Put Them in Position: Evan Karchner on Recruiting, Showcases and Playing College Ball

What does it take to get a high school football player in front of college coaches? On this episode of Inside Maumee Athletics, we sit down with Maumee Panthers head football coach Evan Karchner to talk about the program's first-ever college prospect showcase — and why he's been focused on creating these opportunities since day one. From the logistics of a 45-minute showcase to the realities of recruiting in the social media era, coach breaks it all down. He also reflects on watching former Panthers go on to play at the college level and shares honest advice for any player navigating the recruiting process. If you love Maumee football or have a kid with college football dreams, this one's for you.

Topics covered in this episode:

• The origin of the prospect showcase idea
• How Maumee partnered with Anthony Wayne to get access to their showcase day
• Why football recruiting is different from baseball, basketball and soccer — and why that makes events like this so important
• How recruiting has changed from the DVD-burning, letter-writing era to today's instant Google world
• The structure of Maumee's 45-minute showcase slot — jerseys, prospect sheets, one-on-ones and more
• Mega camps vs. smaller showcases — when each makes sense for a recruit
• Former Maumee players now playing college football: Carson Graetz (Findlay), Cody Wulf (Northwood), Ramsey Quinn (Trine), Pierce Simpson (Defiance), Colin O'Neill (Otterbeing) and Ryan Patterson and Jackson Schneider (Ohio Northern)
• Advice for families navigating the college recruiting process
• Why winning on Friday nights is still the best recruiting tool of all