Branding Advice: Character & Authenticity 25:00 - Defining NIL & What It Means 28:50 - Early Trends in the First Month of NIL 35:34 - The Role of Athletic Departments, Compliance and Advisors in NIL Education 41:46 - Lessons Learned from Zion Williamson's Contract 48:36 - Wanting to be President of the US as a kid   To find and follow Luke Fedlam's work, check him out on Twitter at @LukeFedlam! Also, the interview by Columbus CEO that was referenced in this episode can be found at the following link - "In the new world of NIL, Luke Fedlam guides athletes on money, deals and the future"!   Thank you for taking time to listen, please let me know what you thought of the show and don't forget to leave a review after you drop that 5-star rating!

Stepping to the stage this week is one of the most inspiring people you will meet. Jake Langi may appear on the peripheral to just be another recruiting analyst at a blue-blood, power-five program.   That blanket statement could not be further from the truth. Overcoming setbacks after high school, serious health concerns following the birth of his son, to being overlooked while at Texas State, Jake kept his head down and did the lonely work it takes to "make it".   In this episode, you hear how Jake established credibility for himself at Texas State as an undergraduate assistant, working odd jobs throughout his time in school, and how he's navigated the most recent coaching change at the University of Texas.   It's one word - "value". Networking, as he referenced in the interview, is transactional. That is to say, "What can you do for me?"   Without spilling too much of the episode, we talk through the value Jake brings to Texas, to his fellow colleagues, and how important family is to him. Jake truly has a heart of gold and UT is fortunate to have such a genuine person on their front lines of recruiting!   As always, please let me know what you thought of the show and don't forget to leave a review after you drop that 5-star rating!   To find and follow Jake, check him out on Instagram and Twitter at @JakeLangi!

Joined by nobody but yours truly, I decided to take a solo venture for my return episode in recapping a busy, wild and fun month of June recruiting!   Now on episode 50 of the show, eclipsing 10,000 downloads and heading into a brief summer break, this was my way of letting you all inside my mind for once. From talking through the context of how unique and rare this time period has been, to the inner workings of unofficial visits, official visits, camps and more, I hope that this week's edition gives you insight to develop as a coach/-0pppppsewascout/recruiter or learn more about the process as a prospective recruit!   Moving forward, we will return to our traditional format of bringing guests onto the show but this is my way of giving back to you all and I hope you enjoy listening! Send me any and all questions you had while listening, and I look forward to continuing to push out content on evaluation, recruiting and team building topics!!! You can find me on twitter at @alexm_brown or email the show at UpCloseInPersonnel@gmail.com!

Joined this week by one of my former players - Brandon Wilson, a kick returner extraordinaire and defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals - we talk through his football career to date and walks through pivotal moments along his journey.   Becoming a father during the pandemic and fighting to prove his worth to the Bengals in the final year of his rookie contract, we started out by discussing the challenges and stresses that the 2020 season brought.   More than anything, Brandon simply cares about other people. Whether that's being close to his family and keeping them healthy, or looking out for his teammates, the conversation always deflected praise to others. I really have a ton of respect for this young man and it was a blast to talk through his early days in the game, high school recruiting process, college experience and current NFL day-to-day grind.   Something I wanted to harp on was Brandon's overall character and getting a glimpse into his mindset, as it's important to be able to recognize high character, high performers when you see them.   Here are some key qualities of Brandon that I wanted to highlight from our conversation: 1. Be coachable "I never talked back to a coach." Always the first in line and attentive to detail, Brandon takes pride in how coachable he is as a player. 2. Put the team first No matter what position he was put in, Brandon only wanted to be the best teammate he could be and help his team succeed. 3. Do the right things off the field "We all know what's right. Just make the right decision." This one is self-explanatory, but as a collegiate athlete (and now NFL athlete) the spotlight shines brightest on you. The same can be applied for coaches and scouts alike. 4. Commit to recovery That looks like long contrast baths, eating healthy (no fried food or pork for B-Wil) and 8 hours of sleep. To perform at a high level, you've got to focus on keeping yourself healthy and rejuvenated (both as an athlete and as a coach)   With camp season right around the corner and recruits getting ready to step foot on college campuses, I felt it would be timely to have someone with an elite mindset like B-Wil to talk shop with! Let me know what you thought of the show and don't forget to leave a review after you drop that 5-star rating!   To find and follow Brandon Wilson, check him out on Instagram and Twitter at @ItsBWilson_!

As we head into a new year on the show, I've decided to circle back with previous guests of the show that have risen to new roles since their last appearance.   Last week we checked up on Eric Galko and his new gig with the Shrine Bowl (click here to listen to that episode), and now we shift gears back to college recruiting and Gaizka Crowley!   Gaizka, who last appeared on the episode 8 to talk about the differences between FCS and FBS Recruiting, now is the Director of Player Personnel at UNLV and as real influencer in the college football personnel space. Teaming up with a host of sponsors (including Up Close In Personnel's OFFICIAL SPONSOR - War Room) and Nevada-Reno's Director of Recruiting - Lucas Gauthier (you can follow him on Twitter at @Lgauthier_), Gaizka is spearheading the first ever, DPP Spring Clinic.   This professional development opportunity is a big topic of discussion on this show, and will be commencing May 27-May 28 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV!   The format of the clinic will be panel-based, roundtable discussions led by thought leaders in the industry and recruiting/personnel members from across the country. Gaizka's main focus was to create an engaging, networking opportunity for people in the industry as we currently lack the connectivity that the coaching industry seems to have.   During the episode, there were some great nuggets on how Gaizka is approaching his new position at UNLV and also how he attacks job interview opportunities. Here are some key takeaways from the show:   On preparing for the interview, Gaizka works off a portfolio template that covers many things on the program he's interested in but two things stood out to me: Evaluate the most recent signing class (in as much detail as possible; he creates full, one page reports) Breakdown their recruiting "heat map", identifying their hot and cold spots (regionally) across the country, along with where there are potential market inefficiencies/areas to get more involved in geographically   In addition to more insight into how to prepare for the interview, Gaizka closed with stressing the importance of hitting home three key points. Know your strengths, know the language the team is speaking and their vision for the program, and don't try to do too much. To give an example of Gaizka's three main things, he brings up three traits that he will bring to the building every single day: Unbelievable Organization No Ego Gratitude   And before you ask someone for a job or toss out your resume, ask yourself one question - "How can I provide value to this person?" "What problem can I solve for them?" Then go out and execute!   It was another awesome episode with a great friend and impressive individual in the industry; to find and follow Gaizka, head over to Twitter @Gaizka_UNLV!   To sign up for the DPP Spring Clinic and get more information, also be sure to follow @FBPersonnel on Twitter!

In an encore performance, Eric Galko (previously featured on Ep. 26 of the show) breaks down his new exciting position as Director of Football Operations and Player Personnel with the East-West Shrine Game! Getting the shrine game was always a target of Eric's for more than just the football aspect, as a premiere all-star event for NFL scouts but primarily for its impact on the community and the Shriner's Hospital. As Eric details his job responsibilities, you can see that putting an all-star game together is much more than fielding a team of draft-eligible studs from across the country. Eric broke it down by simply stating he has 7 days or 168 hours to work with, so he's focused on three main things:  1. Players and teams will be able to meet in a very organized and professional manner (for interviews)  2. Players will be receiving first class treatment with meals, recovery technologies, etc.  3. Creating time and space for community events, specifically the Shriner's Hospital visit Moving onto the picking of players and building his boards, it's amazing to hear that Eric and his crew are already finishing up with the 2023 NFL Draft class. His focus, echoed throughout the show, has been and will continue to be eliminating bias in the process.  How do you do that? Be detailed, thorough and accurate with the background profiling of prospects, knowing who they are, where they're from and objectively assessing the athletic measurables. In talking through how he and his staff at Optimum Scouting are able to work so far ahead on underclassman, Eric repeated a mantra that earned the show its title and that is "know which question to ask next". You can have too much information as a scout and it's important to know when to put the book down. After you've fully evaluated the prospect, know what is your next question to answer and monitor that question or the development you're waiting to see.  From there, we touched on the fundamentals he teaches his scouts when evaluating players, what a "Demar Derozan-jumper" is in the scouting world, and how Eric stays up to speed on what is winning in the NFL today! It was a blast to record, as always with someone like Eric, and you can follow him on Twitter at @EricGalko! Thanks for tuning in, be sure to check out UpCloseInPersonnel.com for show notes/updates and have a blessed weekend!

