College Football: 15 Programs That Always Show a Recruit a Good Time

A huge aspect to recruiting, if you're a program, is hosting recruits on an official visit. These start to take place in the fall and continue until about a week or two until Signing Day. Recruits are only allowed five of these so they really only visit schools they are seriously considering.

This is where a program can really show a recruit how things are around the program. Meeting with coaches, attending a game, hanging with current players, campus tours, academic insights and seeing the town and city where the school is.

Here are 15 programs that seem to always do it the best.

Stanford

Stanford sits in the beautiful location of Stanford, California near Palo Alto. As someone who's been there personally, I can certainly attest and appreciate this.

For an athlete that really wants to play on a good football program while getting a high level academic degree, Stanford is a prime place.

You visit here and see great facilities, a beautiful campus location and good people. The Farm is always an eye opening visit.

Michigan

They say there's something about visiting Ann Arbor in the fall that makes you wanna stay forever. Well, Ohio State fans may disagree but that's another point.

You visit Michigan for a home game, and you really see the Big House packed with over 100,000 people. The academics at Michigan are very good and the coaches really talk about stressing technique in your play.

Oregon

The best time to visit Eugene is to go to a home game during the season. I say this just so as a recruit and potential Duck, you can see how crazy Oregon fans can get in Autzen Stadium.

Then, of course comes the facilities. Oregon's boasts some of the most innovative and modern looking facilities in the country, with plush settings inside.

You talk to the coaches and players and leave out with Oregon high on your list.

LSU

This is one of the most electric visits to take, especially if a recruit goes when the Tigers are having a night home game. I mean, there's a live Tiger on the sideline for cryin' out loud.

Yet, you really see how things operate on the team, the ins and outs of the program, how you fit in as a player and how the crowd supports the team so mightily.

A recruit also sees how the team operates on game day, speaks with the coaches and of course eats all the good Louisiana cuisine he can possibly scarf down. 

Florida State

Personally, I've always felt this was one the more straightforward visits in the country. It seems as if Jimbo Fisher and his staff let Florida State speak for itself.

As a recruit, you visit and see the history of great players to play in Tallahassee. The campus is cool, you meet with academic people and of course hang out with the team.

There's no real quirks and cooks are smoke and mirrors here, but it often gets the job done in a major way.

Auburn

I've never been to Auburn, but from I've seen from afar and hear, this is a gorgeous place. 

The campus really draws you on The Plains, but it's the family atmosphere that Gene Chizik stresses that makes you really think about staying. 

From the crazed fans, Toomer's Corner, solid academics, playing in the SEC and good teammates, visiting Auburn seems to leave an impression on many recruits.

Florida

Visiting Gainesville is always a good thing for a prospect. The town is really almost obsessed with the football team and you're treated like a celebrity.

The team is loaded with talent and the coaches really talk to you about how you'd fit into the program.

Florida's better academically than what one may think, and the tours of the campus and Swamp get your juices flowing.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes' visit always seems to really work well with recruits.

Some critics claim Columbus isn't a sexy place, but I think Ohio State really sells the program and not the city itself.

The facilities are great for the Buckeyes and the team seems to really stick together, which really sells to 17 and 18-year-old players looking for a second home.

Plus, the tradition and history of the program sells itself on visits.

Clemson

This seems to be one of the visits to always shock a recruit.

I remember a few years back thinking that Tony Steward was a lock to Florida State and him visiting Clemson late in the process totally opening his eyes.

Even last year, I think Keith Marshall really was shocked at how well his Clemson visit went, even telling DawgPost that right before he pledged to Georgia, Clemson was actually his pick.

If you're a program that finds out that one of your recruits is visiting Clemson, time to start sweating.

Texas

If you're from Texas, then you basically visit Austin in hopes the Longhorns "draft" you. It's basically like a job interview here, because players in Texas grow up wanting to be a Longhorn.

If you're from outside the state, then this is a flattering trip because it means Texas really thinks you're a great player, because the Longhorns don't leave the state often.

The facilities at Texas are excellent and Austin is said to be a great place to reside.

Georgia

The Bulldogs visit is another good visit to take, if you're recruit. The Dawgs really have a good atmosphere around the program that is led by Mark Richt.

Everyone is accessible and the coaches really do all they can to convince you that Athens is the place for you. Recruits seem to always come back beaming from their UGA visit.

Oklahoma

The Sooners' trip seems to  be really high in football talk.

Even USC commit Max Browne tripped to Oklahoma unofficially this past spring and spent a great deal talking 'ball with the OU staff, he told Scout.com. 

Norman is a good place for someone looking to get away from the norm, get a degree and play some big time football.

USC

Visiting USC means you get to do it pretty big.

From seeing the city of Los Angeles to the weather, to the traditional feel of the campus, the trip to USC is always a good one it seems for recruits.

The coaches and team really are patient with you, answer all of your questions and try to give you a true sense of how things would be if you sign with USC.

Alabama

Following recruiting as I do, visiting Alabama seems to be like visiting the New England Patriots. It's a straightforward business trip.

The Tide wants to get you on campus, so they can introduce you into how they conduct themselves and the program.

The atmosphere around the program is all about handling business, playing big time football and doing things the right way. The facilities are very good and the fans make you feel welcome.

Notre Dame

Visiting Notre Dame is a big time visit for recruits, as seeing perhaps the mecca of college football is always a neat occasion.

The Irish boast a great looking campus with excellent facilities, legendary traditions and outstanding academic possibilities.

This is a trip that always has recruits coming back extremely impressed. Even if you're just a college football fan or follower, it is said that you should visit Notre Dame at least once.

Edwin Weathersby has worked in scouting/player personnel departments for three professional football teams, including the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena League. He spent a year evaluating prep prospects & writing specific recruiting and scouting content articles for Student Sports Football (now ESPN Rise-HS). A syndicated scout and writer, he's also contributed to WeAreSC.com, GatorBait.net and Diamonds in the Rough Inc., a College Football and NFL Draft magazine.