Photo via National Football Post

With the NFL Combine set for next week in Indianapolis, the NFL Draft April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, isn't far off.

NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt had some good news for players who'll accept an invite to this year's draft, and those who played a key role in their athletic careers.

A nice new twist the NFL is doing this year for players accepting an invite to the draft: Bringing the player's high school coach with them, all expenses paid.

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) February 22, 2018

There'll no doubt be plenty of emotional moments, as the prep coaches reunite with the players and their families on the biggest night of their lives.

Needless to say, reaction to the news has been positive.

This is cool. I turned down going to NYC for the draft in 2002, but this would have been a nice option to consider if Mike Alberghini (my HS coach) was invited by the NFL. https://t.co/nZYF0XeOua

— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 23, 2018

I love this idea!!
Reward those HS coaches who don’t get financially rewarded but often have more impact than any other coach a player ever has in his career https://t.co/2beIkEBCYY

— Jay Feely (@jayfeely) February 23, 2018

This is terrific. HS Coaches are often forgotten but often have the most impact. https://t.co/nPPtVFY877

— Mike McCartney (@MikeMcCartney7) February 23, 2018

This is a great new twist..love it https://t.co/bPeWkxCpem

— trey wingo (@wingoz) February 23, 2018

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Indiana high school coach gives a speech to remember

While USA Football National Conference presenter Mike Kirschner left Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis) following the Giants' unbeaten state championship season last fall, with nearly two decades at the school, he'll long be remembered there as a leader and mentor of young men. 

When the team was recognized on Wednesday at the Indiana Statehouse, Kirschner - now the head coach at Mount Vernon High School (Fortville) - delivered a memorable message to lawmakers. 

MUST SEE:
Ben Davis's 6A Championship football team was honored at the Indiana House of Representatives today. Head coach Mike Kirschner's talk will go down as the best speech given all year.@GiantAthletics @mikekirschner1 @rtv6 pic.twitter.com/22mXuqwVsP

— Dave Furst (@DaveFurst) February 20, 2018

 On Friday, the Giants received a coveted new accessory.

Ring Day! pic.twitter.com/hmBRbLmxZB

— Ben Davis Football (@BenDavisFB) February 23, 2018

 

Florida college fair helps pair players with non-Division I schools

Photo via Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

While National Signing Day gets the headlines, decisions remain for thousands of athletes from across the country who want to continue their athletic careers.

Seth Soffian of the Fort Myers News-Press details last week's recruiting fair at Cape Coral High School, which drew 250 seniors from around 45 high schools, and coaches and some admissions officers from more than 50 NCAA Division II, Division II and NAIA schools.

"It’s like organized chaos," said organizer John Schwochow, a former Fort Myers High School assistant and Island Coast High School head coach the last three years. "By the time I’m done, it’s a good thing we only do one a year."

Such fairs are a good opportunity for those with excellent grades but not D-I measurables. 

"This is a great event," said Scott Brumett, defensive line coach at D-II Maryville College outside Knoxville, Tennessee, who was looking for "academic kids that can play."

"You’re trying to sell yourself to them and trying to get to know them in a short time," Brumett said.

A good number of Northern coaches made the trip, including Kyle Rooker, offensive coordinator at D-III Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

"The snow is definitely a hard sell," Rooker said with a laugh. "We try to get kids on campus as early as we can after the fair, when the snow is on the ground and it’s cold to make sure they can handle it."

Donation nets 130 Riddell helmets at Nebraska high school

Brent Wasenius of the Fremont Tribune says an anonymous donation made a major football equipment purchase possible at Fremont High School. 

Joe Sajevic, executive director of the Fremont Public Schools Foundation, said the donors wanted the organization to facilitate the purchase of 130 Riddell SpeedFlex helmets (like the one above) for the Tigers. The total cost is about $52,000.

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The helmets' modern design helps protect players, and the accompanying technology notifies staff when a significant hit is received.

"There are sensors all through the helmet," Fremont activities director Scott Anderson said. "They basically rank hits when they get in the range of 95th to 100th percentile. When that happens, it sends an alert to the sideline. We will have either a trainer or an assistant coach equipped with sideline monitors.

"This technology will alert us to get the player out of the game so we can evaluate them for a concussion."