The Pitch Behind the Program: How Communication Shapes College Football Recruiting
Location
PANEL: Communication Capstone Pt. III
CELA Moffett
Moderator: Cortney Smith
Document Type
Presentation - Open Access
Start Date
5-1-2026 4:30 PM
End Date
5-1-2026 5:30 PM
Abstract
This project examines recruiting for Oberlin College football as a strategic persuasive communication process. While sports recruiting is often viewed as a logistical or an athletic process, it is deeply rooted in communication, where messages shape how prospective student-athletes understand a program, build trust, and ultimately make decisions. This project explores how rhetorical strategies influence those decisions, particularly within the context of Division III athletics at Oberlin College. To investigate this, I conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with current Oberlin football players about their recruiting experiences. These interviews focused on how recruits interpreted communication from coaches and players, including first impressions, relationship-building, and decision-making. Using Aristotle’s rhetorical proofs as an analytical framework—specifically ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos—I will identify patterns in how credibility, emotional connection, logical reasoning, and timing shaped recruiting outcomes. These findings could show that trust and authenticity (ethos), along with a strong sense of team culture and belonging (pathos), were the most influential factors in recruits’ decisions. Digital communication, especially texting and social media, also played a key role in shaping relationships and perceptions of the program. I believe these results would suggest that recruiting is not just about information exchange, but about constructing meaningful relationships through strategic communication. This project contributes to communication studies by applying rhetorical theory to a real-world sport context and expanding research into Division III recruiting. This project also produces a practical recruiting guide that translates these findings into actionable strategies for future recruiters.
Keywords:
Rhetorical persuasion, Sport communication, Athletic recruiting, Interpersonal communication
Recommended Citation
Epps, Jacob, "The Pitch Behind the Program: How Communication Shapes College Football Recruiting" (2026). Research Symposium. 9.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2026/presentations/9
Major
Communications
Project Mentor(s)
Cortney Smith, Writing and Communication
2026
The Pitch Behind the Program: How Communication Shapes College Football Recruiting
PANEL: Communication Capstone Pt. III
CELA Moffett
Moderator: Cortney Smith
This project examines recruiting for Oberlin College football as a strategic persuasive communication process. While sports recruiting is often viewed as a logistical or an athletic process, it is deeply rooted in communication, where messages shape how prospective student-athletes understand a program, build trust, and ultimately make decisions. This project explores how rhetorical strategies influence those decisions, particularly within the context of Division III athletics at Oberlin College. To investigate this, I conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with current Oberlin football players about their recruiting experiences. These interviews focused on how recruits interpreted communication from coaches and players, including first impressions, relationship-building, and decision-making. Using Aristotle’s rhetorical proofs as an analytical framework—specifically ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos—I will identify patterns in how credibility, emotional connection, logical reasoning, and timing shaped recruiting outcomes. These findings could show that trust and authenticity (ethos), along with a strong sense of team culture and belonging (pathos), were the most influential factors in recruits’ decisions. Digital communication, especially texting and social media, also played a key role in shaping relationships and perceptions of the program. I believe these results would suggest that recruiting is not just about information exchange, but about constructing meaningful relationships through strategic communication. This project contributes to communication studies by applying rhetorical theory to a real-world sport context and expanding research into Division III recruiting. This project also produces a practical recruiting guide that translates these findings into actionable strategies for future recruiters.
