[Redrum]

"Is this really true? I don't think it is. While it may not be LA, there are quite a few recruits in the greater Bay Area. Especially QBs. And besides, California is California to a school from the East Coast."

I think you misread the meaning, Farmboy.    Northern California has a decent number of recruits,  but the interest of distant, visiting schools arranging their schedule to play Stanford (or other Northern California schools) home/home is whether those recruits are true targets likely to have an interest in a school out of their home region.  Generally it's not compelling enough.  Unless it's a bodybag game w/ no home/home arrangement,  then game attendance and TV exposure are much more important.

The analogy for Stanford is Texas.  Top-to-bottom Texas produces LOTS of high quality recruits.  But Stanford rarely picks up Texas recruits, particularly the elite ones.  I could be wrong, but I can't remember when we beat UT for a recruit that UT went after in serious fashion.  That's a HS football territory that is always enticing with its talent but in practical terms is a low-probability recruiting area for us.  (Contrast this with the area in Georgia around Atlanta where we are disproportionately successful  Thanks be to God).  That same practical consideration plays out for elite programs in rich football territories considering where to play OOC.  Texas does not need to consider recruiting advantage or exposure in Northern California because they can recruit most of the talent they need at home.  Same w/ Alabama,  LSU,  Florida, Penn St. et al.  They will go after elite players,  usually from SoCal where there are other interests at play.   

Note that Florida offered Francis Owusu but in that case there are former Stanford coaches on Florida's staff who knew of Owusu from their time in California recruiting.  Otherwise,  I bet they wouldn't put much effort into going after him.

[Redrum]

"Is this really true? I don't think it is. While it may not be LA, there are quite a few recruits in the greater Bay Area. Especially QBs. And besides, California is California to a school from the East Coast."

I think you misread the meaning, Farmboy.    Northern California has a decent number of recruits,  but the interest of distant, visiting schools arranging their schedule to play Stanford (or other Northern California schools) home/home is whether those recruits are true targets likely to have an interest in a school out of their home region.  Generally it's not compelling enough.  Unless it's a bodybag game w/ no home/home arrangement,  then game attendance and TV exposure are much more important.

The analogy for Stanford is Texas.  Top-to-bottom Texas produces LOTS of high quality recruits.  But Stanford rarely picks up Texas recruits, particularly the elite ones.  I could be wrong, but I can't remember when we beat UT for a recruit that UT went after in serious fashion.  That's a HS football territory that is always enticing with its talent but in practical terms is a low-probability recruiting area for us.  (Contrast this with the area in Georgia around Atlanta where we are disproportionately successful  Thanks be to God).  That same practical consideration plays out for elite programs in rich football territories considering where to play OOC.  Texas does not need to consider recruiting advantage or exposure in Northern California because they can recruit most of the talent they need at home.  Same w/ Alabama,  LSU,  Florida, Penn St. et al.  They will go after elite players,  usually from SoCal where there are other interests at play.   

Note that Florida offered Francis Owusu but in that case there are former Stanford coaches on Florida's staff who knew of Owusu from their time in California recruiting.  Otherwise,  I bet they wouldn't put much effort into going after him.