Recruiting Comments by Tom Lemming

Found these comments about the recruiting process by recruiting analyst for ESPN Tom Lemming in a chat transcript:

George (Paris, TX): Tom, what makes a school a good closer (typically FSU) and a poor closer (typically Michigan)? Any thoughts?

Tom Lemming:
Sir, you've got your facts all wrong. The past two years, Michigan has been a great closer while yes, FSU has been a great closer over the past 15 years though last season was not their typical year in landing players.

The keys to landing players .... First of all, you've got to be one of the super-20 schools, then you've got to have an aggressive, quick-witted and personable head coach, but much more importantly, you've had to set the player up for the previous 12 months by a competant assistant coach contact with great evaluating skills and personality who will work day and night getting close to the blue-chippers and putting the player in a position to feel 'bad' if he chose another school. When the super-20 are involved, it all comes down to the ability of that asst. coach to recruit the prospect