Truman State University football achieved an 85 percent commitment rate for the 2018 recruiting class after 29 out of 34 players committed. Twenty-four signed a National Letter of Intent Feb. 7 to represent the Purple and White this fall.
Associate head coach Thomas Kearney said this commitment percentage is pretty typical for the ’Dogs. This is usually because Truman offers potential student athletes a highly competitive degree for post-college life and a strong football program. Kearney said the campus always surprises recruits because they enjoy the family-style atmosphere.
“The campus size and the feel is something they can’t usually tell from driving in — they don’t know what to expect,” Kearney said. “Then once they get here, they realize this is actually a very nice campus, and our players do an outstanding job of hosting them, too.”
Kearney said official visits keep recruits busy. They receive a meal in Ryle Hall, a few words from head coach Gregg Nesbitt, a campus tour, and — the parents’ favorite part — a player panel. This is when coaches leave the room and the recruits and their parents can speak to a panel of 8-9 current players. Once this is done, the players go to their host’s house and meet as many of the players as they can to make sure they can see themselves fitting in.
This committed recruiting class is well balanced as it brings in 11 offensive players and 12 defensive players.
For more information about the incoming football class, pick up a copy of The Index on Feb. 22.