With the 2021 NFL Draft in the books, I decided to get my good friend - Matt Waldman on the show to discuss his process as an evaluator and how he's developed his craft in scouting.   Whether you're working at the high school, college or pro levels of football, we all must be able to identify, evaluate and project talent to an extent.   Matt, a former aspiring musician, writer and call center director, put the lessons he learned in the real world into practice and taught himself over the past 20+ years on how to assess NFL Draft talent.   Creator of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, Matt turns out the most comprehensive publication of NFL prospect analysis at all skill positions. Targeting fantasy footballers at the start, Matt's grown into one of the more respected evaluators in the NFL Draft sphere and I have a ton of respect for the work he does. If you have interest in checking out this year's post-draft edition of the RSP, click here for details.   As for the episode, we went deep into the weeds on developing a personal process for film watching, how we take notes, writing reports on players, self-evaluating previous misses, what compensating factors look like for prospects, defining the "IT Factor" and so much more in the episode.   What jumped out to me on this conversation was Matt's desire to accomplish two things in his scouting process: Define everything: When you define EVERYTHING that you evaluate and what you are seeing, you create consistency in communication across the organization. From the grading scale, to the traits, to how you define different levels of talent, you've got to be on the same page as an organization on "how you want to build it". Ask the right questions: Constantly evaluate hits and misses, and ask the difficult "why" questions. If you can't answer those, then it's time to reassess your process. The "what am I missing" mentality is critical to self improvement as a scout.   Also in the episode, you get a glimpse into Matt's personal growth and how he was able to teach himself over time how to scout. The quick bullet points for anyone wanting to grow as a talent evaluator: Watch as much film as possible: Matt described it as a game of "eye spy" early on When you come across things you don't know, seek the info: books, clinics, conversations, etc. Revisit your previous evaluations, see what you missed ("what am I missing" mindset) Be humble and open minded to learn from other evaluators that see it differently   The inflection point of missing on Dak Prescott's evaluation, might have been my favorite part of the show as Matt detailed his process, what he saw initially in Dak, how he grades traits in draft prospects and where he went wrong. The sign of a good scout is the awareness to know when you missed and learning from that mistake, and Matt breaks it all down for us.   Another great nugget of scouting wisdom, was Matt's description of compensatory factors and what he calls "winning combinations". There's more than one way to skin a cat, whereas one player may have a "breadth of talent" (wide range of solid skills) and another may have a "depth of talent" (limited range of excellent skill). This part of the show really goes to show that scouting is not an "inexact science", but rather a craft that includes a blend of both art and science.   In detailing that art and science, Matt uses the analogies of a chef and baker to breakdown two types of athletes: task oriented and creative. A baker locks into a process, follows every step to the "T" and requires the right environment, while a chef has the ability to work off schedule and improvise.   Listen to this one and I'm sure you'll have even more notes from this conversation. If you're obsessed with learning about the player evaluation process, this episode will be right down your alley. Hope you enjoyed it and see you all next week!   Be sure to follow Matt on Twitter at @MattWaldman, and don't forget to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for full show notes on all of our previous recordings!

Draft weekend is finally here and this was a phenomenal episode with insights from longtime NFL coach, Wade Phillips on the draft process! From career advice, to team building, evaluating and war room stories, there's so much to take away from this episode.   From a topic standpoint, we talked about how Coach sustained success for such a long period of time, how he approaches players and scheme, his University of Houston playing days, why he got into coaching, and the involvement of coaches in the NFL Draft process.   In discussing the right mix of scouts and coaches in the draft process, Wade emphasized alignment. No matter what the decision is (or who it's made by), the entire staff and front office must be all-in and committed to moving forward in alignment. He also brought up the importance of knowing your staff, who is a good evaluator and who is a good coach.   As it pertains to the predraft process for NFL coaches, we also take a deep dive into the high volume of responsibility and catching up that needs to be done. The end of season review, free agency, players reporting and draft prospect film watching all come to a head during this time of the year. Coach Phillips broke down how he approaches his evaluations and weighting the different pieces of information -most important being the film, followed by football knowledge and practice habits.   All this and draft day favorites were discussed, so enjoy the show and enjoy the NFL Draft this weekend!

For Episode 44, the second in our NFL Draft series for season #3, it was an honor and privilege to have a former NFL General Manager on the other end of the call! Mike Tannenbaum, former NFL executive, current NFL Front Office insider for ESPN and founder of The 33rd Team joined the show to share his insights on team building and the NFL Draft!   Boiling down his former role behind the wheel of a couple NFL franchises, Mike dropped this gem of a quote in saying that a GM is "The point guard of information." Phrases like organizational alignment, value and team needs peppered a conversation that zoomed in and zoomed out on the lessons Mike's learned from his experiences in the league.   Topics Covered in This Week's Show: The 33rd Team - An NFL Think Tank that approaches the draft like any other NFL organization The Value of Metrics in Draft Prospect Valuation - IE: arm length value, relative to position Mike's Book on how to run an NFL Franchise & Shifts in Positional Values over the last 5 years Family Business - End of the Day Personnel Meetings between Parcells and Tannenbaum Warroom & Front Office Stories from Mike's days as a Jet Advice for young, passionate people in the personnel space If you're not already subscribed to The 33rd team, click the link above and do it for your own football knowledge. To find and follow Mike's work, check him out on Twitter and Instagram under the handle @RealTannenbaum, visit The33rdTeam.com or tune into ESPN's NFL Draft coverage this coming week!   Last but not least, Up Close In Personnel is brought to you by Warroom! Used by teams in every P5 conference, all the way down to the high school level, they have packages that will take your program to the next level! For more information, as mentioned in the show, reach out to Moose Bingham at (801) 808-7754 or go to www.collegewarroom.com for more information!   For full show notes and links, head over to the official website of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown & I'll see you all next week!

In a repeat appearance, we are fortunate to have the likes of Dane Brugler jump on air with us to talk through a STACKED 2021 NFL Draft class of quarterbacks!   This episode will kick off season 3 for "Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown," and the goal is to spotlight evaluating and scouting around the NFL Draft from a variety of bright minds and perspectives across the league! Stay tuned for more draft-centric content as we near the 2021 NFL Draft and enjoy this week's material!   Topics covered in this week's show: Dane's Annual NFL Draft guide, aka "The Beast" Is Trevor Lawrence truly a "Generational Talent"? How should scouts separate skill from scheme & supporting cast? Ex. 1 - Mac Jones & the perfect situation (elite OL, run game & playcaller) Ex. 2 - Zach Wilson & how he can't control the opponents he plays Ex. 3 - Justin Fields & the impressiveness in Ryan Day's playcalling Ex. 4 - Trey Lance & the low passing volume of NDSU offense Why is Zach Wilson entrenched at the #2 slot on Dane's board? "The single trait that separates great quarterbacks from good quarterbacks is the ability to make the great, spontaneous decision, especially at a crucial time." - Bill Walsh What makes Trey Lance so exciting as a prospect? High IQ and FBI, exceptional physical traits in terms of arm talent and mobility Debating the #3 Overall Pick for the Niners: Making the case for Justin Fields - elite traits and high ceiling  Making the case for Mac Jones - arguably most accurate passer & best decision maker The Uniqueness of the 2021 NFL Draft Potential to be the first draft where QB's go 1, 2, 3, and 4 overall Also, potential to be first draft with 5 QB's in the Top 10 overall picks It was a fun episode to record, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and I want to thank our first sponsor of the show - Warroom for backing us at Up Close In Personnel! Used by teams in every P5 conference, all the way down to the high school level, they have packages that will take your program to the next level! For more information, as mentioned in the show, reach out to Moose Bingham at (801) 808-7754 or go to www.collegewarroom.com for more information!   To find and follow Dane's work, check him out on Twitter at @dpbrugler, and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!  

In this episode with returning guest - Ed Jones, we take a deep dive into what player development looks like from the structure and programming, all the way down to specific examples and success stories of former student athletes he's worked with!   Generational impact is the foundation of the "Beyond The Field" Program, and we start things off with what inspired Ed to launch the program publicly and help so many player development professionals in the process.   As mentioned in the show, Ed made the jump from Kansas to Baylor since our last recorded conversation and we discuss what his new role as Assistant AD for Player Development looks like! His responsibilities include mentoring student athletes, working lockstep with Head Coach Dave Aranda to establish Baylor's culture, and being the glue between staff and players.   The first main takeaway for this episode, is the importance of EDUCATING student athletes in their first year on campus - aka "Newcomer Orientation" Who are the people in our football program? Athletic department? On campus? How will those people interact, engage and impact the experience of your players? Where is everything located? Are we providing them answers to the test or tools to survive & thrive? What are program expectations, standards, etc.? You have to educate before you hold them accountable. Continuing on that path of development, Ed broke down the three PILLARS OF DEVELOPMENT Personal Wellness -helping players grow as young adults & prepare for success in life Community Impact -creating opportunities for players to help impact others in the community Career Development -providing tools, resources & guidance for success professionally Within each of these pillars, we break down different aspects of what Ed describes as the "Learning Process" for student athletes. That is, what the progression of development should look like from freshman year to senior year.   I really enjoyed recording this one, not only because Ed is one of my best friends, but also because of his deep knowledge of this field. No matter what route we took, he had experiences, examples and stories to draw upon.   If you're interested in purchasing the "Beyond The Field" eBook, please visit Ed's website - BTFProgram.com - and follow him on Twitter at @EdJones2! Lastly, check back with UpCloseInPersonnel.com each week for updates, notes and links! Enjoy!

As I thought about this week's podcast, I realized we hadn't yet covered the wide world of special teams and recruiting specialists!   Quoting the great Rich Eisen, "Punters are people too!" and we intend to cover all things related to recruiting on this show.   Breaking down the recruiting process and more specifically what college recruiters look for in kickers, we are joined by Rice's Special Teams Graduate Assistant - Brett Arkelian. During this episode we talked through Brett's unique experience of going through the recruiting process as a high school, junior college and graduate transfer prospect.   We covered a lot of topics that will help recruits and recruiters alike throughout the episode, starting with the importance of mental training: As a kicker, you will have to deal with failure and adversity; be prepared for that moment and put yourself in difficult training circumstances so that moment doesn't overwhelm you. Secondly, you have to incorporate visualization into your process. Visualize yourself in the environment, walk through the steps mentally and rehearse the big moment until it's just another moment. Lastly, you'll notice the chip on Brett's shoulder as he even came up with his own acronym - FEWSIC. "For everyone who said I can't" is Brett's way of using the opinions of others as self motivation, and I loved it. Focus on being positive, but you can also use the doubts of others as fuel for your own internal fire. When it comes to emailing, researching and reaching out to colleges, here are three quick tips for recruits out there (and this also applies to coaches or recruiters seeking employment from colleges): Email at the very end or at the very beginning of a work day, as you're email will be the first one a coach sees Make a good impression with the secretary and be consistent in reaching out Focus on quality over quantity in your communication: personalize the message, find common ground, etc. Also, here are five things that college recruiters need to assess when evaluating kickers: Consistent, linear swing plane Smooth in the approach Limit in backswing Locked out kicking foot (plantar flexion) Height on the ball This was an awesome episode to record, and I hope you learned as much as I did about kicking after listening through! To find and follow Brett's work, be sure to visit his website The Kicker's Bible | Iceman Kicking! Check out his podcast, the "Iceman Kicking Podcast" and pick up his ebook - "The Kicker's Bible!"   Thanks for listening and you can always visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

