It’s Your Decision
February 15th, 2010 - byFormer Quarterback Terry Hanratty is the only Notre Dame player to finish in the top 10 of the Heisman balloting three straight years. He went on to become Terry Bradshaw’s backup for the Super Bowl powerhouse Steelers. This is a man that understands the Sports experience. He is also someone who is right in the middle of a child being recruited, like so many of us.
From his second marriage, Hanratty has two children, including 16 year old Conor, who is being recruited. I picked up a copy of Blue and Gold Illustrated and read an interesting story by outstanding writer Lou Somogyi on Terry Hanratty’s perspective of the recruiting process of his son.
His son Conor, even though he won’t turn 17 until late summer, is already 6-5 and 300 pounds. When I speak, I say the D1 thing may come because of God given things like the size Conor has been blessed with. D1 is a realistic level for him to play at in College.
In the article, it is revealed that young Conor, an 11th grader, has already been given a written scholarship offer by Notre Dame for the 2011 class. Although his Dad went to ND, they are still looking at many other possibilities.
In two months they will take a West Coast visit to Stanford and Cal. They have already visited Wisconsin and Iowa, as well as Duke, Virginia and Boston College.
Of course, with Dad Hanratty having played for Notre Dame, it would mean a lot for his son to play there, but this what the elder Hanratty says about it:
“I want Conor to make the best decision for his future. I’ve told Conor, ‘Notre Dame was the greatest decision in the world for me, but you’re not me, this is a different era and a different coach.’ The main goal is to lok at the best academic/athletic schools, meet with the faculty, and I’ve told him it’s going to hit you when you know which is the right school.”
In the article, Hanratty talked about the differences in recruiting back when he was being recruited in 1965 compared to today’s accelerated pace of recruiting.
“The tenacity of recruiting because of the early offers now given to high school players today,” said Hanratty. “My son started getting seriously recruited after his sophomore year, and I thought it was crazy. But things today are also more by the book with restrictions on how many calls they can make, etc. Back then, schools from all over the country were offering me cars, houses, money, my best friend would get a scholarship with me to go to the school . . . . it was like the ol’ Wild West.”
Whether his son goes to Notre Dame or somewhere else, he wants him to be a true student-athlete, something we should all insist for our children in recruiting. He recoiled when thinking about some of the pitiful grad rates of some D1 Football programs.
“The grad rates at some of the schools are abominable and the NCAA really needs to step in and have some impact here. These kids cannot be used like that. A very small percentage can get to the pros and the rest are done – and if they’re without a degree in today’s economic climate, then they’re really done.”
The elder Hanratty is proud of true student-athletes like 2009 Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart of Stanford. “He took 21 credit hours last semester, which is amazing,” Hanratty said.
He is on the mark. Never has there been a greater need for a college degree than today’s world. College athletics are not only a way to get a degree, but they also enable young people to develop the “inner fire” that is important to succeed in today’s world – to have that burning desire to compete, to be a total team player in a company, to be solution-minded, and to be a leader. More than ever companies are specifically looking to hire true college student-athletes because of the DNA they bring to their company culture.
Conor Hanratty is looking to to a student-athlete at a top academic school. When he graduates from college in either 2015 or 2016 his resume will go to the top of the pile over most normal college students. He understands that he is making a 40 or 50 year decision, in that being a true college student-athlete at a top academic school, whether it is Boston College, Stanford, Vanderbilt, DePauw, Millsaps or what have you, will have a major impact on the next 40 to 50 years of his life!
