When Greg Adkins Says You're Coming To Play At Syracuse, You Do Itg

Greg Adkins looks like a football guy.  Between the beefy frame, the three-pound mustache and the steely, imposing gaze, he was born to be a football coach.  Adkins isn't just an assistant coach on the field however. He's the key cog in the Syracuse football recruiting machine, per Nolan Weidner.

Adkins has spent 20 years coaching and recruiting at schools -- from Sun Belt Conference member Troy (Ala.) and Marshall of Conference USA, to Georgia and Tennessee of the powerful SEC. It's his job to organize the Orange efforts so the staff can get the most information possible on players who have a genuine interest in SU.

Of the many relationships that Doug Marrone made along the way and brought with him to SU, Adkins might be the most important one.  The Orange barely had a foothold on New York State recruits, let alone New Jersey, Florida, Georgia and other talent-heavy areas.  Adkins brings immediate historical success and relationships in those areas as well as an expertise that's already paying dividends for SU.

Adkins style is pretty straight-forward.  The truth.

"The information that you give the kids, parents and coaches, needs to be the truth, " he said. "There's certain things about Syracuse that are certainly way better than other things. But you don't need to hide the things that aren't so good."

Good way to do business.  Of course, he could also just introduce every incoming recruit to #SHAMARKO.  Such a practice would probably have a 95% close-rate.  I'm assuming.