The first person to give me a shot in college football recruiting, Adrian Mayes to this day is one of closest friends and mentors in the industry!   In this week's show, we take a deep dive into the mindset Adrian had when he took over the recruiting department at the University of Houston and peel back the layers of his approach to recruiting!   Starting off the show, we discussed what Adrian looked for when hiring interns. As he prepared for the role of director, he mentions that he studied the Ohio State and Alabama recruiting models for guidance.   What he looks for, is pretty simple and boils down to two points: Look for people smarter than you Find people with true passion and personality    As you will notice through the rest of the show, Adrian takes pride in entrusting role and responsibility to his interns in order to create ownership within the department.   That brings us to the next big topic covered, which is how to create a team atmosphere in the recruiting department: It all starts with ownership in what you're doing -taking pride in your work And secondly, it takes accountability   Accountability, which is covered throughout this episode, is obviously enforced by the superior but needs to be reinforced by the individuals within the department. No different than a player-led team, you need your front line workers to hold each other to standards set by the supervisor.   When it comes to recruiting, there were a lot of takeaways as it pertains to the evaluation side of the business as well.   For Adrian, he is adamant about watching every player that high school coaches send your way. There are no such things as diamonds in the rough anymore with the proliferation of film and exposure, but you can miss out on players if you don't take the time to sit down and watch them.   Also covered was the topic of intangibles and evaluating the learning capabilities of a given recruit.   You can't take all exceptions with less than prototypical measurables, but it is extremely important to keep an open mind for the really good football players that love the game. If you like the player, be thorough about what he can and can't do, and see if he has traits to overcome those limitations.   In the words of Cincinnati Bengals DPP Duke Tobin, "The art of scouting is what deficiencies do you accept? Everybody is looking for the same positives…"   With regards to assessing a recruit's ability to learn ball and pick up concepts, Adrian does a great job of explaining how he teaches a recruit a specific concept, asks the recruit to teach the concept back to him and watches closely how the recruit executes those actions. Is he taking notes? After listening and taking notes, how does he retain and regurgitate the information? How was he taught by his coaches? What concepts can he articulate back to the coach? Etc.   All this and more is covered on the show, and it was a ton of fun to hit that record button! You can follow Adrian on Twitter at @CoachAMayes, and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

Joined by my good friend and former colleague, Vincent Marshall, this episode is as good as it gets in terms of recruiting knowledge! A big takeaway from the show is Vincent's genuine approach to life and football. Starting off the day with a positive tweet, getting into the office at 4:30am and being authentic in building relationships with players and coaches, his approach is one we all can learn from. To kick the show off, he discussed what lessons in recruiting he's taken from his own personal journey as a dual sport athlete. For the potential walk-on recruit:Focus on working hard regardless of the outcomeBe prepared to not play a down and, if you give it your all and leave with a degree, you'll have no regrets When it comes to the recruiting process, Vincent's step-by-step advice will be applicable to recruit and recruiter alike. After building his list through highlight tapes, it's important to determine how a player is built mentally. Here are the questions that Vincent is asking high school coaches? Will he block? Is that something he tries to be good at? (Evaluate film of this as well)How are his grades? Does he perform in the classroom?When coached hard, how does he respond? Ask scenario based questions to encourage the coach to paint a picture. Next, we talked through "Profile Tapes" and what those are in recruiting departments. Highlights are supposed to look good, just like filters on social media. Here are some quick tips on creating these hit tapes:Find the stats if availablePick out the player's best and worst three games of the seasonSelect 30 clips from each of those games, breaking down why it was one of his best or worst gamesBe sure to evaluate effort away from the ball, interactions pre/post-snap, blocking, special teams and if he's playing on both sides of the ball Lastly, Vincent went through how he evaluates a prospect's social media:Look at the "Likes" section; what's important to them?What do they tweet about and does it align with how he speaks to you as the recruiter in your relationship All in all, this was a great episode to learn about a person I look up to, respect and appreciate for how much he has helped me in my own journey as a college recruiter. You can follow Vincent on Twitter at @CoachMarshall, and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

This is a show I've wanted to record ever since the middle of the pandemic! Due to NCAA rules, I am unable to record with current high school coaches (that are associated with recruits) BUT.... now that Marco Regalado has been named a Recruiting Analyst with Washington State University, we now are graced by his presence! Jumping on the show after driving nearly 2,000 miles from the DFW to Pullman, Washington, Marco made time this weekend to talk about his amazing path from high school coach to college football recruiter. In this episode, we cover everything from how Marco makes his viral TikTok videos to his love for the game of football and desire to help other people. What I enjoyed most about the conversation is how genuine Coach Regalado is as a person, how he embraces all of his past experiences and plans to put those lessons to use at the next level! When giving advice to college football recruiters in dealing with high school coaches, here are two main points made my Marco:1. Follow up with everyone!Good, bad, or indifferent, let the coach know you watched their prospects. Whether or not you sign the player is irrelevant, the coach just needs to be able to provide his player with constructive feedback.2. Don't Ask Who's Offered!First off (we didn't say this on the show), you can easily check 247, Rivals, Twitter or ask the kid. Second, you have to trust your eyes and not your ears as an evaluator. Evaluate the student athlete and then do your investigative work.As far as presenting yourself on social media as a college recruiter, Marco also gave great advice for how to put your best foot forward:Don't be vulgar -it's not attractive and not professional at allBe weary of opinions -you're representing more than just yourselfBe yourself and have fun -don't take yourself too seriously!I know Marco is going to do great things at the college level and I hope you took something away from this episode! You can follow him on Twitter at @CoachRegalado, and easily find him on TikTok! For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and thanks again for tuning in!

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Joan Ryan's new book "Intangibles" and break down what team chemistry truly is. Chemistry isn't simply defined or contained, but there are two distinct types of chemistry -social and task chemistry. Social chemistry is what we commonly think of, in terms of social and emotional connectivity. Task chemistry is all about the job and having complete trust in your teammate on the field. Complete task chemistry is that "foxhole" mentality and pride in playing for one another. And to create true chemistry, there are three stages that Joan outlines from the military model:Trust: This is a foundational piece to Joan's philosophy on team chemistry, as no meaningful relationships can come about without the establishment of trust. We must begin by trusting our teammates and proving our own personal trustworthiness. Bonding: The second step is bonding. Once trust is established, we are able to create a bond through the hardships and adversity we face as a team. The power of bonding and love for your teammates is the strongest binding force for team chemistry and togetherness. Commitment: The final stage is commitment, and not commitment to simply a goal or vision but a commitment to each other. The "Just Us" mindset of the Golden State Warriors was Joan's prime example of a team committed to one another.  Within teams, there's also a variety of roles that leaders must be aware of so that they can communicate and lead at a high level. In "Intangibles", Joan lists seven archetypes that we detail on the show but it's not as simple as selecting a set number of archetypes. Team chemistry is not like actual chemistry in that there's a specific formula for success. As stated in the book, "His role on the field is prescribed… His role in the clubhouse is not. He has to discover it. He gathers signals from teammates about what they value in him. They don't know they're filling a role. They just do it." I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did in recording it, and encourage you as the listener to pick up her book "Intangibles" and follow Joan on Twitter at @JoanRyan. For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and thanks again for tuning in!

In this episode, Coach Carthel gives us an inside look on the challenges SFA faced on the field as a team and off the field in recruiting this past year. With the Southland Conference cancelling conference games, Coach Carthel and SFA put together a full, 10-game, non-conference schedule and made it happen ! This was one of the more fun show to be a part of and we hit on everything from coach's affinity for the state of Alaska, what he's learned from his dad through coaching together and all the major shifts seen in the college football recruiting landscape over the past 20 years. We even went through his viral, shirt off-celebration following an overtime victory over ACU!  Throughout the episode, you will hear Coach Carthel emphasize the importance of surrounding yourself with great people. Whether that's your personal life, professional or in the recruiting process, this applies to everyone. For recruits: who are the types of coaches and players you want to align yourself with? Every interaction with college coaches and recruiters is an opportunity for you to evaluate their character. For college coaches: who are the types of coaches you are willing to work alongside and who are the types of players you want in your program? Culture is built up of the collective character of the people in your building, so what does that look like?  To the recruits' side of things, Coach Carthel provided great advice on how recruits can make better decisions during their recruiting process: 1. Do your homework on the head coachWhat's their background? What kind of person are they? Job stability?Lean on your high school head coach to help you assess the head coach. 2. Go through the current roster & ask the playersCoaches will tell you what you want to hear.Players will give you the real truth on what to expect.  Lastly, Coach added in what he looks for when hiring his staff:Good People, first and foremostGreat RecruitersSound Football Coaches In that order, Coach wants to add coaches with strong, Christian morals and character, because the ultimate role of a coach is leading their players to success in life (not just ball). To follow Coach Colby Carthel, check him out on Twitter at @CoachCarthel! For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and thanks again for tuning in!

