Mike Bobo embracing social media in recruiting, keeping Ram family tight

Welcome to 2016, when Twitter, Snapchat, that one with the “P” (Periscope) rule the world.

Well, Colorado State Rams head coach Mike Bobo has decided to adapt with the times, he’s embracing social media as a way to communicate and connect with the 17-through- 20-year old players he’s recruiting.

This morning, in the heat of National Signing Day, former Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward tweeted about his former college teammate Bobo.

Excited for @CoachBobo_CSU and the future of @CSUFootball Congrats on a great 2016 class #RAMFAM16

— Hines Ward (@mvp86hinesward) February 3, 2016

This isn’t the only time a player who was connected with Bobo in the past has reached out via social media.

Aaron Murray, who played for Georgia under Bobo from 2010-2013, tweeted this in December:

Can't wait to go see my guys @CoachBobo_CSU and Faton at Fort Collins in the spring. I see Bobo is doing his thing out there

— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) December 19, 2015

Also, Todd Gurley, who took notice to the Rams signing former Georgia Bulldog quarterback Faton Bauta, was impressed enough to show some love on Twitter.

Obviously, for teenagers who live through their phones and social media, the shoutouts help with recruiting. Which is why I asked Bobo about it today.

“It’s Twitter, it’s Instagram, what’s that ‘P’ word? Periscope,” Bobo said of embracing social media. “Hines Ward, Todd Gurley, Aaron Murray; guys that I’ve coached or been associated with. Did they play at Colorado State? No. But they’re associated with me and what I’ve done in football.

“A lot of it is unsolicited, which you feel good about,” Bobo explained Wednesday.

But, for Bobo, his legacy lives not only with the men he coached and played with at Georgia, it also is growing with how welcoming he’s been to former Rams.

“To have Garrett Grayson come back…I thought that was awesome,” Bobo said. “A lot of times you have a change in football coaches and football staffs. It’s where you lose your football alumni sometimes. They feel like, ‘I can’t come back.’

“So, for him to come back, that’s what you want to promote,” Bobo continued.

Grayson came back to the Fort today, and former Rams Joel Dreessen, Crockett Gillmore and Weston Richburg were all part of the special, six-hour National Signing Day event which was the biggest production Colorado State has ever put on.

For Colorado State Rams fans, two positives can be taken away from Bobo on this National Signing Day; he’s an impressive recruiter and he’s consistently committed to creating a “Ramily.”

The 2016 class is one of the best — on paper — in recent memory. Maybe the best in five or even 10 years. Time will tell.

But what impressed about this class was the diversity of talent when positions are concerned, as well as the diversity in where the players were found. The 26 recruits span 14 different states; Bobo and his staff were searching high and dry for the best players possible.

Sure, he went to the junior college level for eight of the signees; that’s not always a bad thing. Bobo saw the immediate need in a few areas — namely in the defensive backfield — and JUCO players have a chance to make an impact on the team more quickly than kids coming out of high school.

When it was all said and done — for the day at least, although CSU is likely finished — the Rams were ranked No. 60 overall in the country, which left them just behind Boise State (58) for second best in the Mountain West. Scout.com rates CSU at No. 64 while 24/7 Sports has CSU at No. 70.

The other thing Ram fans learned is maybe just as important as his respectable recruiting; Bobo comes off as a good, family-first man and his players sticking by him for years proves that. Plus, while Bobo says he loves the football tradition at CSU — paying respect to it — he’s also actively working to strengthen the Rams’ roots.

Bringing back former players, extending that olive branch, is a positive look towards the past. It also reminds possible recruits, the players of the future, they could wind up in the NFL, too.

Bobo’s not just the right coach for right now, he’s also setting up for a successful future by being the man to bring together the Colorado State Rams football community.

Read about every recruit and watch highlight video of many of them here.