High school football players, coaches navigate new recruiting landscape

Without 7 on 7 opportunities, team camps or even spring visits, late blooming high school football recruits hoping to play at the next level are working through new challenges.

It's been an understandably tough spring for athletes looking to get a chance to play at the next level.

But for juniors...particularl y football players that use this spring and summer to raise their stock...it's got an added layer of difficulty.

Which means a recruiting landscape that looks like more the good old days than the future.

Jamal naghiyev: i mean, it's tough.

Because if you want to play colleg football because this is a time where college coaches come and see you and see you practice.

And that's when they come and talk to you and you can get an offer.

But for kids like me and kids around eugene it's tough right now.

Churchill's jamal naghiyev isn't alone...in eugene or around the country.

Kenny koberstein: we've got a lot of kids trying to get placed.

We don't have five stars or anything at south.

So al lot of it is word of mouth and film.

But for juniors looking to make a big jump during typical recruiting camps in the spring...the window to impress coaches is smaller and increasingly virtual.

Jamal: we just stay connected through twitter, we text a lot, usually we facetime and just talk.

They want me to come for visit but i can't because of the coronavirus so i have to wait for all this to be done.

Kenny: this time of year when we're trying to sell a kid, they'll say let's get this kid to our camp.

So there's all these opportunities for kids to get seen before the season starts are gone.

While waiting for practice and play to resume...athletes like naghiyev are finding ways to make their own luck with check ins from coach aj robinson.

Jamal: he says, everyday i walk on churchill's football field and i can tell who is putting in the work and who is at home playing video games.

That's the kind of coach aj is.

He wants everyone to be responsbile.

And for that rising senior class...it's that hard work that will make the difference if or when there is new game tape to film.