DaytonDailyNews.com

For better or worse, high school football recruiting information — truth and rumors — is just a mouse-click away.

"I think the Internet has probably put more emphasis on it now than anything," Northmont coach Lance Schneider said. "You've got these fan Web sites like Rivals and Scout that really have no bearing on the actual recruiting process, but all the fans and all the players are interested in how many stars a kid is rated at."

Schneider is right. Fans do.

"People want to know what kids are saying," said Allen Wallace, a national editor at both Scout.com and Superprep Magazine. "We're a major part of the process in terms of being an information provider."

Technology has paved the way. Game film has moved from 8 millimeter to VHS tape to DVDs and beyond.

"My dad does the highlight tapes off a digital editing system," Schneider said of his father, longtime coach Mike Schneider. "He sends out DVDs to all the BCS schools and all the MAC schools.

"He's retired, so there's not much for him to do but break our team down, break our opponents down and make highlight tapes."

While the football recruiting world has gotten smaller, it's also gotten tougher for mediocre students. Big-time teams have 85 scholarships and don't want to waste one on someone who may not stay eligible. Schools are doing their homework and making sure prospective players do the same.

"Academically, it's much more competitive," Wayne coach Jay Minton said. "I think everyone is seeing the light and what's it like. No longer can you not do well academically and say, 'Well, I'm Joe Jones, and I just run for touchdowns' and get a scholarship. You don't do that anymore. They can't take people like that anymore."

On the other hand, colleges from most of the country recruit Ohio and its football-rich tradition. There is more media attention from events like the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge and various high school magazines.

This year's Miami Valley BCS recruiting class includes players going to Colorado, Florida State, Wisconsin and Connecticut.

"There's more kids going to Big Ten schools, or West Virginia, UC," Centerville coach Ron Ullery said. "It just seems like there is more kids of that caliber playing."

In Zebrie Sanders' case, the Northmont senior's recruiting path started with a letter from Wisconsin his sophomore year and ended with a recent commitment to Florida State.

"I'm from Columbia, S.C., and I wanted to get back down to the South," Sanders said. "I like Ohio football, but it gets too cold up here."

Players and programs can find each other pretty easily.

"On the Internet, guys are able to track guys (at their position) easier than in the past," Lance Schneider said. "The world is global; you can get anywhere quickly and cheaply.

"Zebrie went to a camp at USC. Twenty years ago, that was unheard of. But now it's almost commonplace with the big-time kids. They go all over the country to look at different schools."