In this episode, Brian Metz walks us through his journey from equipment student manager to full time, Tight Ends coach with the Ohio Bobcats! As we discuss his approach to networking and career growth, as well as his recruiting process, it's easy to see how and why Brian is where he is. He's passionate about having a "beginner's" or "growth mindset" and takes pride in being what he calls a "master observer". Here are some quick bullet points from the episode and thank you for tuning into the show! The "Beginner's Mindset"Similar to "growth mindset" - process over outcomesBe acutely aware of what you don't knowHustle to learn everything you can about what you don't knowFollow your curiosities when learning (IE snowball effect)Advice for Volunteer Coaches/Recruiters:Be a "MASTER OBSERVER" (IE a fly on the wall)Show gratitude for those that are supporting your careerUnderstand your role within the program:Support the mission and vision of those above youThink critically and write down everything you like/don't likeAdvice for Networking in the Coaching Profession:Network UP (to those above you) and OUT (to those on the same level or below)Begin with the end in mindIf you want a job: be prepared to handout resumes and presentIf you want to meet new people: go to the main lobby and engage others"Stratify" prioritize people you have to see and overcommunicate that they're a priorityBuilding "Player Profiles" in RecruitingAs mentioned with networking, begin with the end in mindStudy what has been successful at your program and in your conferenceBreakdown the roles and duties of each position, with the most important roles prioritizedFind players that fit your culture, can do what your system requires and have traits that translateThanks for listening to another edition of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown! You can find and follow Brian on Twitter at @CoachBrianMetz, as well as visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for any and all show updates! 

In the inaugural episode of 2021, Yahoo Sports' College Football Reporter - Pete Thamel breaks down the craziness that was 2020 and the seismic shifts facing the sport moving forward! One of the best in the business, Pete shares how he got started in the sports reporting profession, his writing and reporting process, and insights gained from being around the highest performers in college athletics.  When it comes to interviewing, he shared three critical keys to success:It takes time -each interview is a rep and that's the #1 way to improveBuild rapport -ask the hard questions last and tease out the informationTell a story -make sure to extract the anecdotes and specifics to draw others inAs far as the State of College Football Recruiting, we touched on:The 85-Man Scholarship Hard Cap & challenges produced by the COVID eligibility waiverThe Implications of no campus visits -both from the lens of colleges & athletesThe Effects of colleges not being able to evaluate prospects in person for the time beingAnd, the reverberations that will be felt across the sport -specifically in the class of 2022If you're interested in working in sports media, please do yourself a favor and be ready to take notes from Pete. He's one of the very best at building relationships, networking with high performers in the industry and articulating compelling stories to college football fans.If you're passionate about evaluating, recruiting and the landscape of college football, we have you covered as well! I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it and I look forward to bringing more shows to you all in 2021! To follow Pete, check him out on Twitter at @PeteThamel, and tune in to his weekly podcast with Dan Wetzel & Pat Forde called the Yahoo Sports College Podcast! For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and Happy New Years everyone! 

In this episode, Evan Harrington - Assistant Director for Player Engagement with the Washington Football Team shares incredible insight from his impressive (albeit young) career in the coaching profession. With the experience of playing at the JuCo, FBS, NFL, CFL, and International levels, along with coaching across four different countries, Evan might be the most traveled football coach in the world. Throughout the episode he speaks to how it is so critical to hold onto and cultivate relationships with people that have invested in your life. Finding mentors and surrounding yourself with those that will push you to be your best, is a major key to success in this industry (and any industry for that matter). Additionally, Evan gives a Recruiting 101 tutorial on how to recruit internationally. Where to look (Germany and Sweden for BIGS, Austria for the most well-coached players, and France for speed), and the importance of figuring out what type of coaching these recruits are receiving. At the end of the day, his lasting advice boiled down to "being where your feet are". Do your job right now with the awareness that there is always someone out there that would kill for your job. Build relationships with others in the industry when you don't need a job (not just when you need one), and never burn a bridge. To follow Evan and his work, check out his Twitter at @CoachH49 and check out his new show on International recruiting on YouTube called "The Morning Session". For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and happy early National Signing Period to all the recruiters following the show!

In this episode, we start out with a deep dive on how to successfully lead and manage a player personnel department with Auburn's DPP - Ryan "Tree" Trichel. Starting with Tree's experience at Louisiana-Lafayette and working to his current role at Auburn, the emphasis on organization stands out above all else. He truly takes pride in being the most organized recruiter and staying one step ahead of the competition. At the tail end of our conversation, we brought in his right hand man, Joe Moreno - Player Personnel Graduate Assistant at Auburn, who shared his journey to Auburn and what all he's learned since working with Tree. If you're looking to learn more about how recruiting works, grow as a director or take the next step as an young recruiter, this episode is absolutely for you. To follow these two phenomenal guests, check out their Twitter handles at @RyanTrichel and @Joe_Moreno16! For complete show notes and podcast links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com!

Joined by my good friend and mentor, Bob Merritt - Assistant GM for the Edmonton Eskimos, this week's edition of Up Close In Personnel is basically a tutorial on how to successfully assemble a recruiting department and construct a roster in college football!  Having coached, scouted, and recruited at all levels of football, Bobby details his career path and lessons he's learned along the way. We really dialed in on the roster management and construction aspect of personnel, so this week I decided to drop all of the notes I took away from the conversation in bullet form below! Topics Covered:Bobby's Current Role in the CFLAssistant General ManagerEvaluating US College, Canadian College, CFL and NFL players Diverse Experiences in FootballSuccess comes down to the ability to communicate and collaborate at a high level with the various personalities involved in the professionMust be able to connect with people around you and work effectively; a more diverse background helps with the ability to relate and connect The Impact of the Air Force and Military Making the move from Coaching to Personnel Roster Construction 101Identifying MUSTS, NEEDS and WANTSAssessing the value of your roster and incoming playersDefining a clear role and vision for new players The Head Coach-General Manager Relationship Advice for Interviewing and Hiring Interns Building and Growing a pro-styled Personnel Department3 Core ValuesBe a great teammateCompete to be your bestBuild relationshipsDeveloping as an evaluatorCannot be afraid of being wrongSay what you see with convictionBe a great listener and hear the traitsUnderstand what your team valuesParameter vs Skill SetDepends on level of ballCertain positions require parametersEx: Perimeter players must have length and speedSome positions don't require as stringent parametersEx: Height doesn't matter as much for linebackers Evaluating speed without verified timesAssess the player's play speed on game film3 key components to look for:Stride length (gait)Stride frequency (turnover)Hip mobility (fluidity and knee drive) Predicting the draft vs projecting the playerRemember to always define the role a player will play on your team prior to him joining the program; if you don't, then there's no way of reviewing the success or failure of the acquisition. Let me know what you took away from the show and be sure to give Bobby a follow on Twitter at @BobbyMerritt8! For listening links and notes from previous shows, please visit the show's official website UpCloseInPersonnel.com and comment with whatever notes and takeaways you had from our conversation! Thanks again and see you all next week!

In this interview, Ethan Johnson of Liberty talks through his personal journey in the recruiting world, what he's learned along the way and actionable advice for making personnel decisions in college football.  Liberty is one of the fastest rising programs in the country, so I had to make sure we got Ethan on the show to break down his process and how Liberty has performed so well on a national front. The words "Process" and "Fit" are constantly used in this episode, and for good reason. You must be detailed and consistent in your approach, if you intend to learn along the way and continually improve as a recruiter. Refining the Evaluation Process:As a recruiting director, you have to train up your team of assistants and interns. Defining the evaluation process with a series of benchmarks and checklists, creates a more refined attack. Don't just type in comments that pop into your head; hone in on what is important to your team, to that specific side of the football and position, so you bring players that fit what you're looking for as a program. Understand that each year is different in terms of needs within your program as well. It's critical that you do an after action review of the class you are signing, what is returning to your team the following season and spelling out what it is that you need for the next cycle. This will get everyone on the same page and empower your full-time coaches to better mine their recruiting areas for talent. Finding the "Fit":The biggest takeaway from this episode comes down to the "fit". When it comes to finding the right "fit", college programs must be hyper aware of what makes their program unique - or as Ethan says, "What makes us, us?" Factors that come into play go beyond the field and include things like region, location, academics, campus life, alumni, culture within football program, personalities on staff, etc. Each program has a unique selling point or collection of traits that set them apart, and targeting players that value what you have to offer creates a win-win scenario. Bringing in student athletes that don't fit into your culture, or academic structure, or some other component to the school, is a huge disservice to both parties. It's our job in the recruiting process to be honest with recruits on what the program truly is like and for the recruits to be upfront about what they care most about. Recruiting R&D:Lastly, we talked about how research and development is how we as recruiting staffs get better. Take what you did in the past, break it down to its core parts and reassess the outcomes. What went well? What didn't go well? From budget spending to official visits to national signing day to camps and recruiting travel, to player personnel there is always room for improvement. Being detailed in the documentation of evaluations, itineraries, calendars and other recruiting material, will allow you to go back and revisit those things. On the player personnel side, recruiters must also be diligent in re-evaluating talent that is in the building and monitoring the development of players. Who's added weight? Who's more explosive? What factors in their makeup or physical traits has allowed them to develop? What are common themes in the progression of players in our program? These are just some of my notes from this episode, but please visit the show's official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com and comment with whatever notes and takeaways you had from our conversation!  As always, if you enjoyed listening to Ethan, be sure to follow him on Twitter at @EthanJohnsonCFB!

