An Unconventional Journey: How General Booty Used Hudl to Become a Div. I QB
High school football is a pivotal stepping stone for aspiring athletes, and it was no different for college football standout General Booty. With experiences spanning four different high schools in two states, Booty's journey to becoming a quarterback at the University of Oklahoma was far from ordinary.
From an early age, he experienced the fierce competition of the Southern California Trinity League and the grandeur of playing at Allen High School in Allen, Texas (renowned for its stadium that packs in 20,000 fans on Friday nights). These high school experiences are all too common for athletes who train and play with a laser focus on reaching the next level.
But what happens when college recruiters aren’t able to make it to their games? Or high school athletics are interrupted due to a global health epidemic? The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented recruiting challenges to athletes worldwide. And with that, players like Booty were left wondering, how would they get seen? Would the pandemic sack their chances of playing at the next level?
Booty didn't let the pandemic obstacles deter him—he had Hudl. And it became his ally as he pursued his college football dreams.
Even before scouts, recruiters and coaches couldn’t travel and traditional recruiting avenues were shut down, Booty was proactive. He meticulously curated his Hudl highlight reels to showcase his technical skills, prowess and innate ability to throw a football. In just a few minutes, he was able to select the top plays and key moments from his games to quickly build a highlight reel that was shareable with only a few clicks. After creating highlights, he tirelessly sent them to every coach he could reach, leveraging his personal contacts and growing social media presence. During his time as a high school quarterback, Booty created more than 60 highlight videos. And it paid off.
While his first collegiate stop at Tyler Junior College wasn’t Division I, the school led the league in passing. Booty made the most of his time as an Apache, continuing to hone his skills on the field and curating his Hudl highlights. With Hudl in hand, he never lost focus on his goal of playing DI football. He had the ability to regularly update his highlights and continue to expand his connections in the football world. And it paid off again!
“Then one day, Coach Lebby at the University of Oklahoma called me back and gave me an opportunity to play at Oklahoma,” said Booty. “So I'm here now, and I love it, but I just wanna give a big thanks to Hudl for all the ways they've helped me throughout my football journey. It's been a unique journey, and I appreciate all of it.”
General Booty’s Hudl profile continues to rack up thousands of views as he leads the Sooners to what looks like a winning season, currently sitting at #1 in the Big 12.
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