The author, Trevor Phibbs, is a "correspondent"of the Salt Lake City Tribune apparently covering HS sports. He does not have a contact number or email listed and engaging on Twitter seems destined to be stonewalled or ignored. So we're left with:
Bedlam infiltrated his school hallways, too. Notre Dame, with specific admission standards, attempted to switch his academic schedule without his permission.
If I had to speculate on the reality behind this inartfully written and unsupported tidbit, I'd guess that the Notre Dame recruiter-- without Fehoko's permission-- talked to Fehoko's coach or coaches about how Fehoko already qualified for ND academically and hinting/ urging that the HS coaches could get him to take a less demanding academic schedule. The reason given might be so Fehoko could concentrate on and enjoy his senior year of football. What HS coach wouldn't want a 4-star kid totally focused on football? Whether the HS coach actually did try to influence Fehoko we'll never know. Of course, this proposed relaxed schedule would de facto eliminate Stanford, but I'm pretty sure no opposing coach would try to pull a trick like that. EMOTICON. Then, maybe the HS coach -- without a specific agenda-- mentioned it to Fehoko...who didn't take the bait. Maybe more. Maybe there was active blowback from Fehoko or the school. And, somewhere along the way the ever-vigilant Trevor Phibbs picked up the story.
Anyway...short of any fact-based narrative, that was the only way I can think a college coach interacting with a high school point of contact could have floated such an idea. Phibbs wrote it as if ND recruiters were up in the school front office meddling with Fehoko's actual class schedule. It would have been a really juicy story if the ND recruiter had directly tried to influence the school academic counselors or staff...which might have been what Phibbs was hinting at with his "Bedlam in the school hallways" reference. As much as I'd like to see something like that blow up in ND's face, that seems less likely. If only I could get to talk to Phibbs over a drink after work.
Bedlam infiltrated his school hallways, too. Notre Dame, with specific admission standards, attempted to switch his academic schedule without his permission.
If I had to speculate on the reality behind this inartfully written and unsupported tidbit, I'd guess that the Notre Dame recruiter-- without Fehoko's permission-- talked to Fehoko's coach or coaches about how Fehoko already qualified for ND academically and hinting/ urging that the HS coaches could get him to take a less demanding academic schedule. The reason given might be so Fehoko could concentrate on and enjoy his senior year of football. What HS coach wouldn't want a 4-star kid totally focused on football? Whether the HS coach actually did try to influence Fehoko we'll never know. Of course, this proposed relaxed schedule would de facto eliminate Stanford, but I'm pretty sure no opposing coach would try to pull a trick like that. EMOTICON. Then, maybe the HS coach -- without a specific agenda-- mentioned it to Fehoko...who didn't take the bait. Maybe more. Maybe there was active blowback from Fehoko or the school. And, somewhere along the way the ever-vigilant Trevor Phibbs picked up the story.
Anyway...short of any fact-based narrative, that was the only way I can think a college coach interacting with a high school point of contact could have floated such an idea. Phibbs wrote it as if ND recruiters were up in the school front office meddling with Fehoko's actual class schedule. It would have been a really juicy story if the ND recruiter had directly tried to influence the school academic counselors or staff...which might have been what Phibbs was hinting at with his "Bedlam in the school hallways" reference. As much as I'd like to see something like that blow up in ND's face, that seems less likely. If only I could get to talk to Phibbs over a drink after work.