In this interview, we catch up with UTSA's Joe Price as it's nearly been 7 months since his last visit to the show. We talk about how this season has been for UTSA in Head Coach Jeff Traylor's first season at the helm and Joe's first year as Director of Player Personnel. EDITOR'S NOTE: Our conversation was recorded Wednesday, 2 days before the announced postponement of the matchup between Rice and UTSA due to positive cases on UTSA's team. With that being said, there were a lot of great insights shared by Joe that I'd like to highlight in this week's show notes! Throughout the show, you'll hear Joe talk about BRANDING. Finding an identity as a program is so critical and UTSA has done a very good job of that. The "Triangle of Toughness" which is directed at running the ball on offense, being great on special teams and physical on defense, is a staple to the program and something you'll see all over their social media. To that point, I asked Joe how he and his recruiting team work to identify players that fit into that culture of toughness. In the evaluation process of watching tape, here are some examples given by Joe on what he looks for:Ex. 1: How does a receiver play without the ball in his hands? Does he give great effort on the backside of a progression? Does he block with great effort?Ex. 2: On defense, how does a player pursue to the ball? Does he sprint to the football and strain to finish plays? Also, we discussed the team's focus on winning in their home city - The "210" of San Antonio. The benefit of keeping players home is that the entire city will know who these guys are and it not only benefits the crowds you draw but the future recruits as well. The ripple effect is having your team engaged with selling the program to local recruits, which breeds success on the road! As always, if you enjoyed listening to Joe Price, you can follow him on Twitter at @CoachJP3! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for links, notes and updates!

In my conversation with Marshall, we talked through his journey to the Bay Area and his process as a recruiter. There's so much to pull away from this episode, especially if you want to learn the mindset of one of the top recruiters in the country. Marshall understands the importance of promoting the brand of Cal football and the connection that must exist with the target audience of recruits. Below are some of my notes from this show, be sure to let me know what you took away and thanks for tuning in! "Getting a foot in the door" - LIVE IN THE MOMENT If you want to break into the football industry, you must have an open mind to working in a role that may not be exactly your desired "end state". Marshall started out in equipment and instead of complaining that he wasn't working in recruiting, he excelled in the role he DID have. Learn all the "little things" and become a master in the work you're given. As you do a great job "where your feet are", THEN you can seek out additional work to display your ability to perform a different type of role. Marshall found ways to assist recruiting while working in equipment, and the bottom line is that people in the building recognized his work ethic and performance. Leadership Lesson 101 - MAKE YOUR PEOPLE FEEL VALUED To be a good leader, you have to learn your people and their perspectives. Be considerate of what they may be going through and take time out of the day to check in with where they are at mentally. Give out responsibility and meaningful tasks to create a sense of value. The Role of a Director of Recruiting Strategy - PRIMARY TOUCH POINT In Marshall's position as Director of Recruiting Strategy, his primary role is to serve as main touch point to recruits. That includes: providing facts on the university, the football program and the local region; overseeing and organizing the communication strategy with recruits; relationship building and character assessment; maintaining a pulse on the recruiting landscape nationally; and assisting in the evaluation process. Best advice for FaceTime Calls with Recruits - TALK ABOUT LIFE Recruits get hit up constantly about ball and school. Talk about life with recruits and show that you care about them as a person, not just as an athlete. Equally important, you must get them on the phone and in front of the right faces -that's the area coach, position coach, coordinator, head coach and at least one person in recruiting. That way they know who to go to with questions.  If you enjoyed listening to Marshall, you can follow him on Twitter at @MWCherrington! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and future updates on the show!

Joined by Tony Cappuccilli - Manager with the Ogden Raptors (rookie ball club within the LA Dodgers' farm system) episode 27 is loaded with material for anyone trying to learn more about teambuilding, coaching, player development, scouting and recruiting! As a member of the Dodgers' organization since 2017, Tony's hoping that the third time is the charm when it comes to World Series runs. We recorded this show while the Dodgers were in the midst of their 3-1 NLCS series comeback. Let me know what you took away from the show, but here are a few of my favorite notes from this week's episode: Advice on Navigating the Coaching ProfessionYou have to constantly evolve -"what got you there, won't keep you there"Be ready to pay your dues -are you okay with volunteering?Find the right fit -make sure you can make the most of an opportunity before going "all-in" Building a Winning Franchise - The Los Angeles DodgersThey have really good people, first and foremost -no problem guysLeadership starts from the top down, creating a winning environment and culture"Don't suck as a person", do things the right way and everything falls into place Breaking Down an MLB Scouting ReportAthleticism and how the player moves, firstOffensive ability secondStrengths, weaknesses as a playerAreas for ImprovementMust include how the player communicates and takes coaching*Projected Role on the team "Do's and Don'ts" for Recruiting EmailsPut the coach's name in the addressTalk about the school and show them you've done your homeworkKeep the email text short and to the pointKeep any video attachment short and to the pointKnow what you're expecting to receive -a camp invite Thanks again for listening, if you liked hearing from Tony - be sure to follow him on Twitter at @tcapp19! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and future updates on the show! Thanks for tuning in and see you next week!

In my conversation with Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting, we touched on everything from comparing quarterbacks to characters from the classic show, "The Office" to scouting processes, navigating the football industry and behind the scenes stories from his experience overseeing player personnel within the XFL! Knowing Eric as both a friend and former colleague, this was one of the most enjoyable conversations I've recorded and chock full of personnel insight! Here are some of my own takeaways from the episode, but please be sure to comment or tweet at me with what you took away from the show: Network with a purpose - BRING VALUE. UTSA's Joe Price discussed this when he joined the show (Episode 4) but you have to find a way to stand out from the pack. Identify possible pain points or problems to solve for the people you're trying to connect with, be patient and be prepared with an answer when the time comes. Hire people that are UPWARDLY DRIVEN. To reach true heights as an organization, you have to bring in high performers. With that said, most high performers will have their own career aspirations and part of the role of being a leader is developing your employees to reach their own personal and professional potential. Be prepared to lose your best employees as they climb the ladder and accomplish their dreams, and continually seek, recruit and incorporate those types of workers into your program. That applies to recruiting, coaching and any business field for that matter. Decision makers want to hear your ONE LINER (Not your entire report). Don't lose the forest for the trees and get lost in the minutiae. Break down the role of the player you are evaluating and what his fit is within your program/scheme. That's it. Have the rest of the scouting report information ready to answer any follow up questions, but cut to the chase because decision makers don't always have the luxury of time. When constructing your roster, DON'T MISS ON INFO. What are we talking about when it comes to info? That's your background and character of a player, the work ethic, coachability, accountability, professionalism, etc. That's injury history. That's verified measurables and up to date testing numbers. Lastly, but certainly not least is the analytics piece. How does a player with "x" production and measurables stack up historically to other players at his position? The information gathering component to scouting is the most OBJECTIVE segment of an extremely SUBJECTIVE process. Being aware of the subjectivity of evaluating the game film and limiting errors within the more predictive, objective field of research/information is the first step in lowering your "misses".  Again, be sure to hit me up with your top takeaways from the episode and thank you for taking time out of your day to tune in! If you enjoyed listening to Eric talk ball, you can follow him on Twitter at @EricGalko! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and future updates on the show!

In my conversation with Jordan Arcement - Director of Recruiting from UVA, we honed in on relationship building and making the connection as a recruiter. Over the course of this podcast, we've had multiple guest bring up how important relationship-building is in the process and how it separates the good from the great recruiters. Still, this is one episode where we dig past the surface and provide specific examples of how to execute; and while some of the conversation gears around Jordan's experiences, there are two main principles that any recruiter can take away from this episode. 1). You need to DEFINE YOUR WHY (PURPOSE). Jordan's why is deep, it's tough, but it's real, authentic and relatable to recruits. Growing up in a single parent household after losing his father, Jordan seeks to provide that mentorship and guidance as a father-figure to recruits who may not have a father in their life. Moreover, he also endured career ending injuries and is able to relate to the uncertainty and doubt that clouds an athlete's mind when the game is ripped away. 2). Secondly, you have to BE ORGANIC. Everybody likes to talk ball, but that's also the only thing most people talk about with recruits. Don't be afraid to open up and be vulnerable with the recruit you're engaging with. Trust is vital, and it's a two-way street -you have to give it in order to receive it. As you get to know more information about the person you're talking to, find common interests and common ground that you can hone in on. Once you've found that connecting piece, you're able to have a different relationship than other schools and stand out. If you enjoyed listening to Jordan talk shop, you can follow him on Twitter at @JordanArcement! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and future updates on the show! Thanks for tuning in and see you next week!

If you're interested in the world of NFL scouting, then this episode is for you! Neil Stratton, President of Inside The League, talks shop on the scouting process, how to break into the industry and his new book called "Scout Speak"!  "Scout Speak" is an easy $9.99 purchase that can be found on Amazon (link provided below) and touches on all things related to the scouting process, the draft room and how to carve a career out in the industry!  Current and former NFL scouts weigh in on the various topics covered in the book, all adding their own flavor and unique draft room or road trip stories for you to read through.   Getting to my conversation with Neil, we got deep in the weeds on what the best scouts have in common, the difficulty in "evaluating the evaluators" and how to break into the game for the young, aspiring NFL scout out there listening to the show.  Here are my notes and main takeaways from this week's episode:  Commonalities Among the Best ScoutsCourage to develop their own opinions and be wrong, while learning from mistakesAwareness that this is a people driven industry and the ability to connect with peopleConsistency in always showing up  Evaluating the EvaluatorsThis question is ultimately a tough ask for anyone to answer, but Neil does a great job of breaking down exactly why this question is rarely answered: It's an "Ole Boy Network" and most scouts don't want to fire their buddiesThere's a distinct difference between information gatherers and talent evaluators, so that adds a layer of complicationSo many people are involved in the cross checking process, which makes the pick more of a consensus and collective decision (by design)Ultimately, success is a function of the area the scout oversees, team needs and the development process once that player reaches your building  *In my mind, the only way to get an accurate assessment of your process as an evaluator is to implement and execute a system of case studies -I.E. reviewing previously acquired players, re-grading them off the film, assessing how they performed in your program, identifying what went right (or wrong), and identifying how those positive or negative traits may have been overlooked or glossed over.  Breaking Into the Scouting IndustryAsking this one is also a difficult question for Neil, but he nailed it on this podcast:  The human element - Nothing is more important than connecting with scouts and decision makers that can vouch for your character, ability but most of all, your personality. Don't take the easy way out with a text or email. Make the effort to write a handwritten letter or take the time to call and create a dialogue. People want to hire other people they like. It's a pretty simple fact.  There's an old saying that it's not what you know, but who you know. That may be true, however the real quote should read "It's not what you know, but who knows you."  Build your reputation one day at a time, master the area you are in currently and invest in relationships.   You can follow Neil on Twitter at @InsideTheLeague, visit his website Inside The League and check out his latest book on scouting, "Scout Speak" on Amazon!

