Building a Fence: Keeping Washington Blue Chips Home
Everyone around UWDawgpound is feeling a bit down about some of the recruiting misses lately on homegrown blue chip players and wondering why players seem to be deserting the hometown squad to play elsewhere. Emeka Egbuka is heading to Ohio State, and it seems like JT Tuimolau is likely headed elsewhere as well. Some are staying home, like Sam Huard, but it feels like more misses than hits. This begs the question:
Are the Huskies doing a good job keeping their home state talent at home?
The short answer is:
yes.
They're not getting 100% of the top players in the state. They never have and they never will, nor will any school keep all the best homegrown players for themselves. Players are people, and they pick schools for all kinds of reasons. Geographic proximity to their high school is a big one, but far from the only one. Top players in every state cross state lines all the time, and not just from the high-density talent pools of California, Texas, and Florida. It's disappointing when top local players leave, but you count up the Ws that you did get even as you chalk up the L on some and move on and worry about getting the next batch of local blue chips.