I remember when Randy Shannon was going to be our key to the "inner-city." Instead, he did more damage than actual recruiting.
"Inner-city" is some of your new obsession, and it's downright ignorance most of you are spewing.
These kids aren't stupid, and they aren't going to be drawn to someone they "relate to" if they're peddling a crap product.
In fact, "inner-city" kids are probably 10 times more likely to sniff out the bullshït than kids who grew up in the suburbs, because they grew up being suspicious of 90% of the people and places they encounter every day.
You want to win "inner-city" kids over? Show them that above else, you appreciate their talent and love of the game, and that you recognize what the sport means for them long-term. Prove to them that you're the guy to develop their talents and put them in a position to be successful, not that your some guy "like them" but representing a marginal ACC team that's been .500 against P5 opponents.
That's where we failed. It's not "who" we're sending, it's what we've been selling.