This week's convo with Lucas Jadin covers mental skills training and his new book "Win In The Dark". The book dropped at the perfect time, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and it was an absolute privilege to have Lucas on the show! From a process, habits and routines perspective, here were some quick nuggets that I took away from the episode: Finding BalanceBalance can be elusive in the world of high performance, so we should instead focus on harmony and alignment with our principles. Stress comes out of not being in alignment with who YOU want to be as a person. Passion is when you're working on things that align with who you are and what you want to be. Putting First Things FirstWhen it comes to coaching, teaching, investing in the lives of other people and leading, there is a lot of giving involved that can leave us feeling empty. How do you find restoration and refuel? For Lucas, with having a full house of kids, he talks about how he "bookends his day". Have a routine, whether that be reading or meditating to quiet your mind in the evening. Plan out your next day, the night before and allow your mind to slow down. That means turning the TV off, putting the phone away, let your mind rest while your body does the same. Comparison from Two LensesComparison is something we cover extensively in this episode. The negative effects of comparing oneself to others is obvious, particularly from the lens of insecurity. The feelings of self doubt, inadequacy will undoubtedly creep into the back of your mind during these moments. Instead, Lucas talks about using comparison as a superpower. By coming from a place of security and knowing our self worth, we can look at the success of others and use that as an inspiration for our own growth. For recruits, recruiters, coaches, and all listeners of the show, I do hope that you are taking time to put first things first in your own life. Invest in yourself and don't neglect your own mental health. You need to be filling yourself up on a daily basis. For me, that's spiritually, relationally, mentally and physically, in that order. What do you do to start your day on the right foot, and how are you working to "unlock yourself mentally"? This one was much different than previous episodes, but please comment, hit me up with what you thought of this week's show and check below for your listener's guide to the topics covered!Living in Alignment with your principles (3:21)Nightly Routines & Bookending Your Day (5:47)Lucas' Personal Journey in Mental Training (8:36)Overcoming the Fear of Failure (14:10)“Win In The Dark” Origins (36:37)Learning Internally from our Forged in Fire Moments (41:25) You can follow Lucas Jadin on Twitter at @Lucas_Jadin and find his newest book, "Win In The Dark" on Amazon!

In this conversation with Steve Palazzolo, we talk through how he got involved with the football analytics juggernaut - Pro Football Focus - and the role that their data plays for decision makers across the sport. Broken down to its core, PFF provides information to help football teams make better decisions regarding gameplanning and personnel. Instead of taking the route of efficiency and evaluating the most recent four games, PFF cuts down the time it takes to cutup games and allows coaches to digest a higher sample size of plays. This leads to more informed decision making, better data and a better process overall! From a personnel standpoint, production isn't limited to archaic stat lines that left out the context of the other players' contributions to a given play. PFF's vision and aim is to find the truth in the stats, and Steve does a great job of going into detail with multiple stories and examples. Lastly, when talking through the best team builders in the NFL, Steve dropped the following insights on what separates the good from the great teams in the league. The top two teams from a team building perspective, the Patriots and the Ravens, consistently remain ahead of the curve and always seem to zig when the rest of the league zags. Hope You Enjoy the Show & Below is Your Listener's Guide to the Pod: Interview with Steve Palazzolo (2:50)Steve's Experience as a Minor League Pitcher (4:48)PFF & Seeing the Vision for Success (10:00)How Teams Utilize PFF Data & Analytics (15:10)"Figuring Out What the Data Means" (19:09)Baseball Cards & Steve's Passion for Stats (25:48)Why the Patriots & Ravens Excel at Team Building (29:39) You can follow Steve on Twitter at @PFF_Steve! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and future updates on the show!

This week's notes will read different than previous week's.  I'll drop a handful of main takeaways and you can visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for the complete show notes! Thanks for taking time to listen and see you next week! 1. Pro Tip for Live Evaluations "Let the players come to you."Avoid the urge to be right and instead focus on being present.Information changes. Scouting is dynamic, not static 2. Evaluating the Character & "Makeup" of a PlayerTrust, discipline and maturity are non-negotiablesDoes the player have a growth mindset?How do they handle life, specifically when they're away from the game? 3. Final Pieces of Advice for Identifying TalentFocus on what the player CAN do!Surround yourself with great evaluators and learn from themTake the time to evaluate your hits AND your missesConstantly build your "rolodex" of player evaluationsRecruit kids that aren't on lists -I.E. trust your eyes, not your ears as an evaluatorValue players that "get it done", even if it doesn't "look pretty"And finally, always lean on the side of athleticism and traits with underclassmenLet me know your takeaways from this episode by tweeting me @alexm_brown, emailing the show at upcloseinpersonnel@gmail.com or sending in a question through the site's official website, upcloseinpersonnel.com! Also, Be sure to follow Coach Trip on Twitter at @TripCouch11 and check out more on South Carolina Baseball at https://gamecockbaseball.exposure.co/!

From a content perspective, this show is all about the mindset, approach and traits required to excel as an evaluator in the football industry. Whether you're working at the collegiate level, pro level or just a fan of the draft, Dane breaks down his process and gives real actionable advice on how to hone the skill of evaluating football talent. Like I do each and every week, here's your listener's guide to the pod: Traits of the Best Evaluators in Football (2:51)NFL Scouting Mentors & Influences (5:05)Information Gathering as a Talent Evaluator (7:33)Maximizing Every Day & Self Improvement (10:15)The Importance of Culture & Chemistry (14:10)Books & Listens Recommended by Dane (18:40)Dane's Path to the Draft & Football Journey (21:39)Putting Family First & Balancing Career Aspirations (26:14)Best Advice for Evaluating Prospects In-Person (32:05)Upcoming Challenges for Scouts this Fall (36:37)Advice for Making School Calls & Scouting Virtually (44:21) You can follow Dane on Twitter at @dpbrugler! Also, don't forget to check out our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and future updates on the show! Thanks for tuning in and see you next month for season 2!

Our conversation with Darrick Yray spans all things related to recruiting and personnel. We talk about the role of serving as Director of Player Personnel, diving deep into leadership and management advice early on. One thing that really stood out for me was when Darrick talked through his mindset of wanting to make the lives of his assistants easier, because at the end of the day "if they're operating smoothly, I'm operating smoothly." We talk through the importance of taking responsibility for the growth and development of your assistants. That can apply to any mid level manager in business, sports or otherwise. From a recruiting perspective, he listed five key qualities of top recruiters:Good Heart: Have the recruit's best interest in mindMeticulous: Detailed and relentless in approachHumble: "There's two types of people: those who are humble and those who are about to be"Relatability: Have to be able to connect with recruit & familyAbility to Walk Away: The evaluation process never stops We also talked about evaluating recruits, both as athletes and people. Physically, recruiters need to rely on verified numbers -both for measurements and for athleticism testing. That's how we can best determine the future outlook or projection of a player. Then, as you get into the recruitment process, paying attention to social media activity can paint a very clear picture of who a player is. Darrick says in the episode, "If you listen closely enough, kids will tell you who they are." Lastly, we had to talk about "Last Chance U" and transfer recruiting. For Darrick, the world of transfer recruiting is college football's version of the "waiver wire". His process is all about the fit and the why. How does the player fit on the field with the team (ability) and fit in the locker room (character)? The why refers to reason(s) for transferring in the first place, along with the question "does he love football." This is a great episode for anyone wanting to learn how to run a department in recruiting or personnel, so I hope you enjoy listening! As I do each and every week, here is a breakdown of topics covered:Responding to the Adversity of COVID in Recruiting (2:57)Darrick's Approach to Leadership & Management (9:55)Common Traits Among Top Recruiters (11:28)Examples of Top Recruiters & Darrick's Influences (16:11)Searching for Any Competitive Advantage (20:08)Walk-On Wannabe to Coaching & Personnel (23:45)The Benefit of Operations Experience in Recruiting (26:49)Defining Leadership & Lessons Learned in Corvallis (29:23)Navigating Head Coach Turnover in Recruiting (32:14)Breaking Down the Role of a DPP (34:30)Evaluating Insights & Projecting Underclassmen (38:08)What the Month of August Looks Like in Recruiting (42:03)Learning from & Serving NFL Scouts as the Pro Liaison (46:01)Managing the "Waiver Wire" & Transfer Recruiting (49:34)Last Chance U & the Wright Brothers (55:14)Sendoff Advice to Recruits, Parents and HS Coaches (59:06) Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown! Be sure to follow Darrick on Twitter at @dyray22, and don't forget to check out the official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for notes, updates and more! 

