The mother of all football recruiting rules
The mother of all football recruiting rules
SEC teams seduce prospects' moms with tailless shrimp and sweet treats
Editor’s note: Today’s story is one in a series of monthly contributions from freelance journalists, supported by sponsors who share The Food Section’s goal of showcasing a range of experiences and perspectives. Learn more here about available sponsorship opportunities.
It’s good to woo the mothers. Making them happy is imperative, actually, especially when it comes to food. Mothers have been known to sway their sons, after all. To nudge them in a certain direction regarding where to play college football in the Southeastern Conference.
Half a dozen current and former SEC recruiting coordinators confirm that moms have to be treated as though they’re special—basically feted when on official recruiting visits to schools with their sons. Future SEC championships, even national titles, could hinge on fulfilling a request for something as small as a soft drink, or providing an item not on the menu for the players; the women’s tastes and palates are more refined than those of football-playing teenagers: Sometimes catered macaroni and cheese or hot dogs won’t cut it.
Matt Lindsey, a former recruiting assistant at Alabama, remembers a few years ago the highly sought-after Landon Collins, a defensive back from Geismar, Louisiana, brought his mother with him on a recruiting visit to Tuscaloosa. She mentioned that she really would like to have a king cake on her trip. It was around Mardi Gras, this visit; but finding such a confection in Tuscaloosa turned out to be harder than the people tasked with the job figured.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Food Section to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
 | A guest post by
|