We love the story of Rudy because it's not true.
Not the facts—those check out. But the story we tell ourselves about what it means.
Rudy spent four years getting beaten up by bigger, faster, stronger players. Four years of coaches who didn't know his name. Four years of doubt, from himself and everyone around him.
Then he got five minutes of garbage time.
Hollywood wants us to believe those five minutes made it all worthwhile. That suffering is noble if it has a happy ending.
But here's what we don't talk about: Most stories don't have Hollywood endings.
High school football is about potential. College football is about production.
High school coaches see a kid and think, "What could he become?" College coaches see the same kid and ask, "What has he done lately?"
The shift is brutal. And we're not preparing kids for it.
The problem isn't that college football is cutthroat. The problem is that we pretend it isn't.
We sell kids on the dream of playing for State U when they should be looking for a place where they'll be known, coached, and valued.
We optimize for the bumper sticker instead of the experience.
The measurables don't lie. Height, weight, speed, strength—these determine which schools will recruit you. But families still chase the Rudy myth, believing heart can overcome physics.
It rarely can.
Academic recruiting is equally unforgiving. The difference between a 3.4 and 3.9 GPA? Usually fifteen minutes of daily focus. The SAT score either gets you in or it doesn't.
Binary outcomes in a world that taught kids everything is possible.
Here's what nobody tells recruiting families:
You're not preparing for high school football anymore. You're entering a marketplace where your value is determined by what you produce, not who you are.
The coaches don't have time to explain this. They're too busy finding your replacement.
The onus is on you to understand the game has changed.
The real choice isn't between giving up and chasing the dream.
It's between chasing the right dream and chasing someone else's story.
Find the level where your kid will be known. Where they'll be coached. Where they'll contribute.
That's not settling.
That's strategy.
Brendan
P.S. When you’re ready, I am running a LIVE recruiting workshop with 10 spots open later this months. We’ll cover everything you need to get recruited to a school of choice, with Q and A and resources provided. RSVP here
P.P.S. Need recruiting help, fast? Schedule a recruiting strategy call with me here.