football recruitment and offering process?

I am wondering if you have any thoughts on the following scenario: my son has an offer for football from NESCAC school. He went to an overnight visit at another this weekend so we anticipated an offer (his first choice) since the process and level of engagement and enthusiasm was similar to the last school. The first day was great and so was overnight (got along great with all), then went to meet with head coach who simply asked if there were any questions. My son asked where he was in the recruiting process and he said they just starting, like what they see but want to see how the rest of his season goes. I asked if they did his pre-read and he said in process even though they have had materials for a few weeks. He has two more invites over next two weeks but first offer wants to know before ED so he can go onto his next offer if son doesn’t take. He has act 32 and very high GPA. He will probably need to give a decision after his next two visits.
What should we read into this scenario since all including his coach expected another offer. It is his first choice. Thoughts?

One thing in your post doesn’t seem right. It is almost mid-October, and I can’t believe that any NESCAC school is just starting the recruiting process for 2018 high school grads. I also am somewhat baffled by the comment that the coach wants to see how your S’s season goes. Again, that just doesn’t seem right.

A few weeks on the pre-read doesn’t bother me as much as how close things are getting to the ED1 deadline.

Have you studied the roster at this school to see what other players the team has at your son’s position? Maybe they have some depth already. Or, maybe they have a different recruit in mind who hasn’t yet committed.

If your high school coach is reliable, you might want to have him place a call to see what the college coach is thinking.

Thank you. I think timing is okay since he has two more overnights in upcoming two weeks. There are a few others at each overnight going thru same process. He just may be their second choice… the school that made the offer wants a response after his last overnight because he is holding a slot that they want to offer someone else before ED if he doesn’t take.

I would probably read the situation as you are, that your son is not at the top of the board at his favored school and that school is “slow playing” things because they are waiting on another recruit or two. From my experience, this is not uncommon in the NESCAC, because a lot of NESCAC football recruiting is contingent on kids who are currently in the mix at Ivys, and the NESCACs at times have to wait until things clarify at the bottom of the Ivy boards. If it were me, I would probably wait until a week or maybe two before the deadline from the offering school, and then advise the favored school that an exploding offer is on the table, and that your son is inclined to take it if the favored school is not in a position to commit by a date certain. Then you just have to see how it lays.

Thanks @Ohiodad51 he got his 2nd offer today from the place he visiting this weekend. He can at least tell them if the recruiting coach calls this week and hopefully it will either move them or signal my son to move on. He still has one more visit after this week so a little time. I agree he mustn’t be a first choice.

My son has several NESCAC offers and the coaches have really started to put on the pressure to commit this week or next before the ED deadlines. My sense is that if roster slots open up, you may find out this week, so be ready with the supplemental essay for his #1 choice .

This is the time they will. It’s a statistics game with admissions.

Coaches have pull in EA/ED rounds as the merged stats of the athlete and the class won’t differ as much as the full RD round. Many of the UAA/NESCAC coaches will tell you they have no pull in the RD rounds.