The meeting took place at a Starbucks in Chattanooga, Tenn. Two Ohio State assistants visited with Kareem Orr and his mom. The coaches pitched the best the university had to offer. How Ohio State graduates had a built-in networking system, which helped secure jobs after football.
Orr listened for 10 minutes, then he left and went to hang out with friends. That night, he talked to his mom about his college decision. Ohio State – among the country's top programs – was intriguing, but he had talked with Arizona State football coach Todd Graham and then-defensive backs coach Chris Ball before the Starbucks meeting.