It can be tough for college football coaches to keep an eye on their players’ behavior on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and countless other social media platforms. Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury handles the problem by having his assistants create fake accounts to spy on them.
“We have fake accounts with cute girls that they add right now, so we can see what’s going on and who’s tweeting what,” he revealed on “the Hawkcast” podcast with NFL player A.J. Hawk. “Those are heavily monitored, for sure.”
Lest you find yourself overly concerned this might lead to some kind of Manti Te’o situation, wherein one of these young men might become besotted by one of these assistants-posing-as-cute-coeds, Kingsbury also knows his players aren’t total idiots, and are likely aware of the true nature of these “cute” connections.
“I think they do, but they can’t resist that. A friend request from a cute girl is an automatic follow,” Kingsbury said with a laugh.
Kingsbury, who at a mere 36 years old brings to mind the idea of casting Ryan Gosling in a “Friday Night Lights” sequel, might have more than the usual reason to keep a close eye on the players under his tutelage.
The Texas Tech coach was one of the men who helped turn Johnny “Johnny Football” Manziel into a good enough quarterback at Texas A&M to be a first-round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns in 2014, as QB coach and offensive coordinator at Texas A&M.
Kingsbury only coached Manziel for the 2011 season, before decamping to Texas Tech for the head coaching job in 2012, but the experience likely made a lasting impression, given Manziel’s troubles, Twitter-based and otherwise, later in his college career.
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Bleacher Report helped Daelin Hayes produce a slickly edited video when he chose Notre Dame in 2015.
Isaiah Crowell had a super-cute friend help him decide on the Georgia Bulldogs in 2011.
Building on Crowell's announcement idea in principal if not in adorability, George Brown Jr. declared his intention to sign with the University of Florida by whipping out a live incarnation of the school's Gator mascot.
In 2008, Nevada prospect Kevin Hart announced his decision between Cal and Oregon before a packed gym. The only problem: Neither school recruited him, let alone offered him a scholarship. He made the whole thing up.
Cordell Broadus got a cameo from father Snoop Dogg for his announcement, during which he chose UCLA over Dad’s favorite team (USC) last season. Broadus eventually quit football to focus on other passions.
Before signing with Alabama in 2009, Dre Kirkpatrick chose his intended alma mater from a hat in a bag … which was sealed in a box … which was wrapped in a garbage bag … which a family member pulled out of a duffel bag ... which was slammed on the table during his ESPN-televised announcement ceremony.
Eventual Arkansas signee Alex Collins’ decision caused some controversy when his own mother -- who wanted him to attend the hometown University of Miami -- ran off with the signing papers in 2013.
In 2015, Chris Warren convened a press conference at his high school, loaded it with eager friends, family, fellow students and administrators, and based the biggest decision of his life on the flip of a coin. The heads side won Texas a running back over the University of Washington.
After being asked at the last minute to "grayshirt" (defer enrolling full time to make room for another scholarship player), Darius Philon nearly had a breakdown while deciding on the spot whether to choose the Crimson Tide or Arkansas. After putting his head down on the table in anguish, the pained prospect chose Bama. Then he actually signed with the Razorbacks.
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From live alligators to fabricated scholarship offers, the most elaborate gimmicks staged by 17-year-old football players as they announce their schools of choice
Bleacher Report helped Daelin Hayes produce a slickly edited video when he chose Notre Dame in 2015.
