For this, I'm going to assume that the "footprint" includes anything from the Mountain time zone west plus Texas and any Colorado border states from the Central time zone (Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma).
Here's a brief case for the others I put in the poll:
Florida: largest collection of talent outside our region
New Jersey: major talent producer with willingness to look nationally at colleges
Illinois: solid talent and strong CU alumni base
Louisiana: major talent producer where CU has had success in the past
Tennessee: has sent talent to CU and has a general openness to look nationally
Ohio: very good talent base similar to Louisiana in that there is only 1 in-state BCS program
Georgia: big talent producer that has sent talent to CU before
Washington DC: speed, talent and willing to look - has players on the current CU roster
Missouri: produces some elite talent and geographically close
New York: like NJ on talent and openness to leave plus some of the best JUCO talent in the nation
I also included options for "Other" or for not recruiting outside the footprint.
I'd say to stay within the footprint unless a prospect is found at a camp or through a personal connection. It's hard to justify trying to use resources to build a pipeline elsewhere when there's more than enough talent in the west.
Here's a brief case for the others I put in the poll:
Florida: largest collection of talent outside our region
New Jersey: major talent producer with willingness to look nationally at colleges
Illinois: solid talent and strong CU alumni base
Louisiana: major talent producer where CU has had success in the past
Tennessee: has sent talent to CU and has a general openness to look nationally
Ohio: very good talent base similar to Louisiana in that there is only 1 in-state BCS program
Georgia: big talent producer that has sent talent to CU before
Washington DC: speed, talent and willing to look - has players on the current CU roster
Missouri: produces some elite talent and geographically close
New York: like NJ on talent and openness to leave plus some of the best JUCO talent in the nation
I also included options for "Other" or for not recruiting outside the footprint.
I'd say to stay within the footprint unless a prospect is found at a camp or through a personal connection. It's hard to justify trying to use resources to build a pipeline elsewhere when there's more than enough talent in the west.