This week's episode is heavy. Omar Hales from Baylor opens up about his life, and how he's been able to overcome time and time again. His story is inspiring to say the least, and you can just feel the passion and enthusiasm he has for recruiting The topic I planned to hone in on was going to center around overcoming the challenges that have been posed by COVID-19 in recruiting. We do cover that later in the podcast, but this show has plenty for those interested in both the recruiting and evaluating aspects of football. Recruiting-wise, it's clear that Omar, aka "Omeezy" is adamant about being yourself and authentic when building relationships. My favorite part of the show is when he talks about how he doesn't ascribe to the word "recruiting" but rather the word "relating". Omar's philosophy centers around building "REALationships". From an evaluation standpoint, we talk about what it means to be a "numbers based" program and how measurables serve as the initial filter to the process. After filtering based on height/weight/speed measurements, the focus shifts to the character and quality of the person (are they a program fit). Last but not least, you go to the tape. In the words of Coach Matt Rhule, "Don't tell me what can't do. Tell me what he CAN do!" And with all that, here's your roadmap through this conversation:Similarities Between Recruiting & Dating (4:44)Having fun with the recruiting process  (6:14)Connecting & Relating > Recruiting (10:41)“Paying your dues” in the industry (15:23)Omar’s Incredible Life Story (27:06)“If you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way” (33:00)Teaching, Coaching and how things came full circle for Omar (35:11)Lessons learned from Coach Rhule and Coach Aranda (44:18)The Role Recruiting Plays in Building a Winning Culture (48:14)Topic of the Week: Overcoming COVID Challenges in Recruiting (57:41) The “numbers based” approach to recruiting & player development (1:00:54)Evaluating character & program fit (1:02:59)Philosophy on Recruiting Underclassmen (1:07:18)Sendoff advice for recruits, parents and coaches (1:11:19)

As someone who's made the jump from covering recruiting to DOING the recruiting now at the highest level, Ashton Washington brings so much insight to the table for recruits and professionals alike. In this episode, we discuss her professional journey, lessons learned along the way and what recruits need to do in order to make the most of their opportunities off the field and in social media. She's been everywhere from 247 to the XFL and now is smack dab in the middle of the Big Ten, working as the Director of High School Relations for the University of Illinois. "Personal LinkedIn" is a phrase I've heard Ashton use many times on-air and it's the primary focus of this episode. In the digital age we live in, it's easy to click "connect" without ever creating an in-person or face-to-face connection. Ashton talks at length about the importance of being intentional with your personal and professional network, and we relate the concept to recruits and also to aspiring young coaches or recruiters. At the end of the day, nothing is more effective than stacking positive, in-person impressions you make on other people in whatever field, profession or path you are pursuing. Like I do each week, here is your "TLDR" cheat code to the podcast:Why the best recruiters are the most authentic (4:15)How to evaluate the authenticity of a recruiter (5:44)Learning the recruiting game as the big sister of a star recruit (8:12)The impact of Ashton's dad and battling self doubt (10:28)Ashton's passion for being the "big sister of recruiting" (12:53)Prayer and staying connected with those around you (15:25)The bond of a brother and sister: Parker and Ashton Washington (18:31)Falling love with the recruiting process as a high schooler (22:26)Pursuing the dream of working in college football (24:00)Life as Director of HS Relations for Illinois (36:45)Topic of the Week: Building Your "Personal LinkedIn" (40:21)Advice to RECRUITS on building your "Personal LinkedIn" (40:58)Advice on breaking into the industry of college football (45:12)The importance of getting mom and dad on your side (46:47)Do's and Don’ts when it comes to social media (49:01)How the COVID pandemic is advancing the recruiting industry (53:11)Sendoff advice for recruits, parents and HS coaches (54:31) Nothing is more valuable than the in-person impression you leave people with, and there are no shortcuts in building relationships. Tune in for the advice and encouragement brought by Ashton, who you can follow on Twitter at @Ash3Washington! Also, don't forget to check out the official website of the show, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for weekly updates and to submit any/all of your questions!

The first active NFL player to speak on the show, Calvin is the perfect person to talk about the ever-changing landscape of recruiting. From signing with Rice University, starting 36 straight games and earning his degree in Mathematical Economic Analysis to grad transferring to the University of Texas to start all 14 games there, he's seen quite a bit for a young professional athlete. Now a member of the Denver Broncos, after a brief stint with the New England Patriots as an rookie undrafted free agent and on the New York Jets practice squad, Calvin brings a wealth of knowledge to the forefront on what he's learned both on and off the field. The mindset he has for setting goals, seeking knowledge, being purposeful in building his own brand, is so important to hear during this time period. Whether you're a player, coach, recruiter or administrator, everyone has an opportunity to speak on what they're passionate about and what they stand for. Like I do each and every week, here's your cheat sheet to the topics covered on this week's podcast:Life as an NFL athlete during COVID (4:00)Honesty and Transparency in Recruiting (7:07)Biggest Impact on Calvin’s Collegiate Career (13:40)Goal Setting & Calvin’s Process for Getting Better (15:50)Watching Stocks & Terrible Movies for Fun (17:38)Discipline and Rules in the Anderson Household (19:53)Economics & Developing High Level Critical Thinking Skills (28:53)The Upward Trajectory of Rice Football (34:30)The Impact & Value of a Rice degree (36:52)Coming Back Home & Playing for UT (42:05)Navigating the NFL & Lessons Learned as a Rookie (44:34)Learning How to Be a Pro from Kelvin Beachum (49:35)Topic of the Week: “Name, Image & Likeness” (51:38)Impact of NIL on Recruiting & Unintended Consequences (54:18)Rubik's Cube & Staying Proactive as a Professional (58:40)Embracing Who Your Are & What Makes You Unique (63:30)An Athlete's Guide to Using Social Media (69:50)Sendoff Advice to Players, Parents and Coaches (73:20) Thank you for listening to another episode of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown. You can follow Calvin on Twitter at @THE_CONDA25! Also, don't forget to check out the official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for weekly updates, and submit any questions you may have!

This episode is all about the nitty gritty of evaluating, building a culture within your staff and what it takes to successfully navigate the player personnel profession. Austin's passion for the evaluation process can be heard and felt throughout this conversation, as he brings a ton of insight to young professionals in the industry and players navigating the difficulties of COVID-19! I hope you enjoy this week's show as much as I did, and be sure to have your pen and paper ready! As I do each and every week, here is your listening guide for topics covered:Being Genuine & Authentic as a Recruiter (5:40)Creating Accountability in Recruiting (7:54)Learning & Growing in the Profession (10:18)Team Building Lessons Outside of Football (20:30)From Cleveland To Cincinnati: Austin's Football Journey (27:46)The "Tough & Nasty" Culture at Cincinnati (34:30Austin's Role as Director of Scouting & UC's Recruiting Staff (36:54)Topic of the Week: "Winning Your In-State Battles" (40:54)Building Your Network & Contacts as a Recruiter (43:01)Identifying & Recruiting Impact Underclassmen (50:01)Working Your Area & Having a Pulse on Local Talent (53:21)Battling Exposure Bias with In-State vs National Recruits (57:09)  Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown! If you'd like to keep in touch with Austin, you can follow him on Twitter at @AustinSchaffer2! Also, don't forget to check out the official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for weekly updates and to submit any questions you may have! Have a blessed weekend and stay safe out there!

As mentioned last week, John Peterson is both a dear friend and respected mentor of mine. In part 2 of a wide-ranging discussion, he delivers some incredible words of advice on leadership, management, player personnel and evaluating within football programs. For those that like to skip around, here is your listening guide: Dr. Clark W. Heatherington's Formula for Education (2:34)Leadership Defined & Management Styles (4:50)Player Personnel Departments at the College Level (8:25)Specialized Roles Required in College Football Recruiting (12:38)The Role of Combine Scouts & Evaluating Underclassmen (14:08)Applying NFL Scouting Principles to Covering the Portal (22:00)Grading Scales in Evaluation and Assigning Value (33:13)Sendoff Advice to Recruits, Parents and Coaches (44:01)Information On The Scouting Academy (56:32) To learn more about the college recruiting and NFL scouting courses John teaches, be sure to visit the Scouting Academy! Also, don't forget to rate, subscribe and share the show if you enjoyed this episode! For full show notes and updates, please visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com! Stay safe and Happy 4th of July!

This week's guest is both a dear friend and respected mentor that I have looked up to ever since we met; I was just a young college student, hungry to learn how to scout like the pros! Years later, it's an absolute honor and privilege to have him on my show! In Episode 13, John breaks down a multitude of factors involved in the recruiting game. When it comes down to what it takes to recruit at a high level, it's pretty simple: you have to be able to communicate effectively and connect! We discuss the fundamental phases of recruiting, what recruiters must be knowledgeable of, and the incredible experiences that have shaped John's distinguished and successful football career. Whether you're new to the recruiting game or a veteran, there's so much to learn from this episode! As always, here is your listener's guide: What You Must Possess & Know to Succeed in Recruiting (7:00)Four Phases of Recruiting: Identify, Qualify, Evaluate, Recruit (10:59)Evaluating Work Ethic and Learning Styles in Others (36:59)The Importance of Communication & Connection (44:05)Biggest Influences on John's Career (49:06)Analyzing Your Own Learning to Develop Your Craft (54:17)John's Experience as a Teacher & Coach at the College Level (1:02:26)"Quality People Build Quality Programs" (1:11:51) Next week's episode will focus more on the personnel side and evaluating, so check back next week for the second half of this conversation!To learn more about the college recruiting course John teaches, visit the Scouting Academy! Also, be sure to rate, subscribe and share the show if you enjoyed this episode! For full show notes and updates, please visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com! Stay safe and God Bless!

