July Fourth is rock bottom as far as excitement goes in college football. It’s right before media days and a month before many teams start camp. Incoming freshmen have just got on campus, but it is the nadir of excitement.
Why July Fourth is one of the weirdest days on the college football calendar
Recruiting never stops, even when the burgers and dogs are on the grill for the rest of us.
Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images
This is a day to relax and take off, but not everyone can be off. The beginning of July might be when a lot of coaches actually get their vacation time in. But football coaches are also handling a time-honored recruiting tradition: July Fourth commitments.
Per 247Sports, there were 23 commitments on July 4, 2018. That’s up from the usual Wednesday in July, and resembles something like a summer weekend’s commitment haul.
There’s a sweet sort of irony any time recruits assert their agency. College football recruits have more power than many realize. Some will be good enough and impactful enough to truly change the course of a program’s trajectory. That hope is the root of why fans obsess over the process. But it’s pretty funny to think multiple coaching staffs are being held hostage — if only a little bit — on a holiday by a 17-year-old’s non-binding choice.
Temple grabbed six commits on the Fourth, as coach Geoff Collins celebrated the day at a beach in Delaware.
And it goes to show that for a football coach, you’re always on.
On a boat like Urban Meyer? Better at least have the phone nearby in case something pops off. And Meyer’s always recruiting, like that time he texted a recruit in church.
Having a lake day with family like P.J. Fleck? Better make sure you’re at least partially aware of what’s going down.
Prospects certainly aren’t doing anything nefarious or disrespectful because many are already celebrating with their families. Turning a Fourth party into a commitment party with your loved ones doesn’t sound like a bad time at all.
So while you grilled out with no responsibilities, your team’s favorite coach might have had considerably more stress for part of the day. His professional reputation relies a bit on making sure teenagers come through for him.
