I didn’t used to think so. I thought a coach either wants a recruit or not, and if the recruit is wanted, he or she will be supported. However, I since have heard a few things that temper that conclusion. First, the 2014 Amherst report on athletic recruiting suggests that some minority athletes indeed may fall under a different hook. Second, a Little Three coach told one recruit I know that he likely didn’t need athletic support, since he had the stats and was a double legacy.
This comes with a but, however. I just can’t believe that there would not be some kind of dialog about using a different hook between coach and admissions. If the recruit was highly sought after, I agree that the coach would not leave things to chance. Imagine a minority recruit that a coach really wants. Regardless of the type of hook, the coach will still ask admissions for a pre-read and will still inform the recruit about the outcome of the pre-read. The only difference is that, between the coach and admissions, the coach might have an additional tip or slot in the coach’s back pocket.