Keeping Pace
Western PA Remains Recruiting Hot Spot
By Tony DeFazio

High school football has long been a source of pride in Western Pennsylvania, with good reason. The proof has been well documented for over 50 years. From Unitas and Lujack to Marino and Law, Ditka and Dorsett to Arrington and Martin; high schools in Western PA have produced an astounding array of football talent.

Locals will tell you the region has no equals. Perhaps California, Florida and Texas produce a greater quantity, but those are entire states with larger populations. Pittsburgh certainly dominates the region, right?

Not so fast.

From 1963 through 1997, 92 players from Pennsylvania were named to the prestigious Parade All-American football team, 57% from the Pittsburgh area. In the six years since, however, none of the 18 Parade All-Americans from Pennsylvania were from Southwestern PA. The last Parade All-American from Pittsburgh was Lavar Arrington in 1997.

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley recruits in Western Pennsylvania and has noticed a slight decline.

"The numbers of kids certainly are not what they were in their hey-day," Bradley observes. "The area where I've seen a decline is the old steel or coal belt between New Castle and Youngstown: There used to be some really great high school talent there."

Pittsburgh ranks ninth nationally in cities producing NFL players (13), but the Harrisburg/Lebanon/Carlisle metro area has produced 38 current players, ranking 23rd nationally in players per capita. The Pittsburgh MSA is not among the top 30.

"Western PA has been the leader for a long time, and it has become more important for the rest of Pennsylvania. Other areas of the state are trying to catch up so they're placing more emphasis on it," says Bobby Burton, editor of Rivals100.com recruiting publication.

Of the 64 PIAA playoff games played since they began in 1988, the west has won 25, the central 24 and the east 15. However, the west hasn't won a state title in Quad A since 1995. Western teams have just two AAA and three AA crowns since 1991.

"Eastern PA has done better," says Joe Butler, director of Metro Index Scouting Service, who also noted that more division 1-A scholarship offers have gone to kids east of State College recently.

While those numbers support an increase in football talent across the state, it doesn't appear to come at the expense of Western PA talent.

The only cities not located in Florida, California or Texas with more players in the NFL than Pittsburgh are Atlanta and Detroit.

Bradley doesn't see a decline in talent. He sees a decline in population.

"Western Pennsylvania will always be one of the top areas in the country: The number of players from the area, if it has slipped, is proportional to the area's population decline," he argues. "In areas where the population increased, the number of players increased."

Butler agrees. He explains that Florida's population has doubled while Pennsylvania's has dropped five percent, much from Western PA.

"The population dropped off. Young people aren't here like they used to be. A lot followed jobs and headed south to Florida," he says. "Obviously places like Florida have more people, bigger high schools, more athletes."

Burton simply sees other areas catching up to Pittsburgh.

"Areas like Jacksonville have caught up. Detroit has become better," he says. "But there hasn't been a decline at all."

The numbers bear that out.

Over the last three seasons, 40% of the 230 division 1 scholarship offers to players from Pennsylvania have gone to Pittsburgh area kids, not a surprise to recruiting services or college coaches.

"They get every Big Ten, ACC, and Big East school," says Burton, "Year in, year out, it's one of the best areas of the country. Other areas of the state may be improving but I don't see it changing."

"Western PA is as good as anyplace in the country," says West Virginia assistant coach Tony Gibson. "California, Texas, and Florida are great places for high school football, but Pittsburgh is up there with them. You don't need numbers to know Western PA is right there."

Pitt assistant Tom Freeman also believes the region's talent is as good as any in the country.

"It absolutely compares to Texas and California," says Freeman. "Anytime you have population plus a strong emphasis on high school football you have a great recruiting base. That's Texas, that's California, that's Pittsburgh. If that continues, Pittsburgh will always be a great place to recruit."