In 2015, Tom Herman called Paul Wall and told him make me a grill, because it was important to keep his word to the kids he recruited who played for him.

In 2016, Herman and two members of his Houston staff famously performed a parody of an infamous scene in “Office Space” when they took a Louisville Slugger to a fax machine shortly after National Signing Day. Antics? Yes. Amusing—if foolish—behavior? Sure. But it sells recruits, and that’s the point.

I first learned Tom Herman’s name in earnest in January 2014. He was the offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes during a year when they won the whole damn thing. And I learned shortly afterward that there are no obstacles Herman—like all great recruiters—will not traverse to land a recruit.

Literally 9 straight hours in my car to go 50 miles. Mother Nature: 1, Atlanta: 0. #IGottaPee #Snowpocalypse pic.twitter.com/XHXJQaEh5B

— Coach Tom Herman (@CoachTomHerman) January 29, 2014

Herman was on a recruiting trip through Georgia. His trip came during a rare snow and ice storm in a part of the country better known for heat so oppressive it belongs in Soviet Russia.

But ice? And snow? And below-freezing temperatures? That happens in Georgia about as often as Texas wins a national title—seldom, but they won’t let you forget when it does.

Herman took to the Twitters to document being stranded on a highway traveling from Marietta to Atlanta. Took Herman 17 hours to cover the distance.

In 10 of those hours, he covered a total of 1.5 miles. Which is brutal. But it’s also what it takes to be a great recruiter—to win—at the big boy level of college football. And we only know, or care, about Herman’s story because he was a coordinator at a blueblood program.

Small college and JUCO coaches routinely do the same, if not more, in addition to making 100 calls and texts each evening hoping to sway a kid from Miami, Florida, to venture to Independence, Kansas, to play in a conference most folks have never heard of, in a part of the world you’re liable to get lost trying to find. Great recruiters, natural-born. Door-to-door salesmen, too.

#Sooners assistant Cale Gundy currently sits atop the 2019 top recruiters rankings in case anybody doubts he's worth his raise to $500,000 annually. pic.twitter.com/9xPCBysbLl

— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) June 23, 2018

They’re used to knocking on doors and laying their best spiel down while wiping their feet on a doormat only to hear, "No, not right now," or "I’ve decided to flip my commitment." Doesn’t stop them from trying later. Doesn’t stop them from moseying up to the next door to try it all over again.

They know the game is the game, and they know they’re here to play it. 

So when I look at the 247 Composite recruiter rankings, I see everyone from No. 25 Brent Venables to No. 10 Des Kitchings to No. 1 Cale Gundy, and I marvel.

I marvel at the number of prep stars they’ve convinced to publicly announce they’ve committed to play ball at the respective school these coaches are selling. And I marvel at how many times they’ve certainly been stuck on the road, stranded at an airport, performed a stunt like beating helpless a fax machine to death—and still didn't walk away with the prize. 

In short, I marvel at how many doors they’ve knocked on, and their willingness to keep knocking.