‘Show Me the Money!’ Clemson Coach Explains Difference in Today’s Recruiting

CLEMSON — Nick Eason says the Allen Reeves Football Complex in Clemson is like a little Six-Flags.

“We got a lot of great pickle ball [courts] and putt-putt golf. We have a bowling alley. We have a golf simulator. We have a barbershop. We got everything you want,” Clemson’s defensive tackles coach said. “This is like a mini Six-Flags here. I enjoy everything that is here. I think it is awesome.”

Former and current players enjoy it as well, as do recruits. However, in the ever-changing world of college sports, facilities, especially in football, are not as big of a deal to a top prospect as it used to be.

The days of schools spending millions of dollars on high priced recruiting facilities are over. As NIL deals continue to rise, and student-athletes begin to receive checks from the universities in 2025-‘26, things like facilities and the amenities in them are becoming a thing of the past.

These days, it is all about the money.

“We have one of the top facilities in the world, but with the landscape of NIL and things, those things have kind of changed the importance of how important it really is in recruiting,” Eason said.”

In his opinion, Eason believes having great facilities does not hurt a school’s chance of landing a top recruit, but it is not a determining factor, either.

“There are a lot of great facilities in the country but are those facilities really determining people’s decisions? Probably not,” he said. “There are very few percentage of high school athletes that are making a decision based on that and that is where we are right now.

“In Terms of high school athletes, do they love it. Yeah, they love it, but at the end of the day is that going to determine the decision. Yes and No.  That is kind of my opinion.”

–Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK