Cohen declared, “I’m going to be really blunt with you.” “Hugh Freeze had seven recruiting calls in the two hours that I was in a car with him up here. Additionally, he received a lot of calls from children recruiting him. One

Cohen declared, “I’m going to be really blunt with you.” His tone was heavy, weighted with frustration and disbelief, as if the words he was about to say had been gnawing at him for days. The car rattled along the highway, the cityscape blurring past the windows, but his focus was fixed entirely on the man beside him—Hugh Freeze. “Hugh Freeze had seven recruiting calls in the two hours that I was in a car with him up here. Additionally, he received a lot of calls from children recruiting him. One…” Cohen trailed off, shaking his head slowly. The reality of the situation seemed almost surreal.

Hugh, seated next to him in the passenger seat, looked down at his hands resting on his lap. There was a certain guardedness in his expression, a mixture of weariness and defiance. Cohen knew him well enough to read between the lines; Freeze wasn’t a man prone to panic, but this moment clearly unsettled him.

The silence stretched between them for a few beats before Cohen continued. “One of those kids was barely old enough to understand the game, yet here he was, calling you repeatedly, trying to convince you that he belonged on your team.” His voice was laced with sarcasm, but the underlying message was crystal clear: the recruiting frenzy had become something else entirely.

Freeze finally looked up, his eyes meeting Cohen’s. “I don’t control who calls me,” he said quietly, almost defensively. “Recruiting is part of the job. These kids—and their families—reach out all the time. It’s their future. I owe them that much.”

Cohen exhaled sharply, his frustration bubbling over. “But Hugh, seven calls in two hours? That’s relentless. And these aren’t just casual inquiries—they’re strategic, coordinated efforts to get you to commit. It’s a battle out there, and it’s not always about what’s best for the kid or the team. Sometimes, it feels like it’s about the power, the leverage.”

Hugh’s jaw tightened. “I’ve been through this long enough to know the game. Every call, every visit, every promise—it’s all part of a bigger picture. I’m just trying to build a team that can win.”

“Win at what cost?” Cohen countered, his voice lowering. “You’re talking about kids—kids with dreams, hopes, and parents who believe in them. This isn’t just about football. It’s about their lives.”

The conversation hung there, heavy and unresolved. Cohen looked out the window, watching the landscape change from city to countryside. The reality of recruiting in college football was a complex web—filled with opportunity, pressure, and sometimes, heartbreak.

As the car sped along, Cohen’s mind raced back to the early days of his own career. He remembered the excitement of discovering talent, the thrill of landing a promising player, and the satisfaction of watching them grow into stars. But he also recalled the darker side—the backroom deals, the whispers of impropriety, the feeling that sometimes, the players were more like pawns than people.

Recruiting had evolved into a high-stakes game where coaches were constantly under scrutiny. The NCAA rules were strict, but enforcement was inconsistent, and the temptation to bend or break the rules was always present. Freeze’s phone calls were just the tip of the iceberg.

“Look,” Cohen said after a moment, “I’m not saying you’re doing anything wrong. But this intensity, this nonstop barrage—it’s exhausting for everyone involved. You, the kids, their families. And it’s creating a culture that’s hard to sustain.”

Hugh nodded slowly. “I get that. But what’s the alternative? Sitting back and hoping the right players find their way to us? That’s not how it works. You have to be aggressive, proactive. The competition isn’t slowing down.”

Cohen sighed, feeling the weight of the conversation settling on his shoulders. “Maybe the system needs to change,” he suggested softly. “Maybe there needs to be more oversight, more protections for the kids. Something to make sure this isn’t just a numbers game.”

Freeze looked out the window, the setting sun casting long shadows across his face. “Maybe,” he said quietly. “But until then, we play the game as it is.”

The car slowed as they approached their destination. Cohen glanced over at Hugh one last time, sensing the mix of resolve and weariness behind those eyes. The road ahead was uncertain, the path filled with challenges both on and off the field.

As they stepped out of the car, Cohen felt a pang of empathy for the man who carried the weight of expectations from so many directions. Recruiting wasn’t just about talent anymore—it was about navigating a complex, sometimes ruthless landscape where every call, every decision, could change lives forever.

And in that moment, Cohen realized that blunt honesty was just the beginning. The real work—finding a balance between ambition and integrity, between winning and doing right—was the true challenge they both faced.