Nice little clip from ESPN here where they ask some of the top recruits in the country; "What sealed the deal for you when making your college decision?"
Not surprisingly you hear things like the family atmosphere, chemistry with the coaching staff, enthusiasm of the coaching staff, and the feeling of being at home dominated the initial conversation. But one recruit in particular, Richie Petitbon of Maryland (who has committed to Alabama) has something a little more off the radar that played a factor in his final decision - the food they had for him in Tuscaloosa.
Another Alabama commit, Adonis Thomas explained the reasoning behind the concept that food plays in recruiting by adding, "I'm not going to lie, food played a role in my recruitment. It might sound goofy to a lot of people, but knowing you can eat well when you're in college is part of that at-home feeling you get when you're looking at a school."
In the article accompanying the video on ESPN, Arizona receivers coach Tony Dews explains that little things like the food selection during their visit really factor into the overall experience for a lot of guys.
"All of these little things matter when kids are on visits. Many recruits are coming in after a long flight, and something simple like having a nice cookie in their room to munch on can really set the tone for the rest of the visit." Dews explained.
"Kids truly want to find that at-home feeling when they're looking for a place to spend the next four years of their life, and nothing creates that feeling better than food."
If you're a college coach, while this isn't exactly a secret, it does force you to think of what you're serving in the cafeteria when recruits come to visit...and immediately want to upgrade the options.