The Intrawebs and social media sites are ablaze tonight as the Miami Hurricanes no longer have a scholarship available for Booker T. Washington four-star offensive lineman Denver Kirkland.
A ton of “SMH” gibberish and talk of Miami’s pipeline to a local high school being “damaged for years to come”, as if fans have any clue what happened behind the scenes.
Kirkland had an offer on the table. He chose not to commit. Miami has limited scholarships this year and like a college football reality show, he proved to be the weakest link and the first name cut, in order to make room for someone else.
Could there be some silent commits? Might coaches have insight to some kids who might flip late? Whatever the case, enough with the online drama. Welcome to the cold, hard world of college football and recruiting, people.
This is a business decision. Nothing more, nothing less. Harsh as that may sound to a teenager making a collegiate-based choice, there are ramifications for game playing, waiting until the last minute, sowing one’s oats and/or soaking up the courting process.
Fans aren’t the only ones going off. Booker T. Washington coach, and former Miami assistant, Tim “Ice” Harris is defending Kirkland (re: going public to squash rumors about academic issues), while taking shots at ‘The U’ for no longer courting his player.
“Coach Golden visited the school [Thursday] before our parade and told Denver everything he wanted to hear,” Harris told the Miami Herald. “Then, a couple hours later, everything changed. … This isn’t the way UM should be doing business, not with the kids in their own backyard.”
Harris claims to be “stunned” and stated, “I won’t stop anybody from going to UM, but I can tell you I’ll never help them again.”
Seems like Harris is going overboard for his kid, which is understandable, but is illogical. Having been in the game as long as he has, as both the high school and collegiate level, the current BTW head coach knows that business is business.
Miami is operating with limited scholarships with the 2013 class. NCAA sanctions have been looming for over two years, with rival schools recruiting hard against ‘The U’ and using potential sanctions as ammo.
Florida State, Florida, Louisville, LSU, Alabama, etc. – all have been poaching local talent for years and while Al Golden is looking to lock down his second full class (re: he came aboard December 2010 and rallied to save the 2011 bunch), Miami needs kids who are willing to commit, enroll early and never waver.
Players like quarterback Kevin Olsen, who has been an ambassador for the program for months, attempting to recruit and lure in top talent nationwide.
Local defensive backs Artie Burns and Jamal Carter, who committed months back and also never backed off their promise.
Guys like tight end Standish Dobard and offensive lineman Hunter Knighton, both of which already signed letters of intent and are working towards earning starting jobs.
Some might scream ‘double standard’ as Miami is still recruiting Kirkland’s teammate, linebacker Matthew Thomas, who is taking recruiting trips, hasn’t committed and is waiting until Signing Day to announce — and to that point, hell yes there are different rules in this game, just as there are in business and in the real world.
The Canes are desperate for linebackers, but with two offensive linemen already signed, UM simply can’t afford to be left at the altar by Kirkland next Wednesday. Miami coaches were pushing for a commitment, he couldn’t give one and as a result, they decided to move on, with the risk not being worth the reward.
There are many positions to fill and if a kid like Thomas, receiver Stacy Coley or running back Alex Collins stands Miami up next Wednesday, so be it – the juice was worth the squeeze at the potential upside of any of those playmakers signing is a true game changer.
Sadly, that just isn’t the case for Kirkland. Good as he may be, Miami has a veteran offensive line and guys like Ereck Flowers, Taylor Gadbois and Daniel Isidora came aboard a year ago. With two lineman already signed for this year, it’s understood how Kirkland became the odd man out.
One obviously feels bad for the kid if Miami truly was his first choice and he planned to don a “U” ball cap next Wednesday. Still, he’ll learn from this and will be fine.
As for other recruits, a lesson in dragging one’s feet. Harris is standing on some moral high ground, turning this into a case of Miami’s word being no good, but look at recruiting for what it is. Kids string programs along for months on end, flipping at the final house, leaving coaches scrambling to fill a spot.
Years back Miami thought Antone Smith was a done deal. The five-sta running back from Pahokee was known for sporting Hurricane slippers and was considered a slam dunk.
Come Signing Day, Smith shocked the Sunshine State – and his own mother – when he inked with Florida State and sold Miami out.
There’s no honor in recruiting and there’s no room for hurt feelings on either side. Programs and players do what’s in their best interest. It’s the name of the game.
For Harris to rant and rave about Miami selling out his player – let him have his moment, but he certainly needs to get past it and continue doing what’s best for his players. To even threaten to not help out the Hurricanes again – it’s an immature threat. Especially coming from an old schooler who knows how the system works.
Best of luck to Kirkland. Miami, like any player looking out for himself, it simply doing what’s in the best interest of the program. There are no scholies to spare this year. Every signee needs to be a perfect fit, the right kid and a game-changer.
