Rural Southerners make a habit of knowing each other's business. Chances are you'll become aware of and -- believe it or not -- friends with bag men for rivals schools. Not that there's such a concept of friends in love or war.
"It's a small group. If you grow up in the state, you end up knowing folks. It's really that simple. But that won't stop them from trying to bury your a$$ when it gets down to it. A few years back, we were fighting hard for a kid in their backyard. We went for a full year with the family, thought we had it wrapped up. Still thought we had it done the night before Signing Day. He liked our coaches. But the family keeps dragging it and dragging it. Late that night I get a call, and it's the player on the phone, the kid himself. You could tell he was nervous. He said, ‘Mr. [name], I talked to my mama, and we decided that $70,000 and we're going with you, if you can promise us $70,000 tonight.' I knew right away we were being recorded, and I knew the bad guy down there who had set it up. I knew him personally. They had him. That part was done. But they wanted to get someone on tape to try and turn it over to the NCAA. So I said, 'Well gosh [player name], we'd love to see you here next season, but we just don't do that kind of thing.' Then I hung up."
