For Pike Road football coach Granger Shook, preparing a high school football player for the next level starts long before that player steps onto a college campus.
Sometimes it starts with a phone call or a grade check. Sometimes it’s helping a parent determine whether a summer recruiting camp is worth the expense. Often times, it’s reminding a player to stop worrying about college and appreciate where he is right now.
Shook has watched the game evolve during his 18 years in coaching. But the biggest changes aren’t limited to what happens between the lines. Today’s high school coach has increasingly become a guide through the complicated world surrounding college football.