The closer we get to February 6th, the tighter that window gets. For those kids seriously thinking Miami, make it happen sooner than later, gents. Don’t want to be on the outside looking in.
Christian Bello has been covering Miami Hurricanes athletics since the mid-1990s. After spending almost a decade as a columnist for CanesTime, he launched allCanesBlog.com. – the official blog for allCanes.com : The #1 Canes Shop Since 1959. Bello has joined up with XOFan.com and will be a guest columnist at CaneInsider.com this fall. Follow him on Twitter @ChristianRBello.
This is why I don’t make too much of a fuss about recruiting, nor get too happy or upset about the committments/decommittments of hs kids. I wait until signing day because up until that point anything can happen. Hopefully this teaches Denver Kirkland a future lesson about bullshitting and not playing around with things of this matter
All these recruits need to read this article about The U and the Super Bowl:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl–football-factory–the-u-s-astounding-presence-in-super-bowl-xlvii-063925887.html
With kids wanting to play the game – sometimes the game plays you. If you wanted to come to Miami, you’ve had literally hundreds of days to commit if you wanted to. You chose to wait and wait, until Miami had to decide who is and is not on board and move forward. As Chris pointed out, we’ve been burned many times with final day flips. It goes both ways. Look at this year alone with de-commits by guys who know we want them, but they want to play the game and see what else comes along. IT is what it is. There needs to be an early signing period so we can rid of a lot of this un-necessary drama.
THANK YOU. UM.
Its been a week since James Coley was hired, and he has stated his connection with Coley as being very strong. Kirkland had all month to decide and had an official visit as well. Im glad UM pulled the scholarship offer. This is DA U, not Da YOU. This will serve as a lesson to the entitled kids who think the red carpet is supposed to be pulled out and their egos stroked when a team is trying to recruit them. Step in the Right Direction.
I hate signing day, kids that have proved nothing on the collegiate level, are treated like kings. Hard to tell a kid there’s no I in team, when every year we have signing day to show one player they are more important than the next guy. I want the best kids to play for the U. But most importantly, I want the best kids, that want to be here. Not the kid that is waiting for the school that is willing to kiss his ass the most.
Kirkland had all year to play the game and enjoy the trips. Signing day is less than a week away, the bullshit stops now. This has all become a joke, and it only matters to people when a player gets hurt. Every year there are kids who flip at the last second, and shock their friends and families. Nobody seems to care that teams in the end are getting screwed when a “commit” decides to sign with another school. Though god-forbid if a kid gets his scholarship pulled from a school he says he was interested in. Even though they continued to play the recruiting game, only to make a big show of it on signing day.
If the coaches at Booker T or anywhere else have a problem with this, tough shit. They need to better inform their players that while holding out can bring great gifts, it can also come back to bite them in the ass.
I have no problem in kids that refuse to commit months prior to signing day. By all means take the recruiting trips. Another school possibly gives them a greater opportunity on/off the field. The game is over once signing day is less than 7 days away. Schools should not be held hostages by kids that are barely considered adults.
In the end this will continue to happen, because schools are willing to let it happen.
… fully agree. Hate it, as well.
That said, it’s the system and everyone has to play. To say “schools are willing to let it happen” — the game is TOO FAR out of control right now. There’s no turning back. Can’t blame the school as much as the media and recruiting websites. They build the kids up as young teens, stick a mic in their face, gloat all over them with videos and articles and as a result, a kid treats the recruiting process like he just won the Super Bowl.
The process itself is the issue. The schools are just doing what they have to do to lure kids in. The inmates are definitely running the asylum.
You’re right, I may have pushed too much of the blame on the school. I guess I just hate watching the game these kids play with schools by leading them on, only to flip at the last second while standing on the podium.
And I agree 100% with your final sentence.
if golden has another 6-7 win season,good luck locking down sfla,Bamas lsu of the worlds can afford to pull stunts like this not a guy whos never won a conference title & has a losing record against winning teams,but in golden you homers trust…
Why would anyone believe Golden is going to have another six- or seven-win season? This is year three in his tenure and is usually the time coaches take a huge step forward with their programs. Veteran offense coming back and a defense that will get shorn up in the off-season. Miami is already a 25-1 to win it all (as is Oklahoma) as well as being predicted to win the ACC Coastal (again) this year.
Funny how anyone who supports a coach is a ‘homer’ and anyone who is anti is a ‘hater’.
Golden has done some good things to right the ship the past two years. He took over a program in the toilet and is getting Miami back on track. Relax, man.
We want guys who want to be a Cane. If you’re not sure, which is understandable, then maybe The U is not for you. If you know where you want to go then commit. If you know there are a finite number of spots and you’re not ready to decide, then expect the spots to be filled with players who know they want to be a part of Miami. The program is bigger than any one prospect.