As this show has progressed, one commonality among high-performers is the ability to build and foster genuine relationships with prospective student athletes. Carina touches on this right out of the gate, but this episode covers so much more than just the basics.In this week's edition of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown, we detail the thought process behind coordinating and scheduling visits for recruits. What are the different approaches you can take with official visits and with unofficial visits? How does the philosophy and mindset change throughout the calendar year? And how do you stay ahead of the curve and on the forefront of recruiting trends?Carina's experiences at Florida and South Carolina definitely shaped her for the role she holds currently, but what is most important is how she's been able to stay centered and locked into the present moment. Her main advice for climbing the ladder? 1. Be where your feet are, 2. Try not to say no, and 3. Be a problem solverFor those of you that just like to hack the system and skip to things that pertain most to you, here is your weekly dose of topics covered:Recruiting Virtually During COVID-19 (3:45)The Importance of Relationships In Recruiting (7:00)The Best Recruiters Carina Has Been Around - Hint: Dad Makes The Cut (11:02)Finding Your Voice & Style In Recruiting (14:45)Learning: A Daily Habit of Conversations & Action (19:32)Doing Your Homework On Recruits & Thinking Outside The Box (27:19)Growing Up In a Football Family (29:29)Uncovering The Passion For Recruiting - The Florida Days (34:26)Being Where Your Feet Are - The South Carolina Days (41:32)Challenges Facing The 2020 & 2021 Recruiting Classes (51:15)Differences Between Official and Unofficial Visits (1:01:01)Philosophy And Approach Regarding Unofficial Visits (1:05:25)Shaping Official Visits Throughout The Calendar Year (1:11:30)Coordinating Multiple Recruiting Events Simultaneously (1:19:07)Why You Need Checklists When It Comes To Recruiting (1:23:31)Sendoff Advice to Recruits, Parents & Coaches (1:35:34)Thank you for listening to another episode of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown! If you'd like to keep up with Carina on Twitter, you can follow her at @CarinaH_GT! Also, don't forget to check out the official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for weekly updates, and submit any questions you may have!

In this week's episode, we take a deep dive into the strategy involved in recruiting and effective approaches to building a "gameplan" for targeted recruits. Trey's main focus is doing your homework on the front end, to assist in building deeper connections and relationships but also in order to best structure the on-campus experience.For those that like to jump around, here's your guide for this week's episode:Life During COVID and Silver Linings (3:20)"Big Shot Trey" Origins & Noon-Ball (7:34)Background Research & Identifying the Champion (9:55)What Makes Gavin Morris & Donte Williams Such Great Recruiters (14:41)Influences from Trey's Experiences at Tennessee & Liberty (18:50)Learning From Others & Asking Questions (22:27)Trey's Journey in Football (28:50)Getting a foot in the door with Tennessee (33:28)Lessons Learned at UT & Trey's Transition to Liberty (37:02)Growing & Developing A Recruiting Department (43:17)Topic of the Week: The Strategy Involved In The Recruiting Process (57:37)Staying Fresh & Cutting Edge with New Ideas (1:00:31)Taking The Right Approach with Targeted Recruits (1:02:17)Building Progression Into Multiple Campus Visits (1:06:16)Listener Questions (1:10:10)Sendoff Advice for Recruits, Parents & Coaches (1:17:06)Thanks as always for taking time to listen to Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown!  If you want to follow Trey on Twitter, you can follow him at @ThisIsTreyJ!Also, don't forget to check our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com for weekly updates, and submit any questions you may! 

During our conversation, we covered the evolution of recruiting and the emergence of personnel jobs in college football. With Matt having the experience of working at both pro and college levels of ball, his perspective and awareness on player evaluations is extremely insightful. I wound up having over 3 pages worth of notes, so you'll definitely want a pen and paper ready for this one! As always, here's your listening guide for topics covered:Challenges Involved in Transitioning to a New Team (4:37)"Big Pretty" and the Alabama Personnel Pipeline (8:00)Building Your Own Foundation for Player Evaluation (11:37)Ed Marynowitz and his influence on Matt (19:31)The "Plus-Minus-Equal" Approach to Learning (21:20)Love & Passion for the Player Evaluation Process (27:19)The Hudl Film Librarian, AKA Matt Lindsey (30:04)Scouting with the Philadelphia Eagles (32:10)The Expansion of Personnel Jobs in College Football (33:51)Building the Brand: Reaching Recruits and Fans (35:45)Why Your Players Are Your Best Recruiters (40:00)What Does the GM Role Look Like? (42:10)How-To on Assembling a Recruiting Staff (44:22)Finding Diamonds in the Rough (46:26)Vetting Out Character during the Recruiting Process (49:23)Philosophy on Recruiting Tape & Advice for Highlights (58:34)Advice For Recruiting Assistants on Evaluating (1:06:39)Establishing Your Recruiting Footprint (1:11:21)Javon Kinlaw's Path to the First Round (1:15:45)The Importance of Self Scouting & Advance Scouting (1:18:48)Sendoff Advice for Recruits, Parents & Coaches (1:20:34)Thank you for tuning in to the show! If you're looking for Matt, you can find him at @MattLindseyFB. Also, remember to follow the show on our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com and submit any questions you have through the site or via email at UpCloseInPersonnel@gmail.com!

In this week's edition of Up Close In Personnel, we focus on the commonalities among high performers in the world of recruiting and hone in on the roster management side of recruiting. From Jonny's own unique story and journey through athletics, to how he learns and networks, to the strategy behind scholarship allocation, we covered just about everything. To follow Jonny, check him out on Twitter at @JonnyKovachFor those that like to skip around for specific topics, here's this week's show guide:"The Last Dance" Aftermath (2:45) Recruiting During COVID-19 (7:35) Being REAL & RELENTLESS in Recruiting (9:36) Identifying Program Fit: "Doing Your Due Dilligence" (12:00) Best Recruiters That Jonny Has Been Around (16:10) Learning from People Around You: "Be A Sponge" (24:33) Influences Outside of Football (36:38) Jonny's Journey To The Windy City (39:22) Networking With a Purpose (47:26) Topic of the Week: Roster Management (53:01) Scholarship Allocation & Forecasting (1:03:03) Walk-On Program Development (1:09:35) The Fluidity of Your Scholarship Board (1:15:07) Listener Questions (1:18:22) Sendoff Advice for Recruits, Parents & Coaches (1:28:24)Remember to follow the show on our official website, UpCloseInPersonnel.com and you can submit any questions you have through the official website or via email at UpCloseInPersonnel@gmail.com!Thank you for your time and until next week, stay blessed & stay safe! -AB 

In this episode, we focus on best practices in the recruiting and evaluation process, influences on Gaizka and his journey in football, and more specifically the differences between FBS and FCS recruiting. We really touch on all aspects of recruiting in this one and it was a blast recording this week's show! Here is a breakdown for those looking to skip around for specific topics:Adapting with the times and COVID Impact (4:00)Qualities of successful recruiters and evaluators (9:50)The value of case studies in recruiting (17:40)Key influences for Gaizka and his process (19:42)Aligning with the vision of your head coach (26:06)Gaizka's Journey in Football (30:05)Topic of the Week: FBS vs FCS Recruiting (48:48)Finding out if a recruit "loves the game" (52:18Scholarship Allotment and the value of Special Teams (53:34)What recruits need to know about financial aid (57:00)"You can only pick one school" (1:00:19)One piece of advice for recruits, parents and coaches (1:02:04)Thanks for listening! Be sure to follow Gaizka on Twitter at @Gaizka_SIU  and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com -the official website of the show for news, notes and updates! Please subscribe, rate and share the show with your friends, and have a blessed Memorial Day Weekend! -AB

For episode seven of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown, we discuss what the recruiting process really looks like at the Junior College level for both coaches and players. Jesse Ornelas from Central Oklahoma is someone that focuses on building trust as a recruiter and takes pride in his ability to evaluate. At the end of the day, this is just a great episode for recruits and coaches looking to learn more about JuCo ball. We cover a lot in this one, but here's a guide for those looking to jump around to specific topics:Key traits of successful recruiters (3:23)Jesse's football journey (18:30)Jimmy Garoppolo & training your eye (23:48)Last Chance U & the JuCo Grind (27:30)Topic of the week: Junior College Recruiting (42:00)Crash Course on Qualifiers, Non-Qualifiers & Bouncebacks (43:15)Questions college coaches need to ask & what recruits should expect (46:38)What does it take to "get out" (51:15)Common misconceptions around JuCo Ball (53:40)Printer problems and coaching for Jason Brown (58:05)Sendoff message for players, parents & coaches (1:09:02) Thanks as always for tuning into the show! You can follow Jesse on Twitter at @TheGodfather_O! Don't forget to visit our show's official website -UpCloseInPersonnel.com- for updates, show notes and to send in any/all of your questions!Also, remember to subscribe, rate and share the show if you're a first time listener!Stay safe & stay blessed! -AB

In the sixth edition of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown, we covered it all! Yogi Roth, a former Pitt WR, USC QB Coach, Elite 11 Producer, Pac 12 Networks Football Analyst, Podcast-extraordinaire and down-to-earth, genuine family man, absolutely brings the heat! We cover it all with regards to evaluating, recruiting, and why it's so important to truly have a love for this game!This entire episode is money, but for specific topics or content - here's a guide for this week's episode! Evaluating at the NFL and Collegiate Levels (4:00) Yogi's philosophy on the recruiting process (10:55) The "Wonderswitch" (13:05) Pete Carroll's approach to recruiting (20:25) Yogi's influences as an analyst and his process (23:35) Finding meaning and relationships with words (34:05) Coaching at USC, "The Unreal Launching Pad" (38:40) What separates the good from the great? (42:17) The evolution of recruiting quarterbacks (49:21) Developing your decision criteria as a recruit (1:01:44) Yogi's process for calling a game (1:10:10) The importance of emotional intelligence (1:14:39) Yogi's sendoff message (1:18:29) Thanks again for checking in and listening! You can follow Yogi on Twitter at @YogiRoth and also check his latest podcast show, Ted and Yogi's Pac 12 Adventure!As for our show, Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown, be sure to rate, subscribe and share the show with others if you enjoyed what you heard! Visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for all updates, and follow along on Twitter at @AlexM_Brown for the announcement of next week's guest and topic!Stay safe and Happy Mother's Day Weekend to all the mother's out there!